The Consumer Protection (Distance Selling) Regulations 2000, SI 2000/2334, implemented[Note 1] European Directive 97/7/EC as UK law.

Typical cases where the regulations apply include goods or services ordered by telephone or over the Internet.

Regulation 17[10] obliges the consumer to take reasonable care of goods and deliver them when the supplier comes to collect them.

[13] This is intended to prevent companies purporting to demand payment for goods a consumer receives unexpectedly.

These are contracts that are: The legal definition of what constitutes a rental agreement differs between England and Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and places outside of the United Kingdom, but the Regulations encompass the differences to bring a common sense definition to what is, and what is not, a rental agreement The Regulations are enforced by the Director-General of Fair Trade and the Office of Fair Trading (OFT).

Complaints are made directly to the Director-General and the OFT then investigates infringements, issues injunctions and litigates on behalf of the consumer.