Legal Consultation >> Cooling-off System

I want to know about the cooling-off system.



クーリングオフ制度について教えてください

The cooling-off system gives consumers the opportunity to reconsider specific purchases (e.g. door-to-door sales), and allows consumers to cancel purchases unconditionally for a certain period following the day contract documents were received.



クーリング・オフとは、訪問販売など特定の取引について、いったん契約した場合でも、契約書面を受け取った日から一定期間は消費者に考え直す機会を与え、理由なしで契約を解除することを認める制度です。

■ Why the cooling-off system was established

クーリング・オフ制度を設けた理由 With the case of door-to-door sales, consumers are apt to be caught by salespersons unexpectedly and persuaded strongly, and they therefore may enter into a contract without thinking calmly or having enough information. Furthermore, consumers are usually unable to receive help because they find it difficult to make accusations concerning unreasonable inducements, such as frauds, misleading sales methods, etc.



訪問販売は、販売員から不意打ち的に強く勧誘されるため、十分な情報や冷静に考える余裕もないまま、つい契約してしまいがちです。しかも、詐欺や錯誤などの不当な勧誘方法を消費者側で明らかにすることは容易でないため、なかなか救済されません。 Therefore, the cooling-off system gives consumers the opportunity to "cool down" and delay contracting for 8 days from the day contract documents are received.



そこで訪問販売による契約は、契約内容を記載した書面を受け取った日から８日間は、頭を冷やして（cooling）、契約から離れる（off）機会を与えたのです。 As a result, sales providers are required to explain contracts to consumers to their satisfaction.



その反映として事業者は、十分な説明をして消費者が納得のうえで契約できるような勧誘方法が求められます。

■ Contracts to which the cooling-off system can be applied

クーリング・オフができる契約 At present, the cooling off system applies not only to aggressive sales at a location that is not the seller's store (door-to-door sales, telemarketing, real estate transactions, credit contract and overseas commodities -see list), but also applies when the consumer goes to a store and is caught by seductive offers; for example, that one can obtain high profits, or confusing contracts that require large amount of money, etc.



現在では、表のように店舗外で積極的に勧誘する契約（訪問販売・電話勧誘販売・宅地建物取引・クレジット契約・海外先物取引）だけでなく、消費者が店舗に出掛けて契約した場合でも、高い利益が得られるかのような誘惑的な取引類型や高額で複雑な契約類型にも、クーリング・オフが認められています。

■ Usage and effect of the cooling-off system

クーリング・オフの行使と効果 The cooling-off system allows consumers to cancel the contract unilaterally by sending a cancellation notice(*1) even without a reason. The cooling-off periods(*2) differ depending on types of contracts (see list).



クーリング・オフは、解約の通知書を送ること （※１） で理由を説明することなく一方的に解除できます。 （※２） 解約できる期間は、表の通り契約類型によって異なります。 You have the right to cancel unconditionally for a full refund. If you received any goods from the seller, you must return them to apply for a full refunds.



クーリング・オフをすると、一切の負担をすることなく、無条件で解約できます。手元にある商品は返品し、代金は全額返金を請求できます。

The Cooling-Off List

表 クーリング・オフ一覧 Type of Transaction (Basis Article)

取引内容（根拠条文） Applicable Matter

適用対象 Period

期間 Door-to-door Sales

(Article 9 of the Specific Commercial Transaction Law)



訪問販売

（特定商取引法９条） Contracts for specific commodities /rights /services at a location that is not the seller's place of business



店舗外での、指定商品・権利・役務の契約 8 days Telemarketing

(Article 24 of the Specific Commercial Transaction Law)



電話勧誘販売

（特定商取引法２４条） Contracts for specific commodities /rights /services by telephone from the seller



業者からの電話による、指定商品・権利・役務の契約 8 days Multi-level marketing

(Article 40 of the Specific Commercial Transaction Law)



マルチ商法

（特定商取引法４０条） Multi-level Transactions;

includes contracts at the seller's place of business. No commodities specified.



マルチ商法による取引

店舗契約を含む。指定商品制なし 20 days Specific Continuous Service Offers

(Article 48 of the Specific Commercial Transaction Law)



特定継続的役務提供

（特定商取引法４８条） Continuous service contracts for beauty salons /foreign language classes /private preparatory schools /tutors;

includes contracts at the seller's place of business



エステ・語学教室・学習塾・家庭教師の継続的契約

店舗契約を含む 8 days Side Job/Monitor Marketing

(Article 58 of the Specific Commercial Transaction Law)



内職・モニター商法

（特定商取引法５８条） Transactions through side jobs/monitor marketing;

includes contracts at the seller's business place. No commodities specified



内職・モニター商法による取引

店舗契約を含む。指定商品制なし 20 days Credit Contract

(Article 4-4, 30-6 of the Installment Sales Law)



クレジット契約

（割賦販売法４条の４、３０条の６） Credit contracts for specific commodities /rights /services at a location that is not the seller's place of business



店舗外での、指定商品・権利・役務のクレジット契約 8 days Real Estate Transaction

(Article 37-2 of the Building Lots and Buildings Transaction Business Law)



宅地建物取引

（宅地建物取引業法３７条の２） Sales contract for real estate at a location that is not the seller's place of business:

applied only when the seller is a real estate business person



店舗外での、宅地建物の売買契約

宅建業者が売主になるもののみ 8 days Overseas Commodities Sold for Future Delivery

(Article 8 of the Overseas Commodities Regulation Law)



海外商品先物取引

（海外先物取引規制法８条） Overseas commodities contract for specific markets /commodities at a location that is not the seller's place of business



店舗外での、指定市場・商品の海外商品先物取引 14 days Counterfeit Business

(Article 8 of the Specific Commodity Deposit Law)



現物まがい商法

（特定商品預託法８条） Deposit business of specific commodities for more than 3 months;

includes contracts at the seller's place of business



指定商品の３カ月以上の預託取引

店舗契約を含む 14 days Investment Advisory Contract

(Article 17 of the Securities Investment Advisory Business Law)



投資顧問契約

（有価証券投資顧問業法１７条） Investment advisory contracts; includes contracts at the seller's place of business



投資顧問契約 店舗契約を含む 10 days Commodity Fund Contract

(Article 19 of the Commodity Investment Business Regulation Law)



商品ファンド契約

（商品投資事業規制法１９条） Commodity investment contracts; includes contracts at the seller's place of business



商品投資契約 店舗契約を含む 10 days Golf Course Membership Contract

(Article 12 of the Golf Course Membership Contract Law)



ゴルフ会員権契約

（ゴルフ会員権契約法１２条） New contracts for golf course membership for more than 500,000 yen;

includes contracts at the seller's place of business



50万円以上のゴルフ会員権の新規販売契約

店舗契約を含む 8 days Real Estate Specific Joint Enterprise Contract

(Article 26 of the Real Estate Specific Joint Enterprise Law)



不動産特定共同事業契約

（不動産特定共同事業法２６条） Real estate specific joint enterprise contracts;

includes contracts at the seller's place of business



不動産特定共同事業契約

店舗契約を含む 8 days Life/Damage Insurance Contract

(Article 309 of the Insurance Business Law)



生命・損害保険契約

（保険業法３０９条） Life/damage insurance contracts with a term exceeds 1 year, contracted at a location that is not the seller's place of business



店舗外での、契約期間1年を超える

生命保険・損害保険契約 8 days Small Credit Sales Contract

(Article 59 of the Specific Credit Enterprise Regulation Law)



小口債権販売契約

（特定債権事業規制法５９条） Small credit sales contracts;

includes contracts at the seller's place of business



小口債権販売契約

店舗契約を含む 8 days Ceremonial Cooperation Society Contract

(Industry Standard Covenant)



冠婚葬祭互助会契約

（業界標準約款） Contracts for entering ceremonial cooperation societies;

includes contracts at the seller's place of business



冠婚葬祭互助会の入会契約

店舗契約を含む 8 days ※Initial day of reckoning is the "delivery day of legal contract documents" or "notice day of the cooling-off system". The first day is included in either case, except for the overseas commodities in which the first day is not included.



※期間の起算日は、「法定の契約書面が交付された日」または「クーリング・オフの告知の日」からで、いずれも初日を算入する。ただし海外先物取引は初日不算入 ※Details of applicable matters should be confirmed by respective articles.

※適用対象の詳細は各条文で確認のこと

Consultant Facilities for Consumers

消費生活に関する相談機関 Fukui Pref. Consumer Information Center

福井県消費生活センター Address: 3-11-7 Ohte, Fukui-shi (Kenmin Kaikan Bldg. 2F)

住所：福井市大手３丁目１１−７ 県民会館２階 TEL：０７７６−２２−１１０２ http://info.pref.fukui.jp/seikatu/shohic Fukui Pref. Reinan Consumer Information Center

福井県嶺南消費生活センター Address: 112 Obamashirahige, Obama-shi

住所：福井県小浜市小浜白鬚１１２ TEL：０７７０−５２−７８３０

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