Consumers

Signing a Contract for a Course or Social Activity

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Have you registered for a course or social activity for work or to enjoy in your spare time? You might be taking dance, language or intensive first aid training classes, for example.

In all of these situations, the law protects you when you make a contract with a merchant.

Important!

The rules in this article only apply when you go IN PERSON to sign a contract. If you make a contract at a distance, for example, by Internet or telephone, the rules might be different. Check the website of the Office de la protection du consommateur (consumer protection bureau) to find out more.

Also, health clubs, that is, “gyms” and “weight loss clinics” that help you lose weight, must respect rules that are different than the rules explained in this article.

The rules explained in this article do not apply to courses, training and social activities offered by these institutions and people:

  • school board and schools
  • CEGEPs
  • universities
  • municipalities and government departments
  • people who are members of a professional order (for example, parenting workshops given by a social worker)

A Written Contract Is Required

The contract for services that you enter into when you register for a course or social activity must always be written. It must also include this information:

  • your name and address
  • the name and address of the person or company giving the course
  • the date and place of the contract
  • a description of the services offered
  • the date at which the services will be offered for the first time
  • the length of the contract
  • the number of hours, days or weeks during which the services will be provided (for example, two hours a week for eight weeks)
  • the rate per hour, day or week (the rate must be the same during the whole length of the contract)
  • the total price of the contract
  • how you can pay for the services (cheque, credit card, etc.)

The merchant must include a cancellation form with the copy of the contract that she gives you. This form lets you end the contract if you choose to.

You can also ask a court to cancel the contract if it doesn’t have all of these elements and the failure to include them has truly caused you harm.

Paying for Your Course or Social Activity

You don’t have to pay until you’ve started to benefit from the services mentionned in your contract.

Usually, the merchant must give you the chance to pay in two or more payments. These payments must be roughly equal and spaced evenly apart in time.

There are two exceptions to this rule: the merchant can require you to pay in one payment in these situations:

  • the total cost of the contract is $100 or less
  • no matter what the amount of the contract is, the services will be offered over three consecutive days or less

Cancelling Your Course or Social Activity

You can cancel your registration for a course, training or social activity at any time. The consequences of cancelling depend on your situation:

  • If you haven’t started your course, training or activity, you can cancel your contract without any penalty or fee.
  • If you’ve started your course, training or activity, you must pay the following:
    • for the services that you’ve already received
      AND
    • a penalty equal to the lower of two amounts: $50 or 10% of the total price of the services that you haven’t yet received

Example

Your Spanish course costs $80 a class and you’ve registered for 10 classes for a total of $800.

If you decide to cancel after two classes, you must pay for the classes that you’ve already taken (two classes X $80 = $160) and a penalty of $50. The cost of the classes that you haven’t taken is $640 ($800 – $160) and 10% of this amount is higher than the fixed penalty of $50.

If you decide to cancel your course after six classes, you must pay for the classes that you’ve already taken (six classes X $80 = $480) and a penalty of $32. The cost of the classes that you haven’t taken is $320 ($800 – $480) and 10% of this amount ($32) is less than the $50 fixed penalty.

To cancel your registration for a course, training or social activity, you must cancel the contract you made with the merchant by sending one of the documents listed below, ideally by registered mail:

  • the cancellation form included with the copy of the contract that you were given when you registered
    OR
  • a written notice saying that you’re cancelling your course, training or activity

The merchant must then give you back any money that you paid in advance. This reimbursement must be done within 10 days of your cancellation. Obviously, the merchant can deduct any amount that you owe her, as explained above.

Other rules apply if you register for a course or social activity that happens only once, such as a one-day soccer course.

Outside Links

Courses – Office de la protection du consommateur