Match.com automatic subscription renewal

littlelauraq

I got together with my boyfriend a year ago, previously I was registered with match.com. I forgot to cancel my subscription, and 6 months ago my subscription automatically renewed. As such, I wrote to match.com and emailed to cancel my subscription, as I find putting things in writing more official.
I noticed this week another £89.94 had been taken so I rung match and said that I had written to cancel my subscription 6 months ago. They said they only accept telephone cancellations and had no record of my letter. They however admitted that they had received my email but had replied to my match.com inbox not my regular email to advise that they only accept telephone cancellations. As I was in a relationship, I had not been onto match.com to see this email so I didn't know it was there. They admitted that the email was "unread" in my match.com inbox.
Do I have a leg to stand on to demand a refund?
They are not governed by the FSA, would it be trading standards or even Watchdog I should complain to? They gave me an address to write a complaint to at Match.com but I doubt they'd be singing from a different songsheet to the man on the phone...
Help! Am I wasting my time fighting this?

Plans_all_plans

I'd pursue it with Match directly myself. Write and outline your case and ask if they'd refund you as a gesture of goodwill. Put in a little paragraph about how you were happy with their service until this issue and that you wouldn't like to have to tell your single friends to use one of their competitors.

I'd be really annoyed too. If that doesn't work, then yeah why not Watchdog?

Jinx

I think you have been more than reasonable, def a letter of complaint needed.

chelle230

they already made an appearance on Watchdog
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/watchdog/2011/05/match_com.html

PandaJuggler

My Match renewal is impending and I can't really afford to continue. However, rather than the free number mentioned in the Watchdog article above, there is a charged number. I only have a mobile so no doubt will be charged higher than the stated landline cost for the call, and if I'm on hold then who knows what I might pay. I think it's wrong to have to pay in order to stop paying.

Instead I've gone into PayPal (through which I paid originally) and cancelled the repeat payment agreement. I don't have the funds to cover the payment anyway, but I don't want to risk them cleaning me out and asking for the shortfall. Does anybody know if this will solve the problem? Can they reinstate it somehow or claim I'm breaching an agreement?

halibut2209

This would be better in the Consumer Rights forum. There are already several threads on this company there

starry_eyed_4

PandaJuggler wrote: »

Instead I've gone into PayPal (through which I paid originally) and cancelled the repeat payment agreement. I don't have the funds to cover the payment anyway, but I don't want to risk them cleaning me out and asking for the shortfall. Does anybody know if this will solve the problem? Can they reinstate it somehow or claim I'm breaching an agreement?

I have done this as well, I can't see how they can take the money if we haven't authorised it.
Fingers crossed eh !

Li0nhead

I think the auto charge system should be illegal

gardner1

Li0nhead wrote: »

I think the auto charge system should be illegal

to be fair i would'nt buy or order anything that meant an auto charge would be applied to my account, direct debit every time

PandaJuggler

It's six months since I paid - I'm not sure how up-front Match were in informing me that auto-renewal would occur, the first time I knew about it was when I stumbled across my subscription details page. I expect it was buried in the T&C's, but I don't think that's adequate when it comes to taking money from people.

They're fairly clumsy in their money-making strategies, several features on the site appear to be available to you until you click on them and realise they are locked unless you go up a tier (even if you're already on a paid subscription).

I phoned eventually to end any ambiguity. The call begins with music which plays for a while without explanation, and eventually the recording tells you that you've reached match.com. I can't help but interpret this as another strategy to make money (the calls cost me 50p in total - on my first attempt I was cut off - but all those charges must add up!)