Ordering a made-to-measure kitchen? The 14-day cooling-off right is not your safety net

A made-to-measure kitchen is not a purchase you can simply return in an unopened box. It is built for a specific space, depends on several trades, and by the time the cabinets reach the wall the customer has often paid a substantial amount. That is why it is risky to assume that a 14-day cooling-off right will solve every problem after an online order.

Two questions determine the 14-day rule

The no-reason 14-day withdrawal right generally applies to consumer contracts concluded at a distance—online or by phone, for example—or away from business premises. There is no general, automatic 14-day cancellation right for an order signed in a shop.

The second question is whether you ordered a standard product or goods made to your specifications or clearly personalised. Section 29(1)(c) of Hungarian Government Decree 45/2014 implements an exception for the latter. A kitchen produced for a particular wall size, appliance layout, front colour and internal arrangement may typically fall within that category.

The exception is not a magic phrase for the seller. “Ordered for you” is not necessarily the same as genuinely made to measure. If you select standard, readily resellable units from an existing system without alterations, the legal classification may depend on the contract and the real extent of personalisation. In a dispute, start with the documents rather than the marketing label.

No cooling-off right does not mean accepting defects

The personalised-goods exception concerns only withdrawal without giving a reason. It does not remove remedies for lack of conformity. EU rules provide at least two years of statutory protection for consumer goods: defective goods should first be repaired or replaced free of charge, while a price reduction or termination of the contract may become available under specified conditions.

Installation matters greatly with fitted kitchens. Under Hungarian Government Decree 373/2021, incorrect installation may count as lack of conformity where installation forms part of the sales contract and was carried out by the seller or under the seller’s responsibility. The rule can also matter where the consumer installed the goods but the instructions supplied by the business were deficient.

The precise remedy will depend on whether the agreement is a sale, a service contract or a mixed contract, what the business promised, and how serious the defect is. This article is not individual legal advice. In a dispute, complain to the business in writing first and, if necessary, contact a Hungarian conciliation body or a legal professional.

Make the contract appendix the kitchen’s script

A visual rendering is not enough. An approved technical appendix with a date and version number should record at least:

1. Dimensions and responsibility: who surveyed the room; which deviations in walls, floor and ceiling were recorded; who is responsible for service points, corners and openings.
2. Exact material codes: manufacturer, model, colour and thickness for carcasses, fronts, edging, worktop, splashback, handles, hardware, sink and finishes.
3. Internal layout: shelves, drawers, corner fittings, waste system, pantry unit and load limits.
4. Appliance interfaces: exact appliance models, installation dimensions, ventilation needs, door-clearance zones and connection points.
5. Scope of service: delivery, carrying upstairs, removal and disposal of the old kitchen, worktop cut-outs, plumbing, gas and electrical connections, sealing and cleaning—itemised as included or excluded.
6. Accepted tolerances: agreed rules for joints, gaps, colour or grain variation, site-made fillers and imperfect walls.

Good documentation is not mistrust. It prevents the maker, installer and customer from interpreting the same sentence in three different ways.

Payment stages: look beyond percentages

“Deposit–production–final payment” is too vague. The contract should state whether the first payment is an advance, earnest money, design fee or a combination; when each next instalment becomes due; what counts as the start of production; how changes are priced; and what happens if there is delay, lack of site access or cancellation.

Every variation should have its own approved change order naming the affected units, price and revised deadline. Do not base a decision that may require a new worktop, different appliance or weeks of delay on a verbal promise.

At handover, do not judge appearance alone

Bring a checklist. Open every door and drawer; check for collisions, damping and even gaps. Inspect worktop joints, edge banding, seals around the sink and walls, fillers, plinths and ventilation openings. Confirm that appliances can be removed for service, doors open fully, and cables, sockets and water lines are not trapped behind units.

Photograph defects, number them, and include them in a signed snagging report with a deadline. Do not sign an unconditional statement of flawless completion while visible discrepancies remain unresolved. A documented handover does not replace statutory rights, but it makes later discussions far clearer about what was apparent when installation ended.

Six warning signs when requesting a quote

• There is no written quotation and contract carrying full business details.
• The rendering has no dimensioned technical drawing behind it.
• Materials are described only as “premium fronts” or “German hardware,” without identifiable codes.
• The business will not state who surveys, installs and accepts responsibility for those steps.
• A large part of the total price is due before any verifiable production milestone.
• Complaints, handover, repairs and contract variations have no written process.

The most useful question before ordering

Do not begin with “Can I send it back?” Ask exactly what will be built, who is responsible for each input, how deviations will be evidenced, and what happens if the furniture or installation is defective. With a custom kitchen, the real safety net is not 14 days to change your mind. It is a precise contract, a version-controlled design, traceable change orders and a documented handover.

The photographs are illustrations; they do not show on-site reporting, a particular business, a product test or a legal case. This article was checked on 13 October 2026 and provides general consumer information, not personalised legal advice.