NowTV charged me for a recurring sports pass subscription for 12 months after cancelling it

Mr.Boy

Last summer I signed up for NowTV's monthly sport's pass. They sent me an email warning me my card was due to expire and by subscription would expire. I decided I didn't want the service any more and would let it expire. A few days later I got another email which clearly stated my subscription was cancelled:

I was happy with this and didn't use the service again, in fact I don't think I even logged in, until this September when I wanted to buy a pass for the new footy season - only to discover I already had an active pass. As I dug through my account and CC statements I realised with a terrible sinking feeling they had been billing me on the 28th of every month since last September. Initially I assumed I'd made a terrible mistake and forgotten to cancel a free trial, but trawling through emails I found the the one above and the events came flooding back.
I immediately contacted NowTV and they are just going round the "recurring subscriptions are your responsibility" ... "it's not possible there's an error on our system" ... "you have an active subscription" script. I was offered a refund of 4 months "as a gesture of good-will" but when reiterated I didn't consider this my error, they have gone silent. Several emails over the last 2-3 weeks, no replies at all.
To me, they have clearly informed me the pass was cancelled then the very next day, started billing me. I never received an email that the pass had been reactivated or anything after the one above. 
What can I do? Clearly I should've caught this earlier and I do check my bank statements but somehow I had a blind spot - probably because it's a payment I am used to seeing I don't know. But as it stands this is over £400 on a service I didn't want, and didn't use - I have argued they can tell I never used it, but I just get the same stock response.

Thanks.

Aylesbury_Duck

I can't see the image, but this sounds like a slam-dunk direct debit guarantee situation.  If that image is evidence they cancelled your subscription but have continued to take money through direct debit, contact your bank to claim back the unauthorised transactions.

born_again

NowTv use Visa Account Updater to request new card details. 
Which is how they get the new card details.
As you did not contact them to cancel, they just keep taking payments.
Like Aylesbury Duck. I can not see the image. So can not see exactly the wording.
You will need to provide proof of cancelation as chargebacks only cover 120 days. So anything else will have to be written of by the card provider. Which they will not do without proof.

Also. You need to check your statements more often, had you done that it would have been picked up a year ago. 
On that you are lucky. As anything over 13 months they have a right to not refund as it is the account holders responsibility to check the account. Which is why annual statements are sent out.

Were_Doomed

I assume CC means Credit Card, so the DD guarantee won't work. @d000hg ... contact your card provider with your evidence and instruct them to a) cancel the CPA (continuous payment authority) so NowTV can't take any more payments, and b) recover the 12 months of erroneous payments (I'll not use the "fraudulent" term as this is an error not a deliberate act of fraud).

Mr.Boy

born_again said:

NowTv use Visa Account Updater to request new card details. 
Which is how they get the new card details.
As you did not contact them to cancel, they just keep taking payments.
Like Aylesbury Duck. I can not see the image. So can not see exactly the wording.
You will need to provide proof of cancelation as chargebacks only cover 120 days. So anything else will have to be written of by the card provider. Which they will not do without proof.

Also. You need to check your statements more often, had you done that it would have been picked up a year ago. 
On that you are lucky. As anything over 13 months they have a right to not refund as it is the account holders responsibility to check the account. Which is why annual statements are sent out.

Hi, yes I can see they have been able to update my card - the one listed expired in the end of 2019 but they carried on charging it. I thought that was odd in itself but apparently this is not abnormal, though upsetting that you cannot rely on an expired card ending an old payment - most websites force me to update.
No idea why the image isn't showing, here's the text from the email. To me they are saying:

•  it IS cancelled and if I want to restart I must update payment THEN buy a new pass

NOT

• it WILL be cancelled unless I update my payment method

OR

• it IS cancelled but it will restart automatically if I update my payment method

"We got in touch recently to let you know that we’d have to cancel your NOW TV Month Pass if you didn’t update your saved payment details before your next payment date.

Your payment details haven’t been updated, and we still couldn’t take your payment.

We’ve now cancelled your NOW TV Month Pass, and you’ll lose your access in the next day or so.
How do I start watching again?

First, you’ll need to make sure your saved payment details are valid and that there’s enough money in your account. If not, you can add new payment details.
Then, to start watching again, buy a new Pass

Bye for now,
The NOW TV Team"

Mr.Boy

I can go to the credit card people but I was hoping I could get through the customer-service BS at Now... is it worth it? Find a contact? 

born_again

d000hg said:

I can go to the credit card people but I was hoping I could get through the customer-service BS at Now... is it worth it? Find a contact? 

Thanks .
No point in NowTv. 
Might as well go straight to card provider.