Stricter rules are to be brought in to protect households from aggressive telemarketers and doorstep sellers by giving them more rights to cancel on-the-spot contracts.

Economic affairs minister Micky Adriaansens said the regulations needed to be tightened “because consumers are still being put under pressure on the doorstep or on the phone to sign something like a new energy contract immediately.”

Telesales will be restricted to consumers who have given their explicit consent, including former customers who had a contract with the company in the last three years.

The rules will also introduce a three-day consideration period for doorstep sales to allow customers to look at alternative providers. Even if they confirm their agreement they can still revoke the contract in the first 14 days without penalty.

Last June the regulations were tightened so that contracts signed on the doorstep are only valid once they have been agreed in writing. The same conditions were already in force for telesales.

Research by the consumer watchdog ACM in 2022 found that 63% of people who bought services at the door felt under pressure to agree, while 45% of all consumers had a negative experience of doorstep selling.