Debit Card Subscription

GrubbyGirl_2

I have cancelled my John Lewis insurance which, for the last year was paid via debit card subscription.  It was previously direct debit but they changed it at renewal.  On cancellation I asked them to remove the subscription as my bank won't let me do it myself.  After several emails going back and forth they just kept telling me no further payments will be taken.  I was insistent that I wanted the subscription removed and they finally agreed it would be.  

6 weeks later the subscription is still there.  I have blocked any payments from going to them but blocks only last for 13 months and I don't see why I should have to monitor my account constantly.  I also object to them holding my debit card details.

What can I do to get them to comply?

Shakin_Steve

The bank must cancel a continuous payment authority if you ask them to 

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/banking/recurring-payments/#:~:text=The%20Financial%20Conduct%20Authority%20(FCA,stopped%20permission%20for%20the%20payments.

Mark_d

Firstly are you allowed to cancel the subscription or does it have to remain active for a certain period of time?  If it was an annual policy then at the time of purchase, you might be committing to paying for the full year whether you make it in one payment on 12.

Since you've had no luck with Customer Services, persevere with their Complaints policy.  I've always found John Lewis complaints team to be capable of solving issue.  Of course if you are still unhappy then you can escalate to the Financial Ombudsman Service.

Shakin_Steve

Mark_d said:

Firstly are you allowed to cancel the subscription or does it have to remain active for a certain period of time?  If it was an annual policy then at the time of purchase, you might be committing to paying for the full year whether you make it in one payment on 12.

Since you've had no luck with Customer Services, persevere with their Complaints policy.  I've always found John Lewis complaints team to be capable of solving issue.  Of course if you are still unhappy then you can escalate to the Financial Ombudsman Service.

Don't know what you mean by 'are you allowed?'. As I posted above, the bank must cancel a cpa if you ask them to. If any further money is taken, the bank must reimburse you.

GrubbyGirl_2

Mark_d said:

Firstly are you allowed to cancel the subscription or does it have to remain active for a certain period of time?  If it was an annual policy then at the time of purchase, you might be committing to paying for the full year whether you make it in one payment on 12.

Since you've had no luck with Customer Services, persevere with their Complaints policy.  I've always found John Lewis complaints team to be capable of solving issue.  Of course if you are still unhappy then you can escalate to the Financial Ombudsman Service.

I was paying my insurance monthly.  As it was a 50% increase on renewal I moved to another provider.  It was been cancelled and I have all the confirmation from JL that it is cancelled.  I also have several emails from customer services confirming it's cancelled and no further payments would be taken, but it did take 3 attempts to get them to confirm the subscription would be cancelled.  The email sent nearly 6 weeks ago states:

"your renewal has been declined which means the policy will not renew this year on 05/01/2024. This will also remove any direct debts or subscriptions set up so no further payments will be taken as mentioned on the previous email."

The subscription is still there albeit blocked by me.

I think you're right that the complaints route is next.  Thanks

PRAISETHESUN

As above, if you instruct a bank to cancel a CPA then they must do so. If they don't, then lodge a formal complaint and request any transaction to be reversed as they are no longer authorised. You could also consider logging a formal complaint with John Lewis, but if they've already stated no further payments will be taken then that's probably as good as you're going to get from them.

Completely separately however, cancelling your payment method doesn't cancel your contract with John Lewis, nor remove any obligation to pay them. If you owe them money and cancel your CPA, then you'll need to arrange another method with them to pay your bill.

GrubbyGirl_2

PRAISETHESUN said:

Completely separately however, cancelling your payment method doesn't cancel your contract with John Lewis, nor remove any obligation to pay them. If you owe them money and cancel your CPA, then you'll need to arrange another method with them to pay your bill.

I appreciate that but this is not the case here.  As you can see from their message they agree the policy is cancelled and no further payments are needed or will be taken

grumbler

GrubbyGirl_2 said:

I have cancelled my John Lewis insurance which, for the last year was paid via debit card subscription.  ...

6 weeks later the subscription is still there. ...

GrubbyGirl_2 said:

Mark_d said:

Firstly are you allowed to cancel the subscription or does it have to remain active for a certain period of time?  If it was an annual policy then at the time of purchase, you might be committing to paying for the full year whether you make it in one payment on 12.

Since you've had no luck with Customer Services, persevere with their Complaints policy.  I've always found John Lewis complaints team to be capable of solving issue.  Of course if you are still unhappy then you can escalate to the Financial Ombudsman Service.

...The email sent nearly 6 weeks ago states:

"your renewal has been declined which means the policy will not renew this year on 05/01/2024. This will also remove any direct debts or subscriptions set up so no further payments will be taken as mentioned on the previous email."

The subscription is still there albeit blocked by me..

Where? And how can you block it?

Shakin_Steve said:

The bank must cancel a continuous payment authority if you ask them to 

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/banking/recurring-payments/#:~:text=The%20Financial%20Conduct%20Authority%20(FCA,stopped%20permission%20for%20the%20payments.

The only the bank can do is to block any future attempts to take money.

GrubbyGirl_2

Just an update.

I formally complained to Lloyds bank when they refused to cancel my continuous payments.  They did not uphold my complaint stating "I can understand you frustration as you want to fully remove your CPAs from your bank account however we can only block them for 13 months.  A CPA is managed by the company who you have given your card details to and they need to cancel it from their system"

So, who is correct the bank or Martin?

eskbanker

GrubbyGirl_2 said:

Just an update.

I formally complained to Lloyds bank when they refused to cancel my continuous payments.  They did not uphold my complaint stating "I can understand you frustration as you want to fully remove your CPAs from your bank account however we can only block them for 13 months.  A CPA is managed by the company who you have given your card details to and they need to cancel it from their system"

So, who is correct the bank or Martin?

The FCA:

https://www.fca.org.uk/news/news-stories/continuous-payment-authorities-it-your-right-cancel

CONC 7.6.17

A firm must cease to exercise its rights under the continuous payment authority once it is notified that the continuous payment authority has been cancelled.

https://www.handbook.fca.org.uk/handbook/CONC/7/6.html

born_again

GrubbyGirl_2 said:

Just an update.

I formally complained to Lloyds bank when they refused to cancel my continuous payments.  They did not uphold my complaint stating "I can understand you frustration as you want to fully remove your CPAs from your bank account however we can only block them for 13 months.  A CPA is managed by the company who you have given your card details to and they need to cancel it from their system"

So, who is correct the bank or Martin?

Sadly not the bank.
But it could be that their system is still showing it as live, even though it is not. As banks showing CPA is something new. (many still do not)
Same as a DD will still show in your DD's even when cancelled with some banks.


But the retailer should also be cancelling.

Main thing is you have proof it is cancelled. If it is then taken again. Then you have a chargeback right to claim the funds back.