AA Breakdown; cooling off period & (non-refundable?) emergency joining fee

bris

Cooling off period would not apply anyway, as they fixed the car then the service has started. You can not start the service then cancel.

irishjohn

TehJumpingJawa wrote: »

I have no problem with them charging for their incurred costs.
However I take issue when the customer is not made aware of these charges, or is misled into thinking they will be significantly less than they turn out to be.

After further interrogation it turns out she was made aware of these charges when she joined, but misunderstood that it'd be ~£130 non-refundable upon cancellation not the other way around.

In hindsight this was a mistake, as the repair wasn't particularly urgent.
She could have joined normally(~£15 after cashback), and then called them out several days later.

Isn't it frustrating when relatives get ripped off due to no other reason than ignorance.

I'm not sure what you mean by this?

I think the best way to look at this is to put it down to experience. If one was to read between the lines one could think your mum might have thought it was a good idea to use joining and cancelling as a way to get her car repaired away from home and stranded.

Its good that you have no problem with them charging for costs incurred but you need to take this a step further and accept that it is OK for them to both cover their costs and make a reasonable profit for the job they carried out for your mum. In reality they are charging your mum £127 for carrying out a roadside repair, which can be interpreted as a call out fee, a mechanic's fee for his time and travelling time. Probably not that much different to a fee a garage would have charged had they been asked to bring a recovery vehicle to where your mum was stranded, and bring her and car back to their premises to repair the fault.

Your hindsight is right - if your mum has no other way of getting help with car breakdowns then she should of course make use of a breakdown service and having purchased it she can relax and know she is covered for any future breakdowns - a lesson learned?

munchpot

TehJumpingJawa wrote: »

Isn't it frustrating when relatives get ripped off due to no other reason than ignorance.

Whilst you might feel your mum has made a mistake it's hardly fair claiming that the AA has 'ripped her off' They made the terms clear to her at the time.

It's your mum who was ignorant of the situation - you can't blame that on the AA

arcon5

TehJumpingJawa wrote: »

I have no problem with them charging for their incurred costs.

They are not a charity, they are a for-profit business! Why do you think they should seek to cover their costs only and not make a profit ?

After further interrogation it turns out she was made aware of these charges when she joined, but misunderstood that it'd be ~£130 non-refundable upon cancellation not the other way around.

What makes you (or her) think it would be refundable? If you buy a coffee do you think you can drink it then get a refund? No, so why do you think you can call the services of the AA and then get a refund.

In hindsight this was a mistake, as the repair wasn't particularly urgent.
She could have joined normally(~£15 after cashback), and then called them out several days later.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing!

Maybe she could join them for next year so this doesn't happen again.

Any advice?

Yes.

stop being such a busy body!

hcb42

Sounds like she got a great deal, member 25 years not called out for five do not regret one penny of dues paid