Dental plan won't suspend payment or offer plan extension beyond lockdown

breaking_free

Hi all.
I pay monthly for a 12 month dental plan that covers 2 dental checkups and 2 hygienist visits per year. My April checkup and hygienist appointments were cancelled by the dentist due to Covid-19.
The dental plan has continued to take payments even though the dentist cannot provide the service. I've contacted both the plan and the dentist directly. Both have passed the buck to the other and when pressed have coyly told me that I will receive "the correct number of appointments within the 12 month period". They are both ignoring the fact that the 12 month period will run out next month and neither party has offered me an unpaid extension to cover the period of time (still ongoing) that they are unable to provide service. 
Other than simply cancelling my payments after 12 months, what can I do? 

custardy

breaking_free said:

Hi all.
I pay monthly for a 12 month dental plan that covers 2 dental checkups and 2 hygienist visits per year. My April checkup and hygienist appointments were cancelled by the dentist due to Covid-19.
The dental plan has continued to take payments even though the dentist cannot provide the service. I've contacted both the plan and the dentist directly. Both have passed the buck to the other and when pressed have coyly told me that I will receive "the correct number of appointments within the 12 month period". They are both ignoring the fact that the 12 month period will run out next month and neither party has offered me an unpaid extension to cover the period of time (still ongoing) that they are unable to provide service. 
Other than simply cancelling my payments after 12 months, what can I do? 

If they dont play ball then cancelling and changing dentists(if its not to much hassle) would be my course of action.

breaking_free

custardy said:

If they dont play ball then cancelling and changing dentists(if its not to much hassle) would be my course of action.

Thanks. That's one option, but what I would prefer is for them to extend the plan (unpaid) for the same length of time as the duration of service unavailability. I've put this to both the dentist and the dental plan company and they are both buck passing. I would like to put it to them that I'll cancel the plan, thus depriving them of many, many years of future income from me, but they might simply come back with "sorry to see you go". I want them to extend so that I can get the dental treatment that I've paid for.
I guess I'm really looking for some well-worded phrases that I can use when I contact them again.
Suggestions?

[Deleted User]

breaking_free said:I would like to put it to them that I'll cancel the plan, thus depriving them of many, many years of future income from me, but they might simply come back with "sorry to see you go". 

They may well just accept your cancellation without offering anything to retain you, but equally they may well not. 

You should not need any clever repartee in order to find out. Simply threaten them with cancellation and see what they come back with...

Blackbeard_of_Perranporth

Of course you can cancel the contract, just rip up the DD and be done!

But of course then you would be in breach of the contract. I understand that at the present time, they are unable carry out work, but they have not said the contract would not be completed!

born_again

Blackbeard_of_Perranporth said:

Of course you can cancel the contract, just rip up the DD and be done!

But of course then you would be in breach of the contract. I understand that at the present time, they are unable carry out work, but they have not said the contract would not be completed!

But stopping payment does not cancel a contract.

Of course making sure that their is no charge for a failed DD....

Blackbeard_of_Perranporth

born_again said:

Blackbeard_of_Perranporth said:

Of course you can cancel the contract, just rip up the DD and be done!

But of course then you would be in breach of the contract. I understand that at the present time, they are unable carry out work, but they have not said the contract would not be completed!

But stopping payment does not cancel a contract.

Of course making sure that their is no charge for a failed DD....

And my second line was, you’ll be in breach of the contract!

[Deleted User]

Blackbeard_of_Perranporth said: you’ll be in breach of the contract!

Not from "next month". of course.

 The twelve month contract he entered into ends next month and the OP is in a strong position to negotiate for either some "free" months or an overall reduction in next year's fees. 

Blackbeard_of_Perranporth

Moneyineptitude said:

Blackbeard_of_Perranporth said: you’ll be in breach of the contract!

Not from "next month". of course.

 The twelve month contract he entered into ends next month and the OP is in a strong position to negotiate for either some "free" months or an overall reduction in next year's fees. 

And the other part can dictate terms as well?

greyteam1959

I have had the same discussion with Denplan.
My family monthly DD is £155.00.
Basically they have told me that they are offering nothing & that I can cancel my contract with them.
However they then pointed out that if I wished to reinstate my contract at anyiany time it would cost me extra as I would be a new customer.
Got us by the short hairs unfortunately.
Hopefully their attitude may change.

breaking_free

greyteam1959 said:

I have had the same discussion with Denplan.
My family monthly DD is £155.00.
Basically they have told me that they are offering nothing & that I can cancel my contract with them.
However they then pointed out that if I wished to reinstate my contract at anyiany time it would cost me extra as I would be a new customer.
Got us by the short hairs unfortunately.
Hopefully their attitude may change.

Ouch! Well I'll contact them again and see how it goes. I'm expecting a response like yours but maybe I'll get lucky.

Thanks everyone for your input.