No extended right of withdrawal due to missing phone number in the withdrawal policy

The ArnsbergCourt Arnsberg has in its judgment of 22.02.2024 (Ref. 4 O 273/23) decideddecided that the absence of a telephone number in in the cancellation policy does not to an extensionextension of the withdrawal period.tion periodt.

Facts

The defendantdefendant, a manufacturer anddistributor of electric vehicles, proposedoss with the buyerlager in March 2022 a purchasecontract for a Tesla Model Y from. In the WThe revocation instruction was no telephone number wasbut lonly an e-mail address andd postal address.Thelager declared in July 2023 the wrevocation, which the defendant as late fors rejected. Thereupon offered the plaintiff in February 2024 the return of the vehicle towhich, however, was not took place.

Decision of the regional court

The LG Arnsberg entdifference that the withdrawal period does not extended if the telephone number in the revocation instruction is missinglt. It justified this with the fact that the Entrepreneur dem Consumers who Cancellation policy in in text formwhich is also due to E-mail successfulcan.A plantnot to specify a Telephone number bestbefore not. Fromsufficient is the indication of addressletter and e-e-mail address the consumer the exercise his right ofright of withdrawal right of withdrawal.

Significance for online retailers and consumers

This ruling has far-reaching consequences for both online retailers and consumers. This makes things easier for retailers, as they do not necessarily have to provide a telephone number in their withdrawal instructions. Notification of the address and e-mail address in text form is sufficient to meet the legal requirements.Consumers, on the other hand, must note that they may not exceed the withdrawal period, even if the instructions do not include a telephone number. You are obliged to declare your revocation in due time by letter, fax or e-mail. A late declaration leads to the expiry of the right of withdrawal.

Conclusion

With this ruling, the Regional Court of Arnsberg has provided more legal certainty in online retail. It clarifies that the lack of a telephone number in the withdrawal policy does not result in an extension of the withdrawal period. This makes things easier for online retailers, as they can design their instructions without a telephone number. Consumers, on the other hand, must ensure that they exercise their right of withdrawal in good time, regardless of whether they provide a telephone number. It remains to be seen whether other courts will agree with this legal opinion. However, the judgment of the Arnsberg Regional Court makes an important contribution to clarifying this previously controversial issue.

Author: Marian Härtel

Marian Härtel ist Rechtsanwalt und Fachanwalt für IT-Recht mit einer über 25-jährigen Erfahrung als Unternehmer und Berater in den Bereichen Games, E-Sport, Blockchain, SaaS und Künstliche Intelligenz. Seine Beratungsschwerpunkte umfassen neben dem IT-Recht insbesondere das Urheberrecht, Medienrecht sowie Wettbewerbsrecht. Er betreut schwerpunktmäßig Start-ups, Agenturen und Influencer, die er in strategischen Fragen, komplexen Vertragsangelegenheiten sowie bei Investitionsprojekten begleitet. Dabei zeichnet sich seine Beratung durch einen interdisziplinären Ansatz aus, der juristische Expertise und langjährige unternehmerische Erfahrung miteinander verbindet. Ziel seiner Tätigkeit ist stets, Mandanten praxisorientierte Lösungen anzubieten und rechtlich fundierte Unterstützung bei der Umsetzung innovativer Geschäftsmodelle zu gewährleisten.