UK2.net - A warning (even if you've used them in the past!)

rmwebs

I registered a hosting account with UK2.net in April 2010 for £44 for a year. I never actually got round to using the account, so phoned up and requested that it be cancelled at the next billing date (April 2011). I was assured this wouldn't be a problem and was told that I would receive an email when it comes up for renewal anyway. I never thought anything else of it.

I received a bank statement about 2 weeks ago, and find a charge in April to my credit card for £88 from UK2.net! I assumed they had made a simple mistake, so opened a helpdesk ticket with their billing department. I explained that I had cancelled the account several months ago and that it was only a £44 hosting account, not a £88 hosting account. I requested they refund the money as they could see the account had never been put to use.

After a couple of emails back and forth (arguing!) they have refused the refund, with the excuse that they dont take cancellation requests over the phone. Why in this case was I assured it would be cancelled? (that they would not answer.).

They did explain why it had gone up to £88 - they say that the first year of £44 is a special '1st year only' promotion (which was not apparent when I signed up, so even if I was using the account I would have been very annoyed to find the price double a year later).

To top it off, as a 'gesture of goodwill' they have extended the account by 12 months. So effectively I have hosting for 3 years at £44 a year.

I'm out £132 for an account I cancelled, that I never have or will use.

To make matters even more annoying/worse. I never received a single piece of correspondence (via email or otherwise) in April when they took the £88. I'm sure there are probably a number of people out there who are in my situation but haven't checked their statements!

Is my annoyance unjust here? I've been in the hosting industry myself for a number of years but find their practice to be completely unacceptable. It's a complete scam...fraud even.

zppp

rmwebs wrote: »

I registered a hosting account with UK2.net in April 2010 for £44 for a year. I never actually got round to using the account, so phoned up and requested that it be cancelled at the next billing date (April 2011). I was assured this wouldn't be a problem and was told that I would receive an email when it comes up for renewal anyway. I never thought anything else of it.

I received a bank statement about 2 weeks ago, and find a charge in April to my credit card for £88 from UK2.net! I assumed they had made a simple mistake, so opened a helpdesk ticket with their billing department. I explained that I had cancelled the account several months ago and that it was only a £44 hosting account, not a £88 hosting account. I requested they refund the money as they could see the account had never been put to use.

After a couple of emails back and forth (arguing!) they have refused the refund, with the excuse that they dont take cancellation requests over the phone. Why in this case was I assured it would be cancelled? (that they would not answer.).

They did explain why it had gone up to £88 - they say that the first year of £44 is a special '1st year only' promotion (which was not apparent when I signed up, so even if I was using the account I would have been very annoyed to find the price double a year later).

To top it off, as a 'gesture of goodwill' they have extended the account by 12 months. So effectively I have hosting for 3 years at £44 a year.

I'm out £132 for an account I cancelled, that I never have or will use.

To make matters even more annoying/worse. I never received a single piece of correspondence (via email or otherwise) in April when they took the £88. I'm sure there are probably a number of people out there who are in my situation but haven't checked their statements!

Is my annoyance unjust here? I've been in the hosting industry myself for a number of years but find their practice to be completely unacceptable. It's a complete scam...fraud even.

What does your hosting contract say about the price?

rmwebs

Likely the same as every hosting companies contracts: THat they can charge you anything they like at any time for no reason (yup, most of them do effectively state that).

Interestingly, it looks like every single customer gets put on 'auto-renew' and unless you write to them, they will bill you yearly forever more: uk2[DOT]net/important_information/terms_and_conditions/auto_renewal_policy/

I also noticed someone else post a thread in here a few minutes ago with a very similar problem.

Robertomac

I think we must have been writing our posts at virtually the same time, about the same problem!

If you do a search, you will see another thread from 2007 where Ditlev Bredahl, the CEO of UK2.net posts a couple of replies to another disgruntled (ex)customer. I cannot post links unfortunately.

SnowTiger

rmwebs wrote: »

After a couple of emails back and forth (arguing!) they have refused the refund, with the excuse that they dont take cancellation requests over the phone. Why in this case was I assured it would be cancelled? (that they would not answer.).

Was the call itemised on your telephone bill? If so, perhaps you should ask UK2.net what you and their representative chatted about.

Alternatively, if payment was taken by Visa debit card or direct debit you could dispute it with your bank. They'll send you a form to complete and you should get a refund. It's then up to UK2.net to dispute the refund.

rmwebs

SnowTiger wrote: »

Was the call itemised on your telephone bill? If so, perhaps you should ask UK2.net what you and their representative chatted about.

Alternatively, if payment was taken by Visa debit card or direct debit you could dispute it with your bank. They'll send you a form to complete and you should get a refund. It's then up to UK2.net to dispute the refund.

I never even thought about doing that - I'll have to give it a try!

rmwebs

Robertomac wrote: »

I think we must have been writing our posts at virtually the same time, about the same problem!

If you do a search, you will see another thread from 2007 where Ditlev Bredahl, the CEO of UK2.net posts a couple of replies to another disgruntled (ex)customer. I cannot post links unfortunately.

Yeah I saw that one - I did ask my ticket be forwarded on to senior management or the CEO but 'Stella' was having none of it.

Sooler

rmwebs wrote: »

I'm out £132 for an account I cancelled

£88. You paid £44 for year one which they provided - you chose not to use it. It was there the whole year for which you would have been able to access it if you had wanted to.

SnowTiger

Sooler wrote: »

£88. You paid £44 for year one which they provided - you chose not to use it. It was there the whole year for which you would have been able to access it if you had wanted to.

Hosting is usually charged in advance.

I think the OP is saying he cancelled, but was later charged for an additional two years of hosting he obviously doesn't want.

Sooler

SnowTiger wrote: »

Hosting is usually charged in advance.

Yes, that's right.

SnowTiger wrote: »

I think the OP is saying he cancelled, but was later charged for an additional two years of hosting he obviously doesn't want.

The OP was charged for one additional year £88, which they extended to 2 years as a good will gesture.

The company provided the service the OP paid for for the first year for £44.