Magazine subscription refund

Giraffe76

Hi all,

I bought my wife a subscription to the magazine instyle in june through the website magazines direct but the magazine was terminated and the last ever issue was sent last month.

What has really annoyed us both is they automatically changed us over to mare clare for the duration of the subscription without any notification (email letter or phone call) and to top it all off i now have to call a 0330 to cancel my subscription which costs me 40p per minute.

The cynic in me says that they didnt notify us because they knew that there would be a chance we would cancel ( as there is no other magazine she likes from them) and that way they get a least another months subscription out of us even if we do cancel but i dont have any evidence of this.

Am i entitled to a refund on the cost of the remainder of the subscription

Kind regards Mark

wealdroam

Giraffe76 wrote: »

Hi all,

I bought my wife a subscription to the magazine instyle in june through the website magazines direct but the magazine was terminated and the last ever issue was sent last month.

What has really annoyed us both is they automatically changed us over to mare clare for the duration of the subscription without any notification (email letter or phone call) and to top it all off i now have to call a 0330 to cancel my subscription which costs me 40p per minute.

The cynic in me says that they didnt notify us because they knew that there would be a chance we would cancel ( as there is no other magazine she likes from them) and that way they get a least another months subscription out of us even if we do cancel but i dont have any evidence of this.

Am i entitled to a refund on the cost of the remainder of the subscription

Kind regards Mark

Do you pay 40p a minute to call 01* and 02* numbers?
If so, change your service provider.

It costs no more to call an 03* number than it does to call a 01* or 02* number.

ThumbRemote

Giraffe76 wrote: »

Am i entitled to a refund on the cost of the remainder of the subscription

I would think so. I'm sure they'll try to argue otherwise, but you ordered one thing and they are no longer able to supply it.

room512

I am sure you can have a refund. I have a similar problem as I subscribed to essentials magazine. This has folded and so they switched the remainder of the subscription to Woman and Home. It said in the accompanying letter that if i didn't want to receive this magazine I could ring and they would refund the rest of the subscription. As I only have a couple of months left I thought I would try the new magazine.

unholyangel

Did they write and inform you the magazine you were subscribing to was ending?

Basically you agreed x in exchange for y. They cannot vary that except with your agreement. And to be genuinely fair & balanced, you need to be allowed to cancel without otherwise being affected.

In other words, unless you agreed to the new magazine in its place, they should be cancelling and refunding any monies they've taken that you should not be due to pay (due to them not supplying what was agreed).

DCFC79

You sure you didnt get an email about the magazine ending ?

In the spam box maybe.

If your concerned about the call costs then use 1 of the smart phone apps, if you have a smart phone of course.

Giraffe76

Thank you to everyone who has replied.

I check my email/spam folder everyday and i never received anything. As i mentioned they did not contact me in anyway shape or form,they have just changed the magazine without any notification,hence why im so shocked and asking for help on this situation.

How do i call them for free with my smart phone as i have already contacted my network and i get charged 40p per minute to call a 0330 number,however i get 01 02 and mobile calls within my inclusive minutes..

Any further help would be much appreciated

Mark

wealdroam

Giraffe76 wrote: »

How do i call them for free with my smart phone as i have already contacted my network and i get charged 40p per minute to call a 0330 number,however i get 01 02 and mobile calls within my inclusive minutes..

You don't have to take my word for it.
This is what Ofcom have to say:

What are 03 numbers?

Calls to 03 numbers cost no more than a national rate call to an 01 or 02 number and must count towards any inclusive minutes in the same way as 01 and 02 calls.

These rules apply to calls from any type of line including mobile, BT, other fixed line or payphone.

You need to contact your service provider again and put them right.

Who is your service provider?

unholyangel

Just wondering what network you're with OP as EE, vodafone, O2, giffgaff, Virgin mobile & Three all have calls to 03 numbers as part of your inclusive minutes/call plan.

Giraffe76

Im with virgin mobile on a sim only deal

unholyangel

Giraffe76 wrote: »

Im with virgin mobile on a sim only deal

Then you're fine and it will be taken off your inclusive minutes.

Their tariff page might not be 100% clear as it just tells you what the calls are charged at over & above your allowance.

But 03 numbers are treated (and billed) like 01 or 02 numbers.