Long EPOS and card machine contracts are the most common complaint we hear from café and restaurant owners. A "free till" can turn out to be tied to a 12, 18 or 36-month agreement, with a hardware lease and an exit fee on top.
This guide covers how to work out where you stand and how to leave cleanly. It is general information, not legal advice: your own agreement is what counts, and a solicitor or your trade body can check it if a lot of money is at stake. We make Café QR, a no-contract café POS, so we have an interest in the subject.
1. Find every agreement you signed
An EPOS setup is often three separate contracts, each with its own term:
- Software subscription, for the till software and support.
- Card payments agreement, with the payment provider (sometimes a different company from the EPOS supplier).
- Hardware lease or finance, for the terminal, tablet, printer or card machine.
Ask the supplier for copies if you can't find them. Cancelling one usually does not cancel the others.
2. Check the key terms
For each agreement, note:
- Minimum term and start date. When does it end?
- Auto-renewal. Many renew for another year unless you give notice.
- Notice period. Often 30 to 90 days, sometimes in writing to a specific address.
- Early termination fee. It may be a fixed sum, or the remaining monthly fees.
- Hardware. Whether you own it, must return it, or keep paying for it.
3. Don't count on a cooling-off period
The 14-day cooling-off right in UK consumer law applies to consumers, not businesses. Most EPOS and card agreements are business contracts, so there is usually no automatic right to cancel. Some suppliers offer a trial or cancellation window of their own: check the agreement.
4. Give notice the right way
- Send notice in writing, by the method the contract names, and keep proof of sending.
- Give the exact date you want it to end, in line with the notice period.
- Ask for written confirmation of the end date, any final charges and what happens to the hardware.
- Cancel the direct debit only after the agreement has ended, so you aren't in breach.
5. If you're unhappy with the service
If the supplier hasn't delivered what it promised (the system doesn't work, support doesn't answer, or the sale was misdescribed), complain in writing first and keep a record. Card payment complaints by small businesses may be eligible for the Financial Ombudsman Service; check its website for whether your business qualifies.
6. Switch without a gap
Before your old system ends, set up the new one so service isn't interrupted:
- Export your menu, prices and sales history.
- Set up and test the new till alongside the old one.
- Order any new card reader in time, or keep a card machine you already own.
How to avoid a long contract next time
Ask every supplier, and get the answers in writing:
- Is it monthly rolling, with no minimum term?
- Is there an early termination fee on the software, the card machine or the hardware?
- Do I own the hardware, or is it leased?
- Can I keep my own card machine and payment provider?
Café QR runs on monthly plans with no contract, on a tablet or laptop you already own, and can work with your own card machine. See café tills with no contract for how the main UK options compare on these points.