Racing TV Deal - Am I now tied in?

krashovrload

Hi folks.. 
After some advice - I recent used a 30 day free trial deal with Racing TV for my father as no-one can get to the courses at the moment. The details stated that although you could sign up online, you had to phone to cancel within 30 days or it's 12 month minimum subscription at £25 a month. I noted down the date I signed up and when I'd have to phone to cancel. 

However, I messed up on 2 things.
One: I failed to notice that in the offer information it said that the cancellation line is only open Monday - Friday. So, when I phoned on Sat to cancel, I was naturally told that the line wasn't open and I'd have to phone back Monday morning.
Two: The first subscription pay is due today - Sunday. 

I'm going to phone them first thing tomorrow and see if there is anyway I can get out of the whole 12 months.  I'm not sure how likely that is.  I did email them yesterday but they can take 48hrs to respond. 
The only argument I have is that although the offer details state the line is closed at the weekend, nowhere else on there website does it say this. They state (taken from their site) - If you would like to cancel your membership please call 0344 855 2977 (UK) or 0818 776 700 (ROI). Please note, we are unable to process cancellations via email. Click here to go back to the Help Centre home page. You can call them on 0344 855 2977 (UK) or 0818 776 700 (ROI) between 8am and 9pm, seven days a week.

It's not much of an argument but the only thing I can see.  I'm looking back at the general T&Cs today to see if there's anything else. 

Any advice? 

pphillips

Just tell them that you tried to cancel on Saturday but their phone lines weren't open. I don't think they can hold you to the contract if the terms are ambiguous as to what happens if customers try to cancel the free trial on a weekend. 

Chino

pphillips said:

I don't think they can hold you to the contract if the terms are ambiguous as to what happens if customers try to cancel the free trial on a weekend. 

Except that the terms aren't ambiguous:

krashovrload said:

in the offer information it said that the cancellation line is only open Monday - Friday.

pphillips

Chino said:

pphillips said:

I don't think they can hold you to the contract if the terms are ambiguous as to what happens if customers try to cancel the free trial on a weekend. 

Except that the terms aren't ambiguous:

krashovrload said:

in the offer information it said that the cancellation line is only open Monday - Friday.

So you're saying that the free trial might not be 30 days if it runs out on a Sunday because the customer has to cancel it on the previous Friday, in my opinion that's ambiguous.

matelodave

pphillips said:

Chino said:

pphillips said:

I don't think they can hold you to the contract if the terms are ambiguous as to what happens if customers try to cancel the free trial on a weekend. 

Except that the terms aren't ambiguous:

krashovrload said:

in the offer information it said that the cancellation line is only open Monday - Friday.

So you're saying that the free trial might not be 30 days if it runs out on a Sunday because the customer has to cancel it on the previous Friday, in my opinion that's ambiguous.

No it's not. 
 
If there was clarity in the T&C's that stated that the cancellation line was only open Monday to Friday then surely it's incumbent on the customer to to ensure that they make sure that they arranged for the cancellation before the weekend. Was it a specific requirement that he had to actually cancel on the last day or is it like most contracts you can give them notice of the date you wish the contract to terminate. There was nothing stopping the OP from phoning on Friday (or any other day come to that) and requesting that the account be closed on the appropriate day - he didn't have to wait until the last day or last minute.

As the OP says's "he messed up" not the company. he might be lucky and they may be able to accommodate him but as far as I can see they don't have to.

JJ_Egan

If it was me and no course visits on the cards i would treat my old Dad to a full sub .

Of course he will probably expect the same next season .

sportsarb

Seems to me that they are unnecessarily restrictive about how and when they accept cancellations.

I would fully expect them to honour the cancellation given that they were advised of the intention to cancel within the timeframe and it is only because they made all avenues unavailable that it couldn’t be done on the Saturday or Sunday. 

pphillips

OP, don't leave us in suspense. Did they honour the cancellation or not?