RingGo unauthorised text charges

rebeccapollo28

Hi

I have just realised RingGo (a parking app) has been charging me £0.20 every time I park for a text reminder of the expiry. I never opted in but when challenged they are saying I was given the option to opt out when I paid by phone (this must have been years ago as I pay by the app).

They are refusing to refund these unauthorised charges.

Is there anything I can do?

Many thanks

AnotherJoe

When you get the email invoice it clearly tells you of the fee so you've had a long time to decide to opt out.
Just opt out now and write it down to experience.
Are you sure BTW that its 20p for the expiry. Just has a look at one of my receipts and its 2 messages at 10p each, once confirmation, one reminder of expiry.
In fact thats just prompted me to switch off the confirmation its started, the screen should be enough, I always take a screenshot of it anyway. (10 min reminder i already switched off)

fisherjim

As above, the app has always charged you for two texts, but as I remember you have the option when you start the parking session to untick the two boxes.

In fact the tick boxes are in the app settings, it's your responsibility!

vikingaero

Click the three bars on the app. Click on My account and uncheck the text message boxes.

The_Deep

Complain in writing to your local Trading Standards Officer at the Council. If they are dismissive, raise the matter with the relevant Ombudsman.

Half_way

These so called opt outable service charges have generated many complaints with these parking apps, if you think how many people will have unwittingly signed up to these extra charges, lots of 20p's will soon add up to a nice little earner.

Apart form complaining as stated above by The Deep, there is little more you can do, uninstall the app, and keep some change in your car - I use the ashtray to keep some loose change in, typically about £10 in various coins (£1s, £2s, 50p's 20ps 10ps ) to cover P+D car parks/parking charges

AnotherJoe

Talk about overreaction.You dont need to uninstall the app just toggle off text messages.

The big advantage of the app is, you can add time to your parking without having to go back to the car (which may be impractical if you are at for example a hospital where appointments are overrunning). Plus you dont need to add extra time as a buffer.

So instead of thinking you'll need say a hour, so add 30 mins (making it 90) for overruns, then find that wasnt long enough, and you cant go back to the car because you will miss your appointment (or, you just havent finished whatever you were doing) you can start with the hour, easily add on 30 min or an hour or whatever if it gets close.

Even if you keep a lot of change, s*ds law says you wont have the right or enough when you need it, so just use the app when you need to.

MalMonroe

I used to use RingGo and loved it. Now our local council has taken over and the service is rubbish. BUT RingGo did charge 40p for every transaction. I think you've been lucky only being charged 20p. And I was told - doing it by text - that I was going to be charged. Of course this is never going to be a free service, why did you think it was? If I were you, I'd not contact the Financial Ombudsman because you may need to contact them in the future for a more serious case and they'll not be inclined to take any notice!

AnotherJoe

MalMonroe wrote: »

I used to use RingGo and loved it. Now our local council has taken over and the service is rubbish. BUT RingGo did charge 40p for every transaction. I think you've been lucky only being charged 20p. And I was told - doing it by text - that I was going to be charged. Of course this is never going to be a free service, why did you think it was? If I were you, I'd not contact the Financial Ombudsman because you may need to contact them in the future for a more serious case and they'll not be inclined to take any notice!

The OP has been charged 40p I suspect, they are complaining about 20p of that.
40p is 20p for using it and two lots of 10p for two text message. The former is mandatory the latter isn't.

This though is the app. It may be that where you have to use the clunky send a text method it's different.