Can I cancel a subscription that renewed automatically?
Yes, and often for free. The myth that traps everyone: believing that once a subscription has renewed automatically, you are "stuck" for another year. Wrong. The law of 21 April 2004 on tacit renewal, now part of the Consumer Code, requires a trader selling a fixed-term service to inform you in writing — at the earliest 3 months and at the latest 1 month before the deadline — of your right not to renew the contract. If the trader forgets this reminder, the sanction is radical: you may cancel at any time from the renewal date, without penalty or fee, and any amounts taken after that date are refunded. The rule covers everyday subscriptions — gym, press, streaming, internet box, insurance. It applies only between a trader and a consumer, and the reminder must be clear and legible, not buried in a clause of the original contract.
📋 The rules
- The trader must send a written reminder of the option not to renew, at the earliest 3 months and at the latest 1 month before the deadline.
- Without that reminder, the consumer may cancel the renewed contract at any time, free of charge, from the renewal date.
- Amounts taken after an un-reminded renewal are wrongly collected and must be refunded, with interest if they are not.
- The protection applies only between a trader and a consumer (a natural person acting outside any business activity).
- The reminder must be individual, clear and prominent; a clause in the original contract does not satisfy the obligation.
🔓 Exceptions
- Some sectors (telecoms, energy, insurance) have their own rules, which may add to or strengthen the Consumer Code reminder.
- Between businesses (B2B contracts), this consumer protection does not apply.
- If the trader did send the reminder on time, the renewal is valid and you remain bound until the next deadline, subject to the contractual notice.
⚠️ Penalties & fines
The real cost is not a fine but the full extra year you thought was over. If the trader met the reminder obligation, the renewal is enforceable: you remain bound to pay until the next deadline, and non-payment can lead to reminders, fees, a debt-recovery entry, even court action. Conversely, if the reminder was missing, it is the trader who is exposed: sums collected after renewal are wrongly received and refundable, and you may cancel free of charge. A clause that pretends to remove this right is unfair and deemed void. In a dispute, an injunction (action en cessation) can stop the practice, and the ULC and the European Consumer Centre can support you. Continuing to charge despite a valid cancellation exposes the company to refunding everything and to legal proceedings. Keep the contract, the bank statements and any correspondence — they are your evidence.
📎 Official sources
- Legilux · Consumer Code (renewal of contracts) →
- Directorate for Consumer Protection (gouvernement.lu) →
- ULC · Luxembourg Consumers Union →
❓ Frequently asked
I received no reminder before the renewal — what can I do?
You can cancel the renewed contract at any time, without penalty, from the renewal date. Keep proof that no reminder was sent and ask in writing for a refund of every amount taken since that deadline.
Does this rule apply to my gym membership?
Yes, a fixed-term fitness subscription with an automatic-renewal clause falls within the law. The gym must remind you of the deadline in the three-to-one-month window; if it fails to, you are released without paying the next year.
Can the reminder just be in the terms I signed at the start?
No, a simple clause inserted in the original contract does not meet the obligation. The trader must send you an individual, clear and legible notice within the legal window before the deadline.
What if my contract is a telecom or energy subscription?
These sectors also have their own rules, often even more favourable to the customer. The general renewal regime is a baseline, but check the specific rights that apply to electronic communications or to energy supply.
Can I reclaim instalments already taken after the renewal?
Yes, if no reminder was sent, the amounts collected after the renewal date were wrongly received. You can demand their refund, and they carry interest for as long as they are not returned to you.
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