Membership Fiasco

Chris1943

Until recently I belonged to a national charity and paid £20 per year for membership, howeve the requests for renewal were coming in 3 months earlier every year. I ignored the reminders and paid at the usual time. This years however, I was told that my membership had lapsed as I had not renewed in time (My membership was taken out in March and ran out at the end of March 2011) According to the membership secretary my membership ran out in December 2010. I know it didn't as I know when I had joined and when I had renewed it.

I have now found out that it was a regular thing and if people complained they were ignored, or if they made a first class fuss like I did were told they were unsuitable to be a member.

To me this is nothing short of fraud if you only get 9 months membership instead of the 12 you paid for. If a member paid on direct debit, the payments were taken earlier and earlier each year.

This was reported to the Charity Commissioners who didn't want to know as is usual with them. But surely repeatedly taking memberships early even though it is probably through incompetence rather than anything else is a serious financial issue? And how do I get my 3 months membership back?

Savvy_Sue

Trading Standards? Local and National press?

Chris1943

Nice one!!!!! Hadn't thought of that

Savvy_Sue

Of course, you could always go to the AGM and ask awkward questions. Especially if you know others who have been similarly affected.

Have you established whether this is something the Trustees of the charity are aware of / condone? If not, it would be worth alerting them.

Chris1943

There are currently only currently only 2 elected directors/trustees, who recently co-opted 2 of their cronies. 2 former directors/trustees have resigned and a third has been excluded from meetings for whistle-blowing.

The last 3 AGMs were inquorate and there is to be a EGM later this year.

Savvy_Sue

If it's also a ltd company, is there anything Companies House would be interested in? Are they filing accounts properly, for example? Although the charity commission also get a bit antsy about unfiled accounts, of course.

It does sound like something the press might be interested in. I say 'might': you might need to make the story for them, if it's a small national charity that none of us have ever heard of then it's not terribly newsy.

Chris1943

Now that is interesting. Checked with Companies House Website The accounts have been submitted but the list of directors has not been changed since 8 October last year, despite 4 new directors at EGM in November , and 3 resignations since, plus the two co-options, also the contact details for one director have not been updated since she moved. One of the directors is a chartered accountant!!!!!!!!!!!