Forgotten about Direct Debit

takman

BooJewels wrote: »

Thanks, I missed that - I saw that it was paid every 2 months, but missed the early comment on the frequency of the mag itself - apologies.

As you say, a 3 month re-direct would have forwarded at least one publication, to act as a reminder to the OP. So that probably helps his case for a refund.

But your assuming the OP cancelled the subscription before they moved house. It has taken them 12 years to actually spot the payments and do something about it so they arn't a very organised person. So they may have redirected their mail for a period and had continued to receive the magazine through redirection and then thinking it was coming to an end sent the cancellation paperwork. Although they may never have sent it at all.

BooJewels

takman wrote: »

But your assuming the OP cancelled the subscription before they moved house. It has taken them 12 years to actually spot the payments and do something about it so they arn't a very organised person. So they may have redirected their mail for a period and had continued to receive the magazine through redirection and then thinking it was coming to an end sent the cancellation paperwork. Although they may never have sent it at all.

But we also have to assume to some degree that posters asking for guidance are telling the truth. He has clearly been somewhat slack in his approach, but if he did cancel and they carried on asking for money, then he has decent grounds for taking action for a refund. He hasn't seemingly missed the £700, so anything at this stage would be a bonus.

Ultimately, it will be down to the conscience of the OP as to how well he remembers the course of action he took and he'll have to be honest with himself as to his conduct and whether it's appropriate to apply for a refund. I think my own moral compass would suggest that if I hadn't missed it, then I'd have to chalk it up as my own stupid fault, or settle for a less than full refund.

ETA: Likewise, if the publishers have been asking for and accepting payments for something they didn't supply and didn't pick up on it in 12 years, they're not very organised either - so also have a moral obligation to make it right. Perhaps if both parties are equally and partially to blame, they can reach a suitable compromise.

polymaff

ResultsMayVary wrote: »

It seems that I have been paying £9.55 every two months for over 12 years. Obvious a massive oversight on my part and one that has cost me around £700.

That's an admission of gross carelessness

ResultsMayVary wrote: »

... they would have all been posted back to Haymarket as I have no forwarding service any more from that address

That's an assumption.

ResultsMayVary wrote: »

... do I have any grounds for a refund of any of these payments?

That's a laugh.

takman

BooJewels wrote: »

But we also have to assume to some degree that posters asking for guidance are telling the truth.

I'm not saying they are lying, but they don't seem very confident they had sent the letter to cancel (which is fair enough considering it's 12 years ago). So they may have simply filled it out and forgot to send it.

BooJewels

takman wrote: »

I'm not saying they are lying, but they don't seem very confident they had sent the letter to cancel (which is fair enough considering it's 12 years ago). So they may have simply filled it out and forgot to send it.

There are any number of variables in doubt and considering that the OP hasn't returned may never be determined.

I think the sending out or otherwise of magazines from the publisher will determine whether the cancellation was in fact received and acted upon. If they acted on a cancellation and sent no more publications - then they shouldn't have continued with the DD and receipt of the funds for something they weren't supplying either.

The OP's comment in respect of the publisher: "After much searching, they found me from an address that I left in July 2005" doesn't make it sound like it was an active account - but he doesn't say whether they said the mag was still an active sub when he spoke to them. Surely they would be able to tell when the last one sent out was. But it's all moot if the OP doesn't return to clarify!

robatwork

You should have noticed we moved onto 4-1-3-2 and 3-5-1-1 about 10 years ago.

shortcrust

BooJewels wrote: »

There are any number of variables in doubt and considering that the OP hasn't returned may never be determined.

I think the sending out or otherwise of magazines from the publisher will determine whether the cancellation was in fact received and acted upon. If they acted on a cancellation and sent no more publications - then they shouldn't have continued with the DD and receipt of the funds for something they weren't supplying either.

The OP's comment in respect of the publisher: "After much searching, they found me from an address that I left in July 2005" doesn't make it sound like it was an active account - but he doesn't say whether they said the mag was still an active sub when he spoke to them. Surely they would be able to tell when the last one sent out was. But it's all moot if the OP doesn't return to clarify!

I don’t think it implies that the account wasn’t active. Just that it took the OP a few goes to give them the address associated with the subscription.

If they’d not been sending out the magazine they’d presumably refund all the money without any quibbles. How could they justify doing otherwise?

tempus_fugit

BooJewels wrote: »

That was rather my point, they clearly don't still have it, but the OP hinted that they did have at least some redirection at the time.

If the redirection was 3 months and a quarterly publication, it's possible that it was missed. But a monthly periodical with a 6 month re-direction would not have been. So thinking in terms of sensible time frames, it seems unlikely that any mags were actually sent after his cancellation.

So, as I see it, if the publishers did act on his cancellation and didn't send out the mags, but did keep asking for funds, then they're at fault and owe him a full refund. If the mags were still sent out and were either returned, binned or kept by the new resident in his old home, then he might just have to suck it up.

Ah, yes, I see what you are saying, that makes sense.

ResultsMayVary

Very fair analysis. I'll get in touch again and see what can be done. Thanks for your replies, much appreciated.

macman

Since you cannot prove that you cancelled your subscription, did not cancel the DD, and failed to notice the debit going out on approximately 60 of your bank statements, I don't think you have a leg to stand on.
The only recompense you might get is to pop round to your 2005 address and see if you can pick up all those back issues...