Confused about consumer contracts? Read this

Hira Siddiqui from Citizens Advice Bureau Pakuranga/Eastern Manukau

A standard form consumer contract is an agreement where the terms and conditions are already written out for you to sign, and you don’t negotiate what the terms and conditions will be.

The terms can be in a separate document, or on the back of things like tickets, quotes, terms of trade or invoices.

Examples of such contracts are rental car agreements, gym memberships, gas and electricity contracts, finance agreements, and retirement home contracts.

Normally you cannot cancel a standard form consumer contract if you change your mind part way through, but there are some situations where you may be able to e.g. where there is a ‘termination’ clause in the contract giving you the right to cancel with notice for certain reasons, if the other party agrees to accept your cancellation or where they breach an important term or condition of the contract.

Under the Fair Trading Act (FTA), businesses must not include unfair terms in consumer contracts e.g. allowing them to cancel or renew the contract, or to vary the goods or services they provide you, or to change the price payable without giving you the right to end the contract.
If you think your rights have been breached either under the Fair Trading Act or the Consumer Guarantees Act, you can seek a remedy.

✅To learn more about a standard form consumer contract, unfair contract terms, and how you can find help, visit cab.org.nz/article/KB00000040

Original post credit: Citizens Advice Bureau NZ/www.cab.org.nz

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