Recurring Payments Warning! discussion

pmduk

yhello1 wrote: »

Hi Guys,

I have a question and first post so be kind...

Back in 2010 I tried to cancel a CPA with Halifax, they told me it wasn't possible, and at the time I was going through financial difficulties and the outcome was a CPA came out my account was for £150 was a debt payment, and my account went overdrawn, they wanted it three days before i got paid so with that I was then charged £70 for going overdrawn.

I challenged this as at the time I asked the bank not to take the money and I was basically passed from pillow to post so refused to pay it, after 3 years the debt now sits at £1050, with the FSA ruling on CPA, where does this leave me, do I need to continue paying off the debt which I currently am, or can I query the whole account?

Many thanks

Welcome to the site. Emmaherts is right you're usually better creating a new post, some people who may be able to help may not see a post in an older thread.

In your case I'd complain to Halifax, and ask them to review the situation in the light of the latest FOS decisions. If they've not responded in your favour you can escalate the matter to the FOS (Financial Ombudsman Service) in 8 weeks time. Earlier if the bank say they have closed the matter.

I'd do it in writing to make life easier should it go to the FOS.

Ticophil

It seemed a good idea to start a family tree and I signed up for what I initially thought was a one off payment last year. However, unbeknown to me, ancestry.co.uk took a payment recently. I contacted their offices but the agent was unsupportive, rude and put the phone down on me. Needless to say she would not offer a refund maintaining I had signed up for a recurring payment. I called seconds later to which I was placed on hold. The third time I asked for their complaints department. Beware....the complaints are handled in Utah, USA. The call centre in Ireland does not handle complaints.
Firstly, I would never have signed up for a recurring payment...after all, having gone as far as I could go with the research, it would be pointless to pay the same amount for nothing new. All the extra research, access to other data sources are billed separately or individually anyway. Furthermore, if I had signed for a recurring payment, I maintain that this was done unwittingly and certainly without my consent. Incidentally, the company maintain they sent me an email reminder. I checked my email account but could not find one; the company were not willing to resend the message so I have no way of telling if they had sent it or not.
As the company's complaints department are based overseas,(according to their representative) the legal framework with regard to trading standards' laws are a minefield.
For those who maintain that i should have read the contract, i reiterate, I had no knowledge that a recurring payment was set Up on this account at the time of purchasing the original package. If I purchase something from Tesco Direct on line, I do not expect to find the same item billed a year later. . I therefore maintain that the company has carried out a degree of mendacity and I urge consumers to beware of this company. Like many, I have a very bitter after taste but I have spread the word On social media and will not recommend them to anybody. Once bitten, twice shy. Just don't use them or if you must, watch them....LIKE HAWkS and do tell your bank at the first opportunity to cancel any pending subscriptions with them .

Big_Yellow_Taxi

When purchasing a subscription, there is a side bar which reads:

"Automatic Renewal
Your membership will automatically renew at the same price after each one year of membership, unless you are notified otherwise, and your chosen method of payment will be charged at that time. If you don’t want to renew, cancel at least 2 days before your renewal date by visiting the My Account section or by calling 0800 404 9723. See our Terms and Conditions for further details."

Sneaky & unfair, but it does state the facts. A bit like house/car insurance these days too.

I didn't get a renewal email either this year, which I think is out of order - but as my credit card had expired, they couldn't renew automatically anyway.

This really is a great site for family history research. I have shelled out several times now - and have also cancelled successfully in-between but pre-renewal, not tried dealing with customer service, which I appreciate is indeed probably a terrible experience!

Just ensure you know what you're signing up to & diarise to check/cancel pre-renewal.

Rach1395

I am currently dealing with a problem regarding CPA


On 11/12/13 I placed stop requests against 3 payday loan companies with my bank as I have started a debt management plan. On 19/12/13 my wages were paid into my bank account and were immediately taken by the payday loan companies despite the stop requests. After speaking to the financial conduct authority I was advised to phone them and ask for an immediate refund. I did this and my concern was completely dismissed by the bank, they claimed that no refund can be given until the payment has fully cleared. They were also unwilling to allow me to log a complaint. Upon phoning them today I have been told again that the payments are not cleared. I find it highly suspicious that this month the payments are taking days to clear when for the last 10 months they have cleared immediately or the very next day. I am now left with absolutely no money in my account and no idea what to do next. Any help would be appreciated! ( I think I was doing the right thing by confronting my debt problems and attempting to fix them however this mess makes me wonder whether it would be easier to just continue in my spiral of debt).
HELP!!!

opinions4u

Rach1395 wrote: »

I am currently dealing with a problem regarding CPA


On 11/12/13 I placed stop requests against 3 payday loan companies with my bank as I have started a debt management plan. On 19/12/13 my wages were paid into my bank account and were immediately taken by the payday loan companies despite the stop requests. After speaking to the financial conduct authority I was advised to phone them and ask for an immediate refund. I did this and my concern was completely dismissed by the bank, they claimed that no refund can be given until the payment has fully cleared. They were also unwilling to allow me to log a complaint. Upon phoning them today I have been told again that the payments are not cleared. I find it highly suspicious that this month the payments are taking days to clear when for the last 10 months they have cleared immediately or the very next day. I am now left with absolutely no money in my account and no idea what to do next. Any help would be appreciated! ( I think I was doing the right thing by confronting my debt problems and attempting to fix them however this mess makes me wonder whether it would be easier to just continue in my spiral of debt).
HELP!!!

Pack it in please.

This is at least your third thread on the subject.

Stick to the one you started in the banking forum where you've already been given sound advice on what to do. Perhaps act on that sound advice too.
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4850680

sartain

Being stung with recurring card payment at momemnt. Ive repeatedly asked bank to refuse payment, they keep insisting they can't. How can I get them to do something they blindly refuse too? Its all well and good me telling them but their telephonists are disinterested. People should be aware just having a new card issued will not sort the problem out, a new card will only have 4 new digits, unfortunately all a merchant needs to take your money is the other 12 digits, which stay the same. In real terms your card in this respect hasnt changed at all. The banks are a disgrace for allowing this. Mine is Barclays. Any advice appreciated. Thus far theyre 'asking the merchant to cancel' and are are offering to refund any further charges, however i need to check this as sometimes the refund 'doesnt go through'. They dont seem to be able to tell me why an automatic refund doesnt get made. Doesnt inspire confidence. Its absurd they claim they cant stop this.

rizla_king

Quote the payment services regulations and tell them they are obliged to cancel payments and refund any the have paid after you cancelled.

http://www.fca.org.uk/news/continuous-payment-authorities-your-right-to-cancel

http://www.fca.org.uk/news/continuous-payment-authorities

Insist that you talk to someone more senior, and tell them that you will be taking them to the FOS and reporting them to the FCA.

meer53

sartain wrote: »

Being stung with recurring card payment at momemnt. Ive repeatedly asked bank to refuse payment, they keep insisting they can't. How can I get them to do something they blindly refuse too? Its all well and good me telling them but their telephonists are disinterested. People should be aware just having a new card issued will not sort the problem out, a new card will only have 4 new digits, unfortunately all a merchant needs to take your money is the other 12 digits, which stay the same. In real terms your card in this respect hasnt changed at all. The banks are a disgrace for allowing this. Mine is Barclays. Any advice appreciated. Thus far theyre 'asking the merchant to cancel' and are are offering to refund any further charges, however i need to check this as sometimes the refund 'doesnt go through'. They dont seem to be able to tell me why an automatic refund doesnt get made. Doesnt inspire confidence. Its absurd they claim they cant stop this.

Have you advised the company taking the payment that you want to cancel ?

The bank can't refund until the payment comes through, if you haven't told the company, they're just going to continue debiting the account.

You can stop it.

bungeena

Legalcare.co.uk took out £168 from my Paypal account in the last couple of days. I was unaware of it being an automatic payment. When I agreed to pay for online legal advice last year I was unaware that this transaction was aRE-OCCURING one. Now A YEAR LATER, WITHOUT ANY advance mails from them to 'remind' me of this 'impending' apparent payment, I have discovered that theyhave taken this payment of £168 for a second year.

I have had NO EMAIL REMINDERS of this impending payment or of its 14 day trial offer and its period/date again NOR of the deadline and date once this 'trial period' is/was over. And now the trial period has passed me by with me unaware that I even had one, else I'd have cancelled it all. The first thing I knew about all this was when I received an email from Paypal today that the payment had been taken !

I am a single mum, who last year took up the £168 cost for help and advice after a split (divorce now pending) from my husband, which he has left me with MANY DEBTS which I have had to deal with AND still try to bring up my 2 children whom are living at home with me. Therefore, I CANNOT AFFORD TO PAY THIS £168. HOW ON EARTH CAN I PAY THIS AND pay my gas,elec, food, etc. bills at the same time ? ALSO, I am due to pay for my older son's A Levels exams, within the next 5 days else he cannot take his exams for his future. AND as it is, I am representing myself in my divorce proceedings BECAUSE I cannot afford to have a normal solicitor to act on my behalf. This is going to SERIOUSLY impact badly on my already badly, stretched financial situation.

After a sleepless night (I discovered this during the early hours of this morning), I have emailed 'Legalcare' and explained and asked for a refund, but am worried that its too late and that I wont get a refund for a service I will not be needing. I am especially worried, as I have a gas meter installed and this £168 taken out of my account has now left me struggling to put money in my gas meter. I have also telephoned paypal, who say they cant help because it's for a service not an item/product, AND telephoned my bank who have put a barr on the company (however its a yearly payment, so wont know if it has worked until next year and the whole payment has already been taken out of my bank anyway)...........PLEASE HELP ME someone !!

jonnyboy122

Direct Travel Insurance sent me a letter about travel insurance being due for renewal. Buried away in the letter was a line that they would be taking money from the same card I paid with previously unless I notified them before the renewal date. Very cheeky as I thought that card payments were one offs and that as far as I am aware I gave no authority for any continuous payment.

I have demanded that the policy is not renewed and stated clearly that I give no authorisation for further payments to be taken. I will however be watching my bank account carefully. Suffice to say I won't be using this organisation again.

I wonder how many people they scam through this cheeky and underhand method? Lesson to read correspondence carefully well and truly learned...