Rights When Business Removes an Offer - Cybersecurity Services

MakingLifeMine

I signed up for some cybersecurity services in January this year.

I was called and told there was an offer in January that I would get the first 6 months free if I signed up. So I signed the contract online.

Now, they are charging me after telling me that I would get the first 6 months free and now saying that no offer was applied to my account.

Do I have a leg to stand on here?

Savvy_Sue

Have you got a copy of what you thought you signed up for?

MakingLifeMine

The offer was made to me via the phone.

I was taking my time to sign up (as it was a five-year contract), so they added this as a January promo. They said if I signed the contract, they were going to send an adjustment letter afterwards to confirm the free six months, but they didn't.

mortgageFTB

5 years? That’s long… what exactly have you bought?

Default windows defender is just fine for 99.9% of users fyi. Most 3rd party security apps just gather data to sell.

MakingLifeMine

Five years' worth of technical support and cyber security. Tbh, I overlooked the 5 years until after I signed it.

There was no cooling-off period, and the contract seemed to lean heavily on protecting them, not me. When I looked into getting out of it due to unfair terms, I could do nothing as it was a B2B contract. I'm not happy about it, but you know, you live, and you learn.

Even so, I at least wanted to get my 6-month free period, and when I challenged it, I have heard nothing but radio silence.

Savvy_Sue

You say you signed after being offered the free 6 months. Do you have anything in writing? And what is the 6 months worth?

As you've learned, B2B are very different to consumer contracts 

MakingLifeMine

Savvy_Sue said:

You say you signed after being offered the free 6 months. Do you have anything in writing? And what is the 6 months worth?

As you've learned, B2B are very different to consumer contracts 

I was offered the 6 months verbally. It's worth about £600 (they would have been protecting more than one user).

I signed on the condition that I would get the first 6 months free. I asked for written confirmation, and they said that once I sign, they will post the amendment to my office.

I did not receive the amendment. They then started charging me, and when I questioned it, they denied the deal. I have followed up several times and heard radio silence since then. 

To be honest, I did not follow up on the written confirmation. It escaped me until I started seeing the charges debiting my account.

I have memory issues, so I'm used to making bad decisions when I don't have anyone around. I am entitled to a carer to help me with these decisions, but sadly, I have had issues getting consistent carers/support workers, so I just tend to get on with things.

I then pay the price IF I make a bad decision because I didn't read something properly or thought I understood something.

If someone had been around, I am sure that I would not have made this decision, or it would have been pointed out before I signed that it was 5 years. It's not an excuse; it's just a sad reality.

I guess I just have to keep paying them, as it's my word against theirs.