What is a letter before action?

A letter before action (LBA) is a formal notice sent before starting court proceedings. It sets out your claim, the legal basis (e.g. Consumer Rights Act 2015, Housing Act 1988), the remedy you seek, and a deadline to respond — typically 14 days. Civil Procedure Rules require this step before most court claims, and courts take a dim view of parties who skip it.

Can I write my own legal letter?

Yes. You do not need a solicitor to write a legal letter. What matters is citing the correct legislation, stating your claim with precise dates and amounts, and giving a clear deadline. A well-drafted letter citing the right Act and section often resolves disputes without court proceedings — and costs nothing extra to send.

Does a legal letter actually work?

In many cases, yes. Most businesses, landlords, and employers respond when they receive a formally worded letter that cites specific legislation and mentions court or tribunal proceedings as the next step. It signals you know your rights and are prepared to escalate — which is often enough to get a resolution.

What UK legislation covers consumer complaints and refunds?

The Consumer Rights Act 2015 is the primary law. Section 9 requires goods to be of satisfactory quality; section 20 gives you the right to a full refund within 30 days if goods are faulty. For services, section 49 requires reasonable care and skill. For distance/online purchases, the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 give you a 14-day cooling-off period.

23 June 2026

Stuck in a Subscription Trap? Your Strengthening Right to Cancel — and How to Demand a Refund in Writing

It is a familiar trap: signing up took thirty seconds and one click, but cancelling means hunting through menus, calling a phone line that is never open, or discovering you were charged again the day after a "free" trial ended. Subscription traps cost UK consumers a fortune every year — and the law is finally moving against them. Here is where things stand in 2026, and how to put a trader on notice in writing.

What Is Changing Under the DMCC Act

The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act (DMCC Act) is reshaping how subscriptions work. In its consultation response published on 2 April 2026, the government set out new rules requiring traders to make cancelling a subscription straightforward — including the ability to cancel online for contracts entered into online — and to give consumers cooling-off rights at the end of a free trial and on auto-renewal. These specific subscription rules are not in force yet: the secondary legislation is targeted for Spring 2027. But the direction of travel is clear, and the enforcement powers behind it already exist.

The CMA Already Has Teeth

You do not have to wait until 2027 for the law to bite. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) gained direct enforcement powers under the DMCC Act, and it is using them. In April 2026, it imposed its first fine for a substantive consumer-protection breach — £4.2 million for "drip pricing," the tactic of advertising a low headline price and revealing extra fees only at checkout — alongside an order to refund affected customers. The CMA can now fine businesses up to 10% of their worldwide annual turnover and order redress — including making a company contact affected customers and offer them a refund.

Your Rights Right Now

Even before the new subscription rules arrive, you already have protection you can cite today:

Unfair and misleading practices are banned. Hidden charges, obstructive cancellation, and pressure to renew can amount to unfair commercial practices — now enforceable under the DMCC Act.
Online sign-ups often carry a 14-day cooling-off right. Under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, many contracts entered into online or at a distance can be cancelled within 14 days (some exceptions apply, particularly once a service has been fully delivered or digital content downloaded with your agreement).
Unauthorised payments can be reversed. If a trader keeps taking money after you cancelled, your card provider's chargeback scheme — or a direct debit indemnity claim — can claw it back.

How to Write the Letter

A clear written notice does two jobs: it cancels the subscription and it creates a paper trail if you need to escalate. Your letter should:

Identify the contract — your account or membership number, the email used to sign up, and the date.
State plainly that you are cancelling and withdrawing any authority to take further payments.
Demand a refund of any payments taken after cancellation, after a free trial you did not agree to continue, or charges that were never made clear at sign-up.
Cite your grounds — unfair commercial practices, and your cancellation rights where they apply.
Set a deadline — 14 days is standard — and state what you will do next: a chargeback through your bank, a report to the CMA or Citizens Advice consumer service, and a letter before action if needed.
Send it in a way you can prove and keep a copy of everything.

If They Ignore You

If the deadline passes, escalate: ask your card provider for a chargeback, report the trader to the CMA and to Citizens Advice (which feeds intelligence to Trading Standards), and — for money genuinely owed — send a formal letter before action as the final step before a small claim. Persistent, documented pressure is what gets results.

Generate Your Cancellation & Refund Letter in Seconds

WriteMyLegalLetter creates a professionally drafted letter that cancels an unwanted subscription and demands a refund — citing the right consumer protections and setting a clear deadline. No legal knowledge required.

Write My Letter Now →