Urgent help required - Automatic renewal of website hosting!!

Xebnotlaw_2

Hi there,

I need some help urgently!
Last year I tried to set up my own business, for which I purchased a website (domain and hosting) from Justhost.com
The business didn't take off and so I had to go straight into work to keep up with my loan repayments and rent, etc...
Stupidly, I didn't cancel the website (although the last time I even logged onto it was about 10 months ago) and I have now been charged £100.65 for something I haven't been using, 4 days before my rent is due to come out!
When I set up the website I was charged £35.76 on the 14th June, and now I have been charged £100.65 just yesterday.

Is there ANYTHING I can do about it? Bearing in mind I have had no e-mail, letter or phone call saying it was going to be renewed? Especially not at such a price rise?

Please help me urgently.

Thanks

Rebecca

Leo2020

From their website: "Automatic Renewal of Hosting Account. As a courtesy and not as an obligation (contractual or otherwise), fifteen (15) days prior to the expiration of Subscriber's Hosting Account or Domain(s) Just host will automatically renew Subscriber's Hosting Account by charging the applicable fee for the non-promotional rate to Subscriber's current method of payment on file. The initial term of this Agreement shall be as set forth in the Registration Form (the "Initial Term"). The Initial Term shall begin upon commencement of the Services to User, and after the Initial Term, this Agreement shall continue for successive periods (or renewal period) of equal length as the Initial Term or such other Term and price that shall be set forth in a notice to the customer at least 24 hours prior to the commencement of such successive period or renewal period."

According to their T & Cs they should have contacted you 24 hours beforehand to notify you of the price. They will do this via email, did you give them the correct email address? Have you checked your spam folder?

It standard practice for hosting companies to auto-renew. Imagine if your website had being going well but you forgot to renew the hosting? Your website would go down and you would lose custom.

transient

No chance and they will fight a chargeback

paddyrg

Hmmmm looks rather like you did agree to this, even if you didn't mean to - and youbought the service as a B2B transaction meaning you are not eligible for consumer law protection (if any was applicable in this case, which I doubt).

It would have to hinge on the contract terms - did they send their email 24h before billing? You may need to take this to court if they didn't uphold their side of the contract, but if they did, your options are limited.

CoolHotCold

I am sorry Rebecca, however their T&C are standard for web hosts and the automatic renewal is probably the best thing about web hosts. Can you imagine if someone had to phone the web host every month to say "Yes please renew it".

When it comes to web hosts it is a default option to have automatic renewal (if you didn't sign up for a X per month for 12 / 18 months.)

I'm afraid ignorance is not a excuse, even accidental ignorance or forgetfulness.


Regardless of when you logged in or last used it, they were still supplying the service to you.

Get a overdraft from the bank but don't use a payday lender. Beg borrow and ask the bank for a interest free overdraft but don't use a payday loan.

uk_messer

I took out a 3 yr hosting plan with them which turned into a nightmare. Blatent lies and fake marketing cons sent out to customers claiming they were one of only 50 people chosen because judges at JustHost were impressed with their website - therefore offering upgrades at discounted prices. There's plenty more but I won't bore everyone with those details right now.

I also recently was charged for another 3 years without notice. However, I had already emailed them beforehand giving them notice of cancellation.

I initially logged into my JustHost account but could not remove my credit card details. Their system forced you to put in a valid credit card to replace the information but no way were you allowed to remove it. You could not even change payment type to Paypal. There was also a box which you ticked to permit automatic renewal - my box was not ticked.

JustHost's guide to cancellation? Just email them at [email]cancel@j******.com[/email]. Did this - the email was rejected as non -valid. Sent notice via support - totally ignored. No response. Then days later find my credit card charged. Got an email telling me I had been renewed. I responded back to that email asking for my money to be refunded as they had no authorisation to use my credit card. Told my complaint would be forwarded to another department - no response. I have since called my credit card company and had the charges removed but this will still be ongoing.

Now, looking at the JustHost control panel they have changed their whole layout - with an option to cancel automatic renewal after three years.

This company is pure slime - don't go near them. They lie and lie and lie.

arcon5

Contact your card issuer. Submit your paper trial (emails) with your claim and you should get your money back.

uk_messer

I did all that, arcon5. Today Just Host have started a chargeback against me for the amounts. More headache and time consumed with these people.