Help regarding match.com

Norfolkbor

Dear all,

I've been caught out by the dreaded auto-renewal policy which I unwittedly signed up to when I registered with the site and paid my 6 month subscription fee with match.com

They have taken another fee after the six months without notifying me - perfectly legal but very immoral - especially as I have not used the site for the past fice months.

Is there any chance I'll be able to get my money back?

cleo1299

Why is it immoral? It's spelt out very clearly in the T&C. You can't expect match.com to know you don't want the sub to continue, if you don't tell them.

Is there any chance I'll be able to get my money back?

My opinion -- no.

BargainGalore

[URL="javascript:GuaranteeRules()"]*Terms of Guarantee[/URL]

dmg24

Norfolkbor wrote: »

Is there any chance I'll be able to get my money back?

Have you asked them?

Norfolkbor

Cleo - fair enough its in the T&C's but they could of at least sent an email explaining that they were going to take the money. I and many others think its very cheeky to at least not tell the customer that they are renewing the subscription

I ave sent them an email, to which I got an automated response. Dont know whether it's worth pursuing it though or just putting it down to experience

Norfolkbor

Found this from the Guardian website:

"If you have been caught out you may be able to claim your money back under the Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations 1999, which specifically mentions conditions that rely on customer inertia to extend contract periods"

anyone know anything about this?

Halloway

http://www.lmgtfy.com/?q=Unfair+Terms+in+Consumer+Contracts+Regulations+1999

www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si1999/uksi_19992083_en.pdf

Schedule 2, Section 1(h) might be relevant here.

hunnycat

This happened to me a couple years ago as i forgot to cancel, i called them and stated i had followed the link to cancel and just acted dumb about the email confirmation saying i did not realise i should get one and they refunded. you do lose a few quid on the exchange rate but got most money back.. just ring them, i spoke to a lovely lady in america who was great help.

Norfolkbor

Thanks - heres the extract:

(h) automatically extending a contract of fixed duration where the consumer does not indicate otherwise, when the deadline fixed for the consumer to express his desire not to extend the contract is unreasonably early;

The question is how do I use this to get my money back?

cleo1299

Norfolkbor wrote: »

Cleo - fair enough its in the T&C's but they could of at least sent an email explaining that they were going to take the money. I and many others think its very cheeky to at least not tell the customer that they are renewing the subscription

People have different ideas about what is immoral. Personally I don't see anything immoral about the match.com offer because they haven't been devious about it in any way. It's when firms are devious that I think it's immoral.

However, match.com's offering, like many others, relies on two things which I DO think could arguably be described as morally questionable. One is the whole business of allowing people to sign up to T&C just by ticking a box, knowing that many (especially young people) will just tick and not read. The other is the Continuous Credit Card Authority, which effectively hands all the power over your card account to somebody else. I think both those things catch people out and ought to be changed to give the consumer more protection.

(h) automatically extending a contract of fixed duration where the consumer does not indicate otherwise, when the deadline fixed for the consumer to express his desire not to extend the contract is unreasonably early;

You had six months to terminate. How is that unreasonable?

From what hunnicat said, they might give you your money back if you ask nicely. That sounds like a good plan.

Norfolkbor

Sent them a couple of emails and phone the premium rate number quite a few times and it just rings through. No joy

Lesson learned I guess