Taste Card Auto-renewal

Okay, so I've just been stung by this.

My card is due to expire on the 19th Dec. Today is the 17th. On the 15th I had an email to say I'd been charged £39.99 renewal. That was the first I'd heard of it.

I emailed the same day (15th) to say I didn't want to renew. No reply.

I tried to use the online 'cancellation' tool - it said I couldn't as it had already renewed.

Today, I rang and spoke to them. They've refused to cancel my membership, hiding behind their T&C's.

Technically, according to their T&C's, they've got me. It says about them renewing 4 days before your card expires.

However, what I have issue with is:
1. They said they email three weeks before renewal to say they'll be automatically charging - I have never received that (of course, their T&C's say they're not liable if you don't receive)
2. When they emailed on the 15th, they took payment even though my current membership hadn't expired. They say this is "to make sure you're able to use the benefits of tastecard" - rubbish!
3. They make a technical distinction between expiry and renewal. To most normal people, they're the same. In the MSE guidance it wasn't clear to me there was a difference.
4. When you look at the way that insurance companies work, it's important they have continuous renewal, but even they (if I'm recalling this right) allow you to cancel right up to the point of the policy starting.

I think it's ludicrous that a 'membership' card has effectively forced me to be a member of them for 12 months even though I've tried to cancel 4 days before my current card expires!