continuous payments

gemsybabes

hi all.

not sure if i'm posting in the right place but i'm having an issue with a continuous payment.

back in december 2012 i set up a 6 month subscription with match.com, i thought i'd just paid in full for the 6 months and would be given the option to renew at the end of that period.

they didn't get in touch and whilst i was on holiday they took another 6 month subscription payment last week.

i've been in touch with both match.com and my credit card company and both say there's nothing they can do as it is in their t&c's that they set up automatic continuous payments.

just wondering if anyone had any advice about how to deal with this?

i realise i should have read the small print more closely!

thanks in advance for any advice!

mattyprice4004

You can ask them nicely to refund, however they don't have to as you did agree to the terms.

That's about it.

wealdroam

We've been here before.

Have a read of this thread:
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4503643

bris

Just make sure you cancel it now before you forget and get hit for it in another 6 months.

InsideInsurance

And to make sure it has been cancelled you can also cancel the Continuous Payment Authority with your bank - technically this only stops your payments not your liability so you cannot just stop it with the bank

kake12

i had this problem last year, so all i did was rang my credit card company and told them i had lost my card, they then cancelled it and issued me a new one with completely different number etc and the payments stopped.

mandywr

Warning: DO NOT give continuous payment authority on an American Express card. 3 years ago I had apparently [unwittingly] given a continuous payment authority to Sentinel card insurance for payment by American express credit card. I cancelled the card about 6 months later. The insurance was for 3 years , so 2 1/2 years after card cancellation the insurance company successfully charged the cancelled credit card about £100. The insurance company refused to cancel because by the time I received the credit card bill I was outside the 14 day cooling off period!.They also stated that cancellation would not result in refund for the unused period of the insurance!!. When I spoke to American Express they agreed the card was cancelled. They claim that it would be ILLEGAL for them to reject charges via continuous payment, even on cancelled accounts. After a considerable battle I have managed to persuade the insurance company (as a goodwill gesture) to refund the payment of a further 3 years cover. I asked American Express to refuse all future continuous payment authorities on the cancelled card [in case I had given any) . They refused, saying I can only cancel with the insurance company as the contract is between me and the insurer not between American Express and the insurer. I asked them to reconsider this refusal , as I know, from experience, that my Visa card payment by continuous authority was unpaid when I reported the card lost.

wealdroam

mandywr wrote: »

Warning: DO NOT give continuous payment authority on an American Express card. 3 years ago I had apparently [unwittingly] given a continuous payment authority to Sentinel card insurance for payment by American express credit card. I cancelled the card about 6 months later. The insurance was for 3 years , so 2 1/2 years after card cancellation the insurance company successfully charged the cancelled credit card about £100. The insurance company refused to cancel because by the time I received the credit card bill I was outside the 14 day cooling off period!.They also stated that cancellation would not result in refund for the unused period of the insurance!!. When I spoke to American Express they agreed the card was cancelled. They claim that it would be ILLEGAL for them to reject charges via continuous payment, even on cancelled accounts. After a considerable battle I have managed to persuade the insurance company (as a goodwill gesture) to refund the payment of a further 3 years cover. I asked American Express to refuse all future continuous payment authorities on the cancelled card [in case I had given any) . They refused, saying I can only cancel with the insurance company as the contract is between me and the insurer not between American Express and the insurer. I asked them to reconsider this refusal , as I know, from experience, that my Visa card payment by continuous authority was unpaid when I reported the card lost.

There are at least two issues here.

1) The Payment Services Regulations 2009 allow the consumer to cancel a Continuous Payment Authority with the payment payment service provider, i.e. American Express in your case.
American Express are acting outside the law by telling you otherwise.
This OFT document has details:
http://www.oft.gov.uk/business-advice/treating-customers-fairly/cpa-principles/#named4

2) It is perfectly normal to allow payments to be taken from a cancelled/closed account.