UK: new subscription rules set to make it easier to cancel dating apps

New rules for subscriptions take effect in the UK on 1 January 2027 and also cover paid memberships on dating apps such as Tinder, Bumble and Hinge. On 19 October the draft Consumer Subscription Contracts (Cancellation and Information) Regulations 2026 were laid before both Houses of Parliament, alongside draft guidance. They are based on the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 and apply to contracts entered into from that date.

Providers must give clear information on prices, renewal dates and cancellation rights before a contract is signed, and send timely reminders before a free or discounted trial ends or certain longer subscriptions renew automatically. Anyone who signs up online must be able to cancel online. On top of the existing 14-day cooling-off period, a further 14-day period applies after trials end and after certain renewals, such as annual subscriptions. If the required information on cooling-off rights is not provided, the period can be extended by up to 12 additional months, according to the industry portal Global Dating Insights.

The rules will mainly be enforced by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). According to the law firms Lewis Silkin and Gowling WLG, it will focus on helping businesses comply in the early months and target mainly egregious conduct. The industry body Online Dating and Discovery Association (ODDA) wants clarity on how refunds should work when users have already used premium features before cancelling: the rules allow “proportionate deductions” for services already provided, but how these should be calculated for dating subscriptions remains unclear, the association says.