NOWTV 14 day cooling off period- when is it valid?

eskbanker

Thanks for finding, sharing and summarising!

Neil_Jones

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81945578#Comment_81945578

But you don't need to be up at 4am to watch the races.
As mentioned the overnight races are usually repeated ad-nauseam throughout the Sunday, both in terms of highlights and full race re-runs.

Sport is only live once. If you're that bothered about F1 and you are that much of a fan of it, you would probably be getting up at 4am to watch the live race.
If you intend to watch a re-run on the Sunday then the logical thing to do is not hang around the news sites, Facebook or anywhere that may spoil the result before you see said re-run, and do this before you go to work on Monday.

I think with all due respect you're inventing a problem (re: spoilers) that doesn't actually exist. Its never been easier to follow the racing - back in the day when it was on the BBC/ITV you only ever saw it live or edited highlights at like well after 11pm and if you missed those, tough.

Grumpy_chap

AIUI, the 14-day right to cancel expires once the service has already been taken.

I note the comments around paying for the first month only.

I wonder if there is any element to the NOWTV that makes the first year a fixed contract (typically with a discounted rate) and payable in full with the 12-months payment spread being more akin to interest free finance.

Just another possibility for consideration. I do not have specific knowledge.

Exodi

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81946521#Comment_81946521

An interesting read, thanks for sharing.

The AG addresses points around the exploitation of subscriptions being considered digital services instead of digital content (citing the ability to charge a proportionate amount), for example where a consumer signs up to watch a particular sporting event and then cancelling.

At first read my initial thought after reading that the waiver could only apply after the service had been 'fully performed' was "what's stopping everyone just signing up the cheaper 12 month deals, if you can cancel it midway regardless?" but then I realised that proportionate doesn't necessarily mean pro-rata. Take a look at Adobe who operates as a digital service provider and their frankly scandalous early termination fees (I watched a documentary on it recently, but it's been in the headlines due to being challenged by the DOJ, you can read an article here: https://www.wheresyoured.at/hatersguide-adobe/ , long story short, they levy charges of 50% of the remaining balance (so if you cancel after 2 months, your early termination fee would be the equivalent of 5 months more subscription). I don't think the issue was even with the amount, just with how it was (or specifically wasn't) clearly communicated to the customer during purchase.

It could also be that the subscription structure for media subscription companies will change, they may remove 12 month subscriptions from their offer.

I guess from a consumer perspective, paying a 'proportionate amount' (whatever that means) is better than being forced to pay for the whole subscription regardless.

I'm not sure whether this all helps the OP though, as NowTV are inevitably considering themselves as 'digital content' (as are most media subscription companies) and there hasn't even been a judgement in the linked case. I imagine it will be hard to convince them (likely requiring court). And even if they were happy to oblige, no reason to necessarily expect that they will allow OP to just pay for 1/12th of the contract.

Renfrewman

the_ lunatic_etc tends to post consumercentric replies which I feel may not always be helpful/correct. Consumer Rights is not Consumer Wants?

eskbanker

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81946982#Comment_81946982

No, that's the whole point of the discussion about the distinction between services and digital content - the statutory right to cancel is lost once supply starts for digital content (CCR s37) but isn't lost for initial supply of services (CCR s36).

eskbanker

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81947112#Comment_81947112

Seems uncalled for to 'play the man* not the ball' - if you feel that something isn't correct then it's surely more constructive to post your challenge to that specific something…

*no assumptions made regarding actual gender when using a generic phrase!

born_again

Not that this would help OP given a 12 month subscription.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvg0v36ek2go

eskbanker

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81947507#Comment_81947507

Perhaps worth noting that, as part of the consultation, they did consider aligning the initial cooling-off period for digital content with that for services but ultimately the plan is to retain the current regime for starting the supply of digital content, following industry representation, although there are some tweaks planned for renewals:

This retains the current waiver for the initial cooling-off period. In practice, this means that where a consumer signs up for a contract, once they have given their express consent for supply to start and waived their cooling-off right, they lose their statutory right to cancel when the supply starts.

[…]

In their consultation responses, businesses stressed the critical importance of a waiver from the initial cooling-off, cancellation right for digital content. They considered this protected them from ‘binge and cancel’ behaviour where a consumer could sign up, watch lots of content for a few days and then cancel for a nearly full refund.

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/consultation-on-the-implementation-of-the-new-subscription-contracts-regime/outcome/government-response-to-consultation-on-the-implementation-of-the-new-subscription-contracts-regime-web-accessible-version

JSmithy45AD

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81947507#Comment_81947507

I think you can already do that with NowTV, although it will only stop the payments at the end of the 12 month minimum term for the OP. It doesn't cancel the contract as such.