OneCall and Close Brothers-don't trust, excessive fees

BKwhopper

Had insurance with Onecall for a year which was fine with no contact. At renewal time in March I didn't want to renew and so tried to contact them to confirm that I didn't want to renew. Unfortunately (and deliberately I assume) they don't have an email address to use?? I therefore tried ringing but due to the early days of co-vid they were at reduced capacity and it was very difficult to get through (fair enough). So I then used their online chat service to cancel only to be told "I don't work in the cancellation department so you'll have to call back"! I subsequently cancelled my direct debit and thought that would be the end of it. However a £139 cancellation cost was recently taken out of my account using 'the payment card details we hold on file'. This amount is daylight robbery in my opinion (approx 50% of the total cost of the annual policy). Please THINK BEFORE YOU BUY as they make it very difficult (and costly) to cancel!

dunstonh

 Unfortunately (and deliberately I assume) they don't have an email address to use?

It ti will be a deliberate decision. However, it is not an unreasonable one given the unreliability when it comes to delivery (spam filters - especially on the likes of apple email etc) and that it is an insecure communication.

I subsequently cancelled my direct debit and thought that would be the end of it. 

oh dear.   Cancelling a direct debit does not cancel the contract. It just cancels the method of payment.

This amount is daylight robbery in my opinion (approx 50% of the total cost of the annual policy).

That is high.  You would expect a cancellation charge (up to around £75) and if there are non-refundable extras then they would be included.  Plus, premium for time on risk before you did actually cancel it.     

Please THINK BEFORE YOU BUY as they make it very difficult (and costly) to cancel!

Or just notify them when you dont want to renew it.

Fighter1986

To the OP:

Either the insurer and their elected finance provider make their fees clear in the contract prior to completing the sale of the policy to you, in which case this is a matter of caveat emptor and it's entirely the customers responsibility to either accept the charges as part of the service at point of sale or reject them and not take out the service at all. Having taken out the service with the fees having been mentioned in the contract, you agreed to them. You have no right to argue after agreeing to them. 

Or, the insurer and their elected finance provider do not make their fees clear in the contract prior to completing the sale of the policy, in which case it is a matter of writing a formal written complaint explaining you didn't agree to these fees being levied  and they are to refund them post haste, and if they don't after 56 days, escalate the matter to the Financial Ombudsman Service who will adjudicate in your favour if indeed the fees weren't made clear in the contract at point of sale.

It's literally that simple, either one, or the other applies. 

Fighter1986

BKwhopper said:

Had insurance with Onecall for a year which was fine with no contact. At renewal time in March I didn't want to renew and so tried to contact them to confirm that I didn't want to renew. Unfortunately (and deliberately I assume) they don't have an email address to use?? I therefore tried ringing but due to the early days of co-vid they were at reduced capacity and it was very difficult to get through (fair enough). So I then used their online chat service to cancel only to be told "I don't work in the cancellation department so you'll have to call back"! I subsequently cancelled my direct debit and thought that would be the end of it. However a £139 cancellation cost was recently taken out of my account using 'the payment card details we hold on file'. This amount is daylight robbery in my opinion (approx 50% of the total cost of the annual policy). Please THINK BEFORE YOU BUY as they make it very difficult (and costly) to cancel!

In this instance you've made reasonable attempts to contact the service provider and they've failed you.

Write a formal written complaint to this effect stating you require a full refund of the fee in light of them not being contactable as settlement of your complaint.

Escalate the complaint to the FOS if they don't agree, or fail to reply after 8 weeks. 

ConsumerRightsMan

rs65
Just to let you know that your pal Onecall forwarded over 20 communications and each had no email response details and even in the event that an email was received from OneCall, it could not be replied to, until recently (so evidently they take note of what is written here), I received an email  from a chap in the complaints department suggesting that I go through the  FOS complaints procedure. The FCA/FOS has received bad press and poor reports not least by Martin Lewis on national TV. Companies hide behind the FCA complaints procedure in the knowledge that their penalty would be minimal in comparison to the harm caused. Take note people!