National Trust shuts due to coronavirus and won't extend membership

lokilaalaa

I was bought as a gift joint membership of the National Trust for a year.  National Trust properties have all shut now due to covid-19.  I asked for an extension or refund and this is their answer.  

We’ve tried our best to keep our places open for as long as it was safe to do so but have now had to make the difficult decision to close for the safety of our visitors, staff and volunteers. We will continue to follow government guidance and hope to be able to re-open soon.  We do realise this means you won’t get your full year’s use out of your membership, and that doesn’t seem fair. As your membership payment is classed as a charitable donation we can’t offer a refund or extension. However, as you membership was a gift, if you choose to renew your membership we can offer you a 25% discount on your renewal to make up for lost time.  Another option is we can switch you onto a monthly direct debit and apply a 3 month payment break.  I’m sure you can appreciate we can’t predict what will happen over the next three months so we will review the situation at that point.  Please advise which course of action you would like to take.

This surely doesn't fit the consumer act as I can't have what I have paid for which is access to properties.  I don't want to renew just use the membership my friend has paid for!  Can someone advise me my rights and how I should respond?

Undervalued

lokilaalaa said:

I was bought as a gift joint membership of the National Trust for a year.  National Trust properties have all shut now due to covid-19.  I asked for an extension or refund and this is their answer.  

We’ve tried our best to keep our places open for as long as it was safe to do so but have now had to make the difficult decision to close for the safety of our visitors, staff and volunteers. We will continue to follow government guidance and hope to be able to re-open soon.  We do realise this means you won’t get your full year’s use out of your membership, and that doesn’t seem fair. As your membership payment is classed as a charitable donation we can’t offer a refund or extension. However, as you membership was a gift, if you choose to renew your membership we can offer you a 25% discount on your renewal to make up for lost time.  Another option is we can switch you onto a monthly direct debit and apply a 3 month payment break.  I’m sure you can appreciate we can’t predict what will happen over the next three months so we will review the situation at that point.  Please advise which course of action you would like to take.

This surely doesn't fit the consumer act as I can't have what I have paid for which is access to properties.  I don't want to renew just use the membership my friend has paid for!  Can someone advise me my rights and how I should respond?

No you haven't. You have paid for (or in your case been gifted)  a voting membership of an organisation, presumably because you largely support it work. During your membership you can enjoy such benefits as it chooses to extend. You haven't bought a guarantee that you can visit particular properties. Come the AGM you can vote for directors that are more to your liking!

What would you do if one of the houses burnt down? Would you be asking for a small proportion of your subscription back?

What would you have them do for their life members? Give them an extra year post mortem?

diggingdude

seems fair enough to me, considering they don't have to offer anything its a good deal.  

7Phil

This line really contains the answer you are seeking:

lokilaalaa said:

As your membership payment is classed as a charitable donation we can’t offer a refund or extension.

The money paid is used for the upkeep and maintenance of national trust properties and as such will continue to be used for that purpose. You will therefore still benefit from this gift as the properties continue to be maintain and will remain accessible for years to come.
Even if your membership was to be extended then that is potentially 3 or 6 months of lost revenue (assuming you were going to renew, just some months later). Times that by the entire membership base and the NT will lose 3-6 months of total membership revenue which I doubt they can afford to do. I personally would not support them doing that, although I do admit I am not a member myself at the moment.

An offer of 25% discount on extended membership therefore sounds like a reasonable compromise all things considered.
As they said if the shutdowns continue for a longer term they may review their policy and offer.

joolywooly

I am in the same position - gifted a joint National Trust membership by my daughter for Christmas. We had visited just one NT property before lockdown and have therefore so far 'lost' nearly 3 months membership benefits.  I believe most people buying or gifting membership do so with a view to enjoying the opportunity to visit the houses and gardens it owns, with the added bonus that the fee paid goes towards the upkeep of said properties. I have lost this benefit for a quarter or quite possibly even a half of its duration, and agree with the OP that the National Trust should extend membership accordingly.

GibbsRule_No3.

When they do reopen you will also have to book a slot and might get lucky. I have memberships to NT, Kew Gardens and Royal Palaces (Hampton Court, Tower of London etc) just so I can go when I am either passing or feel like making a trip at a whim. If I had wanted to have to plan ahead and take pot luck that I get the ticket when I want, I would not be bothering with a membership. So unfortunately I am having to decide if it will be worth it to me to renew now. This will be after years of renewing automatically.
Kew reopened this week but membership tickets went quickly, so to visit I needed to buy the general admission ticket, these were easy to buy. Supposedly they did a 75/25 split. 

Thrugelmir

There's a gradual reopening of car parks, gardens, estates etc. The NT are going to lose around £200 million this year. Currently around 85% of their staff are furloughed and announcement has been made that redundancies will be necessary. With many capital projects shelved.  This is an important institution that needs everyones support. 

DiamondLil

joolywooly said:

I am in the same position - gifted a joint National Trust membership by my daughter for Christmas. We had visited just one NT property before lockdown and have therefore so far 'lost' nearly 3 months membership benefits.  I believe most people buying or gifting membership do so with a view to enjoying the opportunity to visit the houses and gardens it owns, with the added bonus that the fee paid goes towards the upkeep of said properties. I have lost this benefit for a quarter or quite possibly even a half of its duration, and agree with the OP that the National Trust should extend membership accordingly.

The National Trust are a charity and subject to charity law. I'd be willing to bet that they can't extend membership even if they wanted to. The rules and regs of the Charities Commision are many and varied.

sharpe106

Although not to helpful for the person that got it as a gift. Might be to others, personally not changed mine.

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/features/help-with-your-membership-payments-due-to-coronavirus

mcooke999

Thrugelmir said:

There's a gradual reopening of car parks, gardens, estates etc. The NT are going to lose around £200 million this year. Currently around 85% of their staff are furloughed and announcement has been made that redundancies will be necessary. With many capital projects shelved.  This is an important institution that needs everyones support. 

Well said.

roddydogs

Surely most staff are volunteers?