Magazine Subscription overcharge help!

ChrisMcKendrick

Hi all,

just a quick question. I signed up for 6 editions of Digital Photgrapher magazine for my dad in Jan 2010.

Jan 2011 comes around, and they charge me again, except I signed up for only 6 editions. Never was a repeat subscription mentioned, either when I signed up, in my email confirmation & invoice/bill, nor at any point since.

I emailed them at the end of January 2011 to ask for a refund. They emailed back on the 1st of Feb saying they will have a refund cheque sent out for the £21 within 28 days. It's now the 9th of March and the cheque is still not with me.

£21 doesn't sound like much, but them taking the £21 left me little choice except to go over my overdraft limit in January, costing me £20. The overdraft charges caused me to go back over my limit in February, costing me another £20. It's fast becoming a matter of principle for me now as I'm now £61 down and I hate it when companies act in this sort of manner.

So, what are the relevant areas of consumer law on this? Who are the relevant authorities? Can I make them pay my overdraft charges, seeing as they shouldn't have taken the money anyway?

Thanks in advance of any help!

shellsuit

Unless you cancel, the contract just keeps going.

I have an 18 month mobile contract, but that doesn't mean it will end after 18 months. It will only end when I cancel it.

ChrisMcKendrick

shellsuit wrote: »

Unless you cancel, the contract just keeps going.

I have an 18 month mobile contract, but that doesn't mean it will end after 18 months. It will only end when I cancel it.

I signed up for 6 editions only.

Does that not matter, is it basically 'tough luck?'

shellsuit

ChrisMcKendrick wrote: »

I signed up for 6 editions only.

Does that not matter, is it basically 'tough luck?'

You'd need to have a look at all your info and see if it states that unless you cancel, the contract will carry on.


It's like car and home insurance, you sign up for 12 months, but if you don't cancel at the end of it, it carries on and they will take the money from you again.


If your small print doesn't state the above, then you should be able to get a refund and possibly get them to pay your charges.

You need to prove they have gone against their T&C's first though so go over the small print with a fine tooth comb.



Ah! Was this the deal? http://www.magazine-group.co.uk/magazine/hobbies-leisure/photography/digital-photographer?affiliate=P-BM&gclid=CPKZt5TAwacCFQEY4Qod5mRP_A

You were basically paying £21 for 6 issues at a reduced price, then once the 6 were sent out, the sub would carry on at the normal price unless you had cancelled.

ChrisMcKendrick

shellsuit wrote: »

You'd need to have a look at all your info and see if it states that unless you cancel, the contract will carry on.


It's like car and home insurance, you sign up for 12 months, but if you don't cancel at the end of it, it carries on and they will take the money from you again.


If your small print doesn't state the above, then you should be able to get a refund and possibly get them to pay your charges.

You need to prove they have gone against their T&C's first though so go over the small print with a fine tooth comb.


ETA : How much did you pay, and how were the 6 received throughout the year? I've just had a look on the site you see and it's a monthly mag?

They've agreed to a refund, it's just I've not recieved it, and I don't want them dragging their heels, so I'm trying to ascertain if the law is on my side to 'pursuade' them to hurry up refunding me!

There was no mention of it being a rolling thing when I signed up, and my bill has no mention of it either. It was £21 for a 6 edition Gift subscription special offer, and I believe the magazine was recieved for the 6 months following my sign up last year. I'll have to check with my dad on that one though.

the wording in the order confirmation says:

Gift Subscription to DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHER for 6 issues by Direct Debit

It does say 'subscription' so I'll probably just have to wait for the cheque and not try to force them to hurry up about it!

shellsuit

ChrisMcKendrick wrote: »

They've agreed to a refund, it's just I've not recieved it, and I don't want them dragging their heels, so I'm trying to ascertain if the law is on my side to 'pursuade' them to hurry up refunding me!

There was no mention of it being a rolling thing when I signed up, and my bill has no mention of it either. It was £21 for a 6 edition Gift subscription special offer, and I believe the magazine was recieved for the 6 months following my sign up last year. I'll have to check with my dad on that one though.

the wording in the order confirmation says:

Gift Subscription to DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHER for 6 issues by Direct Debit

It does say 'subscription' so I'll probably just have to wait for the cheque and not try to force them to hurry up about it!

I'd contact them again then and see what's happened to your refund.

It does say you can cancel anytime, so that's why they will refund you, but I doubt they would cover the fees you've been charged.

ChrisMcKendrick

shellsuit wrote: »

Ah! Was this the deal? http://www.magazine-group.co.uk/magazine/hobbies-leisure/photography/digital-photographer?affiliate=P-BM&gclid=CPKZt5TAwacCFQEY4Qod5mRP_A

You were basically paying £21 for 6 issues at a reduced price, then once the 6 were sent out, the sub would carry on at the normal price unless you had cancelled.

Ah yes, it wasn't from that website, but that is the same deal by the looks of it, though I don't think it was biannual and I wasn't charged any time in the summer of last year I don't think.

Ah well, I'll just hope they hurry up and refund me then...

ChrisMcKendrick

shellsuit wrote: »

I'd contact them again then and see what's happened to your refund.

It does say you can cancel anytime, so that's why they will refund you, but I doubt they would cover the fees you've been charged.

Thanks for your help, I couldn't find the deal anywhere and wasn't sure where I stood with it all. It seems probable that it was supposed to be an annual subscription (though this was never clear to me) and I should just settle for my refund!

Thanks again

shellsuit

ChrisMcKendrick wrote: »

Thanks for your help, I couldn't find the deal anywhere and wasn't sure where I stood with it all. It seems probable that it was supposed to be an annual subscription (though this was never clear to me) and I should just settle for my refund!

Thanks again

No worries, hope you get your refund soon!

What I usually do with magazine deals, is as soon as they have taken the money from my account (whether it is a £1, £5, or £21 in your case deal), I cancel the sub there and then, so there's no way they can take any further money from my account and I'm not likely to forget in the future.