CHANGES to EU rules on distance and door-to-door selling could badly hit small businesses, a West Yorkshire entrepreneur has claimed.

Oven valeting expert Richard Greenwood claims the new rules, which came into force on Friday will be unworkable and difficult to police.

The EU Consumer Rights Directive will provide a single set of rules for distance selling and contracts formed away from a business’s premises anywhere in the EU.

Distance Selling Regulations are the rules that apply if businesses are selling products or services to consumers without face-to-face contact, and where the consumer has not had an opportunity to examine the goods before buying or discuss the service in person.

Richard Greenwood, who owns Halifax -based Ovenu West Yorkshire, said: “Many business owners may not be aware that this significant new EU Directive comes into force soon. It has come in almost by stealth and has significant implications for how traders conduct business.

“One of the main points is that businesses will need to inform consumers of their right of withdrawal from the contract of trade, which has increased from seven to 14 days, “It is a significant change which may well be difficult to implement in practical terms and is a potential minefield for businesses which now have hardly any time at all to get up to speed with the new regulations and to implement measures that will cushion against their burdensome effects.”

Businesses will need to provide consumers with a model cancellation form to use when cancelling contracts, which Mr Greenwood said would mean changing an array of communications and costing firms potentially thousands of pounds. This includes unaddressed or addressed printed matter; letters; press advertising with order forms, catalogues, telephone with or without human intervention, email, fax and TV shopping.

Mr Greenwood said businesses providing a cancellation form on their websites would be advised to also send a hard copy to customers where a transaction has been conducted by telephone.

Richard added: “This additional layer of bureaucracy will inevitably lead to an extra headache for businesses like mine at a time when the economy is still on the road to recovery. It’s difficult not to look on these new measures as just another example of petty EU meddling."

“Whilst it is sadly inevitable that the EU law will be in force on June 13, the question of whether it is enforceable is still a moot point.”

Businesses from estate agents to restaurants and sectors such as tourism, leisure services and cleaners are affected by the new rules, which also cover advertising, waste management, training and professional services .