Can I cancel AA Cover without penalty if they change terms & conditions?

the_opposite

Hi all,

I got my AA breakdown cover renewal letter today.
i didn't realise they would take payment automatically when my cover expired, I thought they would send a letter requesting I pay again - but I guess that's my fault for not reading their info correctly.

Anyway, the letter arrived today (8th Jan) and it states they are taking the payment on the 7th. The letter arrived too late.

In the letter there are changes to the T&Cs of the breakdown repair cover I have as part of my policy. I wasn't informed of these changes before they automatically renewed my membership (again, the letter was late)

I called them today. If i want to cancel they will charge me a £20 fee.

I want to object on the grounds I was not informed of and therefore do not agree with these T&C changes and therefore should not be subject to a £20 fee.

Does my argument have any legal standing?

I am going to try to get them to reduce the renewal price to match the online price with Quidco cashback, but if that fails I will cancel the policy and think it's unfair to charge me £20 to do so since I wasn't informed of these changes.

Thanks for any advice

McKneff

You very probably got some correspondence from them regarding auto renewal, like you said, you probably didnt read it properly.
It will probably be in the terms and conditions about the admin fee for cancelling.

Does the change of T&Cs make much difference to you or have you discovered Quidco recently and just want to get it cheaper through that medium. Thats what is coming over in your post tbh

Nothing stopping you from trying though.

mikey72

Advise them FSA guidelines state they must advise a month before renewing for you.
They usually cave in then.

N3WLIFE

Im sure with my car insurance, in the *small print* they say they will automatically renew the car insurance after a year and you must contact them if you dont want to continue............maybe its the same with BD cover?

But they did send a letter a little while before they renew it though to say how much they will start taking and its usually on the same day as you agreed on the existing policy.

You might well have a case, but I know some of these companies, they put in the small print that they may change things like T&Cs and by signing-you agree to it.

But they shouldnt send you the letter about when they're taking the money, AFTER they have taken the money. I think you have good grounds to waive the "fee"

Good luck

Gosia

the_opposite wrote: »

Hi all,

I got my AA breakdown cover renewal letter today.
i didn't realise they would take payment automatically when my cover expired, I thought they would send a letter requesting I pay again - but I guess that's my fault for not reading their info correctly.

Anyway, the letter arrived today (8th Jan) and it states they are taking the payment on the 7th. The letter arrived too late.

In the letter there are changes to the T&Cs of the breakdown repair cover I have as part of my policy. I wasn't informed of these changes before they automatically renewed my membership (again, the letter was late)

I called them today. If i want to cancel they will charge me a £20 fee.

I want to object on the grounds I was not informed of and therefore do not agree with these T&C changes and therefore should not be subject to a £20 fee.

Does my argument have any legal standing?

I am going to try to get them to reduce the renewal price to match the online price with Quidco cashback, but if that fails I will cancel the policy and think it's unfair to charge me £20 to do so since I wasn't informed of these changes.

Thanks for any advice

Same thing happened to me. Having returned from travelling in December was pi**ed to see how much they've charged me for renewal and the change T&C saying that they have a right to charge me £20 cancellation fee :eek: the bl**dy cheek.

Have send them an e-mail complaint on 31 December but still awaiting a response.

Let's see what happens but fingers crossed.

mikey72

Auto renew is something I hate,

have a look at

http://www.oft.gov.uk/shared_oft/business_leaflets/cpregs/oft979.pdf

17. Forcing the deal
Including in marketing material an invoice or similar
document seeking payment which gives the consumer the
impression that he/she has already ordered the marketed
product when he/she has not.


29. Asking for payment when they didn’t ask
for the product
Demanding immediate or deferred payment for, or the
return or safekeeping of products supplied by the trader,
but not solicited by the consumer except where the product
is a substitute supplied in accordance with regulation 19(7)
of the Consumer Protection (distance selling) Regulations
2000 (this is known as inertia selling).

I wonder if the last one in particular applies now?
Would be interesting to know how you get on.

littlemissbossy

With breakdown cover its always best to pay by DD so you are in control and can cancel before renewal. If you pay by card you are in their hands.

Also I have always found its cheaper to buy as a new customer than to be a loyal renewing customer not forgetting to renew via cashback sites.

jlrtech

i work for them and can tell you they have you by the balls , you did sign the t&c . i would just take it on the chin and learn a lesson from it

mikey72

jlrtech wrote: »

i work for them and can tell you they have you by the balls , you did sign the t&c . i would just take it on the chin and learn a lesson from it

Or challenge the t&c's if they are found to be illegal?
Or if they are not following FSA guidelines?

opinions4u

jlrtech wrote: »

i work for them and can tell you they have you by the balls , you did sign the t&c . i would just take it on the chin and learn a lesson from it

If I've understood the OP correctly, I think the whole point of this post is that the T&Cs that were agreed to have been changed without notice.

If the T&Cs allow for changes without notice, they would be illegal under Unfair Contracts legislation.

If no notice has been given, I'd be pretty sure that this breaches regulations laid down by the FSA (I assume they regulate breakdown cover).

Regardless of law or regulation, it's pretty poor form from your employer who are trying it on - and what's worse is it sounds like it's company policy.

CosmicTen

I have had a refund when this has happened both with the RAC and the AA. With the AA I never had the renewal quote through and they took an auto payment. I phoned them, explained and they were quite happy to repay my money back. With the RAC, this was many years ago they also backed down but they actually told me why, they said I had 14 days in which to cancel anyway (I think it was 14 days.. I suspect it's covered by the distance selling laws (provided it was purchased originally over the net, post or phone and I believe this covered subsequent auto-renewal. Worth looking into but the AA have been pretty good in the past if you are polite and explain the situation.