How to Cancel a Repair Contract

Cancel repairs before the cancellation deadline listed in your contract.

Repair contracts are usually easy to cancel within the first three days of signing them. After that, it gets more complicated and you may owe the contractor money for his labor and supplies. Since repair contracts are legally binding, you'll have to follow jurisdiction or contract-specific procedures for canceling them and provide swift notification that the contractor's services are no longer needed. If you fail to cancel in a timely manner, meet the terms of your contract or cancel in writing, you may end up facing the contractor in court.

Instructions

1. Read the terms of the repair contract you signed. Most repair contracts have clauses that stipulate the requirements for cancellation. If you do not adhere to the cancellation termsspecified in your contract, the contractor may sue you in court.

2. Cancel before the deadline listed in your repair contract or check your state's laws regarding cancellations. Often, consumers are allowed to cancel repair contracts within three days of signing, without facing any penalties.

3. Notify the business or contractor in writing. If you notify the contractor or business verbally, you have no way of proving you canceled before the contract cancellation deadline expired.

4. Pay for any supplies the contractor or business obtained on your behalf if the repair work has already begun. If the terms of your contract require you to reimburse the contractor or business for equipment and supplies, you may have to do so to get out of the contract. Depending on the terms of your contract, you may have to pay for all the supplies or just a portion of their cost.

5. Make payment for any work the repair contractor or business has finished. The amount you have to pay may be based on the stage of work the contractor or business has completed. Your contractor may provide information about fair payment or you may have to negotiate an amount.

Tips & Warnings

• If the repair work has begun and the contractor refuses to cancel your contract, seek the advice of a lawyer. He may negotiate with the contractor on your behalf or help you file a lawsuit.

• If you've signed a contract for emergency repairs, you may not have three days to cancel it. Depending on your jurisdiction's laws, you may not have the right to cancel it at all.

References

• FindLaw: Canceling a Contract Within Three Days
• Department of Consumer Affairs: Warnings and Exceptions