Service Cancellation request

SJ_MB

Many years ago my grandmother took out a contract for multiple services with utility warehouse, including gas, electric, landline, internet and as it was advised to at the time in a their best savings package double gold, was also sold mobile SIM and a cashback card.

As she suffers from severe anxiety and dealing with this stuff stresses her out I was also put as an authorised person on the account. I was present at the time the sales rep was there and helped made the decision of changing, I also live at the same premises.

She is now way out of the minimum term for this by many years, have swapped energy provider and internet about 9 months ago, at the same time that they were swapped (these went ok but I have a feeling this was due to other companies taking over these services) I also emailed them to cancel the remaining services, specifying mobile and cash back card.

Their initial response was to get security information to confirm who I was, I have done this and I thought that was all done.

My grandmother then informed me 4 months later that she was still being charged by utility warehouse.

Logging into the account, I could see they hadn't cancelled those services, so I sent a polite email requesting them to cancel the service and requested a refund for the time since the cancellation request (presuming at this point there is a minimum notification period, I would assume she would of got a refund minus this notice period)
They once again requested to confirm security information to prove who I was.

Their next response was them telling me to call them to "discuss options" however being busy and assuming that, them having the request in writing was enough I sent a reply saying that they have confirmed my identity, and to just cancel the service. 

However several months pass and my grandmother is still being billed, so again I send of several more emails, requesting the same, pointing out in the many years I have had both mobile SIM and cash back that I have never once used either, I haven't even activated the SIM card! They constantly keep wanting to confirm my details after every new email I send (somewhat understandable) but all they do is keep telling me to ring them up to discuss options.

While I was at work I had a missed call from them after I eventually threatened to take this further, by the time I got home my grandmother said she got a text message saying your issue has been resolved.

I asked her if she had a phone call with regards to it and she said no. So I assumed the situation was now finally resolved, only to find out now that she is still being charged, I am not 100% on the exact timeline this has all happened but with over 4 request to cancel it has probably gone on for about 9 months now... (I can dig out all emails etc for dates and correspondence as I have them all)

What are my legal rights here?

Some people would say why don't I call them? If they initially gave me a good reason too, I probably would, but after they first didn't respond and left the account going, then asking to confirm my identity in subsequent emails to them to simply just tell me to call them "to discuss options" I found infuriating, after all if I had to discuss options, why do they ask for my identity, they don't need that to tell me to call them.

itsthelittlethings

If you are sure you’re an authorised person in her account you should be able to cancel.

Devongardener

Many service and utilities companies including this, only action cancellation requests after speaking to the account holder or authorised representative by phone.   If that’s what they have asked you for do, there’s really no alternative to getting it resolved.

elsien

It seems to be a choice between a quick phone call, or staying on your high horse and nothing getting resolved. 

Up to you. 

born_again

No company should be cancelling any services especially a financial one (cashback card) on the basis of a insecure email.
TBH, unless you have POA then they are going to need to speak to the account holder to do anything. Even if she had previously given permission. This will not cover this type of product.

As to mobile phone. Is she in a contract term?

QrizB

By all accounts there are religious cults that are easier to leave than Utility Warehouse are.

Good luck.

sheramber

Go to Utility Warehouse website .

still to the bottom and click on “making a complaint”,

https://uw.co.uk/help/making-a-complaint