Halfords Motoring Club - Don't join the club it's almost impossible to leave!

Ninaj22

I joined in 2023 and recently received an email saying the my membership would auto renew (an option I had not selected). I went to the website to cancel via the membership portal and was directed to the online chat function, only to find out that the 'virtual assistant' can't be used to cancel memberships and a telephone call is required. I cancelled via telephone and a month later I received an email stating that they had tried to take money from my account; which resulted in me having to jump through further hoops to try and get the membership cancelled.

I have tried emailing customer services to make a complaint but the email stated on the website is invalid.

I have since looked at a number of discussion forums and it would appear that this is a common problem and that there a hundreds of unhappy customers!

In addition to the above, when my membership started I received multiple emails telling me that a representative had checked my tyres and suggested that I required new ones. I believe this to be a scam as I never once had a vehicle inspection.

saker75

Thanks for the heads up. I’ve regularly thought of joining but this sounds ridiculous.

fatbelly

This is the premium membership at £49 per year. Basic membership is free.

I think you have to nag their customer services by phone until they comply on 03301359779

Ibrahim5

Just avoid Halfords totally. Especially National Tyres which are owned by Halfords.

Crater

We "joined" the Motoring Club a couple of days ago as the offers looked fair. However we then found several things that WE WERE NOT TOLD IN THE STORE at the time. The Club auto-renews. You can't "select" for that, it just does. There is no clear contact in the terms and conditions for cancellation. They do not give a phone number. (You can find phone numbers on Google. We are hearing that the phone team try and pass you on to the website.) You have to create a long-in and go via that, and then I am hearing that there is only Chat, and they won't deal with it and try and pass you on. IF you have made a purchase (and of course, we were offered this because we were making a purchase) then there is no "cooling off" period, and you can't cancel the autorenew until a year has passed.

Having added up the payment taken and discounts, Halfords are still £5 in hand on the transaction.

I don't mind that, and their actual services are usually OK (bearing in mind that they now have almost a monopoly in the UK)

But I do mind being put on auto-renew without my authorisation and with out being warned.

I would be interested to hear from anyone who has cancelled after the first year, and how they did it ...

CliveOfIndia

Crater said:

I don't mind that, and their actual services are usually OK

I've never found their services particularly good, haven't used them for donkey's years.  Halfords is handy if you need a light bulb or something small in a hurry, their opening hours are convenient, but aside from that there are dozens of better alternatives.

Crater said:

bearing in mind that they now have almost a monopoly in the UK

Hardly a monopoly.  In terms of buying parts, a local motor factor is almost always far cheaper, and you can buy most things online if you want.  In terms of mechanical work, repairs, MOT's, etc., a local independent mechanic is a far better bet. 

born_again

Crater said:

We "joined" the Motoring Club a couple of days ago as the offers looked fair. However we then found several things that WE WERE NOT TOLD IN THE STORE at the time. The Club auto-renews. You can't "select" for that, it just does. There is no clear contact in the terms and conditions for cancellation. They do not give a phone number. (You can find phone numbers on Google. We are hearing that the phone team try and pass you on to the website.) You have to create a long-in and go via that, and then I am hearing that there is only Chat, and they won't deal with it and try and pass you on. IF you have made a purchase (and of course, we were offered this because we were making a purchase) then there is no "cooling off" period, and you can't cancel the autorenew until a year has passed.

Having added up the payment taken and discounts, Halfords are still £5 in hand on the transaction.

I don't mind that, and their actual services are usually OK (bearing in mind that they now have almost a monopoly in the UK)

But I do mind being put on auto-renew without my authorisation and with out being warned.

I would be interested to hear from anyone who has cancelled after the first year, and how they did it ...

A search of this site should bring up a few. As this crops up quite often 👍

Dave_5150

This has been discussed here before here https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6448485/halfords-motoring-club-has-no-cancellation-option-how-is-this-legal 

tl;tr - you need to call them or write a letter to cancel.

dalsrawchoc

Ninaj22 said:

I joined in 2023 and recently received an email saying the my membership would auto renew (an option I had not selected). I went to the website to cancel via the membership portal and was directed to the online chat function, only to find out that the 'virtual assistant' can't be used to cancel memberships and a telephone call is required. I cancelled via telephone and a month later I received an email stating that they had tried to take money from my account; which resulted in me having to jump through further hoops to try and get the membership cancelled.

I have tried emailing customer services to make a complaint but the email stated on the website is invalid.

I have since looked at a number of discussion forums and it would appear that this is a common problem and that there a hundreds of unhappy customers!

In addition to the above, when my membership started I received multiple emails telling me that a representative had checked my tyres and suggested that I required new ones. I believe this to be a scam as I never once had a vehicle inspection.

100% my experience too.

AVOID HALFORDS MOTORING CLUB AT ALL COSTS

I went in to buy a battery and was told that if I sign up to HMC which was only £4.99, then I could save £26 on my battery so it was a 'no brainer'. I WAS NOT TOLD IN STORE THAT THIS WOULD BE A RECURRING 12 MONTH PAYMENT, and as others have pointed out, once you use the membership, you can't then get out of the cooling off period, so I ended up paying £59.88 to Halfords for the privilege of my £26 saving on the day.

Then when it came to auto renewal, I tried to find on the email they had sent a button to stop the auto renewal, which of course isn't there. They instead direct you to their 'exclusive members chat' which doesn't work. So you then have to dig around to try and find a phone number. I managed eventually to cancel the auto renewal, or so I thought. Only to then see another £4.99 debited from my account. This after they had emailed me to confirm that the renewal had been cancelled.

So back on the phone again, to STOP the renewal again, and to try and get my refund for the money they took AFTER they had already confirmed that the renewal had been cancelled. 

Massive headache all around.

AVOID 

MikeJXE

Crater said:

We "joined" the Motoring Club a couple of days ago as the offers looked fair. However we then found several things that WE WERE NOT TOLD IN THE STORE at the time. The Club auto-renews. You can't "select" for that, it just does. There is no clear contact in the terms and conditions for cancellation. They do not give a phone number. (You can find phone numbers on Google. We are hearing that the phone team try and pass you on to the website.) You have to create a long-in and go via that, and then I am hearing that there is only Chat, and they won't deal with it and try and pass you on. IF you have made a purchase (and of course, we were offered this because we were making a purchase) then there is no "cooling off" period, and you can't cancel the autorenew until a year has passed.

Having added up the payment taken and discounts, Halfords are still £5 in hand on the transaction.

I don't mind that, and their actual services are usually OK (bearing in mind that they now have almost a monopoly in the UK)

But I do mind being put on auto-renew without my authorisation and with out being warned.

I would be interested to hear from anyone who has cancelled after the first year, and how they did it ...

I joined in 2022 it was a no brainer, free battery fitting and free MOT

My credit card got cloned that year by another so I was issued a new one and Halfords could not take the renewal, I ignored all requests from them and allowed my membership to expire

I have since rejoined after having an MOT elsewhere last October and not being happy with the service and £45 charge 

Halfords do have an excellent service centre 20 minutes drive away thats the reason I rejoined 

For me £49 is a bargain as I don’t do mechanics, I can get free fitting on bulbs, wipers and battery plus discount on dashcam and fitting 

TBH I can’t fault them 

bauser111

I have had the same, even written and posted recorded delivery to their subs dept and no response. Asked Tesco CC to block and if they can’t will be able to charge back as didn’t sign up to an ongoing subscription 

this is taking the mickey though when trying to cancel through the chat, haven’t even manage to contact them through it.