AA taking direct debit payments without third party consent

Bagpuss22

I got my AA breakdown cover renewal letter in February which seemed very expensive and so I rang up and cancelled my policy at the beginning of March - my policy was due to expire on 6th April. I took out alternative cover with a different provider and thought no more about it. Yesterday I tried to withdraw some money from my bank account and discovered that the AA have taken £184 out of my account despite me having cancelled my policy. I rang their call centre and they said they would refund the money but it could take up to 21 days!!! It is the Easter holidays and my kids are off school but I now have no money to do anything with them - Thanks AA

indianabones

Dad had cover starting this time last year, I agreed to pay cause he was short on money.

I know for a certainty I did not agree to the conitnuous payment scheme. If it was there, it was clearly in small print.

Anyways noticed that my bank account was £60 lighter and when I checked, it was AA who'd taken the money.

Confused, I called my bank who said a debit was made the same time last year and it's likely to be a continual payment.

I phoned AA, told them, you took money from my account without my permission. It was a one off payment for a year. After a few minues they put me through to someone who acknowledged what happened and said I would be refunded the full amount within 21 days. So I've put a reminder in my calender 21 "working days" from today, let's see if they do pay it back. If not I will be chasing.

I also got my bank to block on the AA, gave them a bollocking for not informing me and said I'll be taking my money with me to another account if they disappoint me like this again.

AA have lost a customer forever. Not just because of this episode, but because even if you tick the boxes or leave them black so that they don't send you junk, they just keep sending junk mail. It's so annoying.

The_AA_Company_Representative

indianabones wrote: »

Dad had cover starting this time last year, I agreed to pay cause he was short on money.

I know for a certainty I did not agree to the conitnuous payment scheme. If it was there, it was clearly in small print.

Anyways noticed that my bank account was £60 lighter and when I checked, it was AA who'd taken the money.

Confused, I called my bank who said a debit was made the same time last year and it's likely to be a continual payment.

I phoned AA, told them, you took money from my account without my permission. It was a one off payment for a year. After a few minues they put me through to someone who acknowledged what happened and said I would be refunded the full amount within 21 days. So I've put a reminder in my calender 21 "working days" from today, let's see if they do pay it back. If not I will be chasing.

I also got my bank to block on the AA, gave them a bollocking for not informing me and said I'll be taking my money with me to another account if they disappoint me like this again.

AA have lost a customer forever. Not just because of this episode, but because even if you tick the boxes or leave them black so that they don't send you junk, they just keep sending junk mail. It's so annoying.

Hello indianabones, if you would like to be removed from our marketing database please email the details to [EMAIL="chat@theaa.com"]chat@theaa.com[/EMAIL] including Reference FOR65168, we can ensure this is suppressed for you. Kind Regards, The AA

Frustratathon

I'm going to be blunt. The AA is run by a bunch of thieves. I mean they are an organised criminal organisation that uses fixing your car when it breaks down as a front for other illicit money-making activities. After years of trouble with them taking a huge renewal fee from me via Direct Debit (much higher than my last year's fee, or the fee offered to new customers), I thought I was beginning to win the battle.

Having no car and living in a different country, safe in the knowledge that I cancelled the Direct Debit with them, I cannot believe that they have had the audacity to charge me £69.08 for my 'membership renewal' - not by Direct Debit, but by ordinary debit - as though I had requested it! The AA's basic motto must be something like this: "We won't let the fact that you have left the country and that you have no need of our services whatsoever to stop us taking your money for three times the price we offer the service to new customers! We value our existing customers so much that you will never be able to leave. It just wouldn't be fair on you. Even if you have died, we will assume that your family will want to carry on paying your inflated membership renewal fees in your memory. We won't let a small thing like permission stop us debiting your account in the hope that everyone is too busy to notice!

They are unethical and sick. Spread the word and avoid their criminal activity!

P.S. After several emails to The AA I was getting nowhere, but I found a very simple solution. The AA wanted me to write to them by snail mail with my policy number etc, or they would not refund any money. I didn't have any policy details any longer, as I had left the country - and as far as I was concerned I wasn't an AA member. Luckily I had the idea to go to my bank and complain. My bank refunded me the money (As they could see that the Direct Debit had been cancelled and that the AA had taken the money illegally). They will now pursue The AA for their ill-gotten cash, and they have blocked the AA from ever charging my account again.

Thus I win AA. I WIN!!!

The_AA_Company_Representative

Hi there,
We would very much like to look into this for you. Please could you email your membership details as well as your full name and address to chat@theaa.com with Reference FOR69162 in the subject title.
Kind Regards
The AA Company Representative

damohatestheaa

Hi,

I was wondering if anyone on this post has had any luck getting money back of the AA, or if anyone has any advice for me.

I joined the AA in December 2012 . It cost about £100 for my car and van for the year. I moved house in June 2013. I never notified AA about the change of address, and never thought too much about it as the membership expired in December. I had planned to join RAC or Green-flag, but never actually got around to it, with christmas and everything. I broke down twice in early 2014, and called private tows, as I thought I wasn't registered with any recovery company.

About two weeks ago I got a call from AA about some competition, that included a membership number. I gave them a call and sure enough the lady confirmed I was still a member and they had taken £340 out of my account in December 2013. It is a business account ,with money constantly in and out, so I never realised. I couldn't believe a company could hold my card details without my knowledge and just dip in for money whenever they want.

The lady on the phone kept trying to pawn me off with another number to call, but I refused to get off the line. Eventually she put me on with a manager. I couldn't believe what she told me.

She said :
I could not get a refund.
I could not cancel as I was beyond my 14 day cooling off period!
I couldn't stop the recurring payments, until I got another renewal letter,
And most worrying that I COULD NOT talk about the phone call on social media!!

She eventually just hung up on me ,and the worst thing is she didn't even bother taking my new address to send the next renewal, so it looks like I'm a paying member for life!

I can't believe its legal (which apparently it is), for a company to take money from a persons account , for a random amount, without getting confirmation it is okay from that person.

If anyone has any advice of what i could do please let me know.

Thank you

The_AA_Company_Representative

damohatestheaa wrote: »

Hi,

I was wondering if anyone on this post has had any luck getting money back of the AA, or if anyone has any advice for me.

I joined the AA in December 2012 . It cost about £100 for my car and van for the year. I moved house in June 2013. I never notified AA about the change of address, and never thought too much about it as the membership expired in December. I had planned to join RAC or Green-flag, but never actually got around to it, with christmas and everything. I broke down twice in early 2014, and called private tows, as I thought I wasn't registered with any recovery company.

About two weeks ago I got a call from AA about some competition, that included a membership number. I gave them a call and sure enough the lady confirmed I was still a member and they had taken £340 out of my account in December 2013. It is a business account ,with money constantly in and out, so I never realised. I couldn't believe a company could hold my card details without my knowledge and just dip in for money whenever they want.

The lady on the phone kept trying to pawn me off with another number to call, but I refused to get off the line. Eventually she put me on with a manager. I couldn't believe what she told me.

She said :
I could not get a refund.
I could not cancel as I was beyond my 14 day cooling off period!
I couldn't stop the recurring payments, until I got another renewal letter,
And most worrying that I COULD NOT talk about the phone call on social media!!

She eventually just hung up on me ,and the worst thing is she didn't even bother taking my new address to send the next renewal, so it looks like I'm a paying member for life!

I can't believe its legal (which apparently it is), for a company to take money from a persons account , for a random amount, without getting confirmation it is okay from that person.

If anyone has any advice of what i could do please let me know.

Thank you

Hello, we would like to look in to this for you. Please email the details to [EMAIL="chat@theaa.com"]chat@theaa.com[/EMAIL] including your full name, address and membership number (if you have this), with Reference FOR73075. Regards, The AA

Nodding_Donkey

Crabman wrote: »

I'm concerned at the number of reports on this issue.

AA Representative - what action is being taken to tackle this issue & stem the number of consumer complaints?

It would be nice to see The AA Company Representative squirm er try to answer this.

After all, the question was asked three months ago.

ETA plus a year lol

Quentin

Nodding_Donkey wrote: »

It would be nice to see The AA Company Representative squirm er try to answer this.

After all, the question was asked three months ago.

For "three" read fifteen!

Nodding_Donkey

yep just seen that. Oh well, he's hardly going to answer it anyway.