Match.com - Auto renewal

unholyangel

strawberries1 wrote: »

Wealdrom, my comments are in response to relevant threads.
Ignore them if irrelevant to you.
Gik, T&C must be fair and in keeping with the law.
Their automatic renewal is a breach of The Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations 1999 (UTCCRs). UK Government guidance (OFT) states - section 8 (oft.gov.uk)
8.1 A clause which states how long a contract has to run is likely to be among its most important 'core' terms. If a lesser term in small print can be used, relying on customer inertia, to extend the contract period beyond what the consumer would normally expect, it is not a core term, and is liable to be considered unfair.
8.2 Particular suspicion attaches to a term in a contract for a fixed period which, if early notice to cancel is not given, automatically commits the consumer to a renewed fixed term.
2. They failed to notify me of the impending automatic renewal. Additional detailed government guidance provided by Ofcom (stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/consultations/addcharges/faq) states that a term is likely to be deemed unfair where:
> the supplier doesnt promise to send a reminder notice at a reasonable time before the renewal term is to take effect;
> the terms do not provide for a clear and easy to use opt-out mechanism, without unnecessary formal or procedural requirements;
> there is no cost to the supplier and no benefit to the consumer from the renewed obligation the consumer takes on;
> there are other terms which seek to restrict the chance to opt-out or require too long a notice period; and/or
> the charge for terminating the contract early is unfair (or so high that the consumer doesnt effectively have the right to end the contract).
3. Although a contract if formed ‘online’, there is no equivalent membership cancellation button online. This is an unfair term since a supplier has a duty to allow a consumer to cancel a contract in the same way that he/she signed up to it.

Match is doing this to a lot of people and action needs to be taken.
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4729057

You can cancel online. I know this for a fact as I've had to do exactly that for a friend who thought he cancelled and was surprised to see they had taken another 6 months subscription from him.

The problem is that their cancellation process isnt clear (and personally I'd even go as far as to say it is deliberately misleading). I can't remember exactly what it said but after the first screen, you get another saying something like thanks blah blah and if you just read that part, you'd think it was cancelled already. But under it, theres more text and a button to continue and its not until a few screens later that your subscription is actually cancelled.


Question is whether its likely to mislead the average consumer - or just those who don't fully read what they're clicking.

gik

wealdroam wrote: »

As has already been pointed out to you:

Oh dear. It is now on six threads.

No doubt strawberries1 will claim no spamming is an unfair term & condition

DCFC79

Strawberries

Why oh why drag up 4 old threads, only needed to post it once, could have started your own thread.

agrinnall

Can't be bothered to read what you've written, but posting it on multiple old threads is a sure way to annoy people. If you really have an issue that you would like people to address then start your own thread. You've been around the forum for long enough to know the correct way to behave by now.

strawberries1

I sent an email to match and PayPal last night. I received an email from Paypal at 5am they've refunded me.

unholyangel wrote: »

You can cancel online. I know this for a fact as I've had to do exactly that for a friend who thought he cancelled and was surprised to see they had taken another 6 months subscription from him.

The problem is that their cancellation process isnt clear (and personally I'd even go as far as to say it is deliberately misleading). I can't remember exactly what it said but after the first screen, you get another saying something like thanks blah blah and if you just read that part, you'd think it was cancelled already. But under it, theres more text and a button to continue and its not until a few screens later that your subscription is actually cancelled.


Question is whether its likely to mislead the average consumer - or just those who don't fully read what they're clicking.

wealdroam

strawberries1 wrote: »

I sent an email to match and PayPal last night. I received an email from Paypal at 5am they've refunded me.

Now you need to post that message on all the other threads where you have complained.

Just to maintain a fair and balanced view.

strawberries1

PayPal refunded me. Match still maintained they were right to withdraw the money but they no longer have it. What threads?

bod1467

strawberries1 wrote: »

What threads?

All the other threads in this forum (and Praise, Vents) that you bumped to post the same initial rant.

DCFC79

strawberries1 wrote: »

PayPal refunded me. Match still maintained they were right to withdraw the money but they no longer have it. What threads?

You posted the same post numerous times, didn't happen by itself.

Mammy2Cai

strawberries1 wrote: »

I sent an email to match and PayPal last night. I received an email from Paypal at 5am they've refunded me.

What did you say in your email to get this result please? I must have cancelled my subscription about 3 times online but they have taken another £77.94 I really can't afford to lose ever never mind so close to Christmas!!!