AA continuous payment arrangement

Rhino666

I have just returned from holiday to find that the AA had claimed this years membership from my debit card as part of a continuous payment arrangement. Apparently I signed up for this when setting up online last year. There is no way I would knowingly agree to such an arrangement so can't see how this could have happened.

I did not want to renew with the AA this year and have called their customer support to get a refund which should appear in 21 days. Hopefully this also means that the continuous arrangement has been cancelled.

Just a warning to make sure that you only have this continuous arrangement set up with the AA if you want it. If not my advice would be to cancel it now - 0800 435 980

McKneff

The only way you would have not knowingly signed up for auto renewal is because you didn't read the original terms and conditions properly.

It is there,in black and white and you will have signed accepting the contract.

I joined this year and have my terms and conditions to hand.

So, no one elses fault.

Most insurances auto renew nowadays, too.

Rhino666

McKneff wrote: »

The only way you would have not knowingly signed up for auto renewal is because you didn't read the original terms and conditions properly.

It is there,in black and white and you will have signed accepting the contract.

I joined this year and have my terms and conditions to hand.

So, no one elses fault.

Most insurances auto renew nowadays, too.

A predictable reply, unfortunately.

I imagine there are a few people who aren't as clever as you who may have missed this, as I did. I am however impressed that you have embraced this continuous payment mechanism - I see it as nothing less than a scam!

The ease at which I obtained a refund, today, for a new policy that started on the 19th July proves to me that there are a few others who may have had a problem with AAs renewal payment method.

I would ban continuous payment arrangements altogether. If you take the time to read up on them. there have been all manner of problems, particularly when people have attempted to cancel.

fivetide

Did they send you a letter?

I don't like these things personally. I always ask for them not to do it which is why I still call people having found the best price online.

As a existing customer you often get a worse deal and it is much better to move or at least haggle.

If they do have this policy they should certainly send you a letter a few weeks in advance and warn you. What if you can't cover the bill etc? That's why I think it is sharp practise treally.

McKneff

Of course it was a predictable reply. It was a correct reply.

I don't consider my self particularly clever at all, just sensible to have come through life making mistakes and learning from them.

One of them is reading terms and conditions at the onset of something, then you learn that if you don't, there are repercussions.
You wont do it again. You are where most people have been. Including me, I might add.

It is the 'its everybody's elses fault' in todays society I take exception to.

If auto renew wasn't present in say 'car insurance' I wonder how many people would be running around in there cars, uninsured till they either got stopped for no insurance, or suddenly realising that their insurance has run out and they have been driving around without it. In some cases its a good thing.

Anyway, having said all that, i'm glad you got it sorted.

InsideInsurance

Rhino666 wrote: »

A predictable reply, unfortunately.

I imagine there are a few people who aren't as clever as you who may have missed this, as I did. I am however impressed that you have embraced this continuous payment mechanism - I see it as nothing less than a scam!

If someone can miss reading it in their terms and can miss reading it in their renewal letter then they can also miss when their renewal date is. Ok for Breakdown insurance it isnt the end of the world if you are driving about without it but for other classes of insurance in particular Motor and Home it is fairly important that these dont lapse. Motor in particular given it effects others too.


PS, the "a" in CPA is authority not arrangement.

Netwizard

Rhino666 wrote: »

A predictable reply, unfortunately.

I imagine there are a few people who aren't as clever as you who may have missed this, as I did. I am however impressed that you have embraced this continuous payment mechanism - I see it as nothing less than a scam!

The ease at which I obtained a refund, today, for a new policy that started on the 19th July proves to me that there are a few others who may have had a problem with AAs renewal payment method.

McKneff's reply is true though. Too many people sign up for these things without fully reading what they are signing up for. Just like people who sign up to mobile contracts then complain when they cant get out of them for some silly reason after 6 months.

Rhino666

Thanks for the replies.

To be honest, McKneff is correct - there was a letter that arrived whilst I was on holiday and if I was aware that a company like the AA are looking to scam me into renewing my policy with them, I would have spent more time reading the small print. It is, however, psychologically designed to catch people out and causes problems.

As another poster said renewals are almost always a bad move. Buy AA through quidco which is what I did last year and there is at least £15 cashback....................eventually. I don't need breakdown cover as going nowhere in the cars and motorbikes are covered through insurer.

I wish I had the time, enthusiasm and energy, as well as the eyesight to read all controversial small print associated with the products/services I buy.

This post was never about my mistake and how unfortunate I had been - it was about highlighting the AAs sharp practice with renewals that not everyone may be aware of and not everyone may wish to subscribe to.

fivetide

I read somewhere that the biggest lie on the internet is "tick here to confirm you have read the terms and conditions"

Most tick and click without any reading whatsoever.

Always worth a warning on that basis.

InsideInsurance

fivetide wrote: »

I read somewhere that the biggest lie on the internet is "tick here to confirm you have read the terms and conditions"

Most tick and click without any reading whatsoever.

I know with a previous client that the average time spent on their T&Cs page was 9 seconds on which there were about 15 bullet points.

If that wasn't bad enough that 9 seconds includes the time for the page to load, scroll down, find the click to agree button and the time for the click to be registered and sent back to the server. We are also going back a few years so internet speeds werent as quick as they are now.

Of cause you then get complaints from people that they werent told about things even though we could evidence that they had clicked to agree to them

Looksguywalker

Rhino666 wrote: »

Thanks for the replies.

To be honest, McKneff is correct - there was a letter that arrived whilst I was on holiday and if I was aware that a company like the AA are looking to scam me into renewing my policy with them, I would have spent more time reading the small print. It is, however, psychologically designed to catch people out and causes problems.

As another poster said renewals are almost always a bad move. Buy AA through quidco which is what I did last year and there is at least £15 cashback....................eventually. I don't need breakdown cover as going nowhere in the cars and motorbikes are covered through insurer.

I wish I had the time, enthusiasm and energy, as well as the eyesight to read all controversial small print associated with the products/services I buy.

This post was never about my mistake and how unfortunate I had been - it was about highlighting the AAs sharp practice with renewals that not everyone may be aware of and not everyone may wish to subscribe to.

Oh good you know realise it's your own fault.