Reply to: This sort of thing drives me mad

[Bagpuss]

Got a letter about my gay porn fetish site membership. It's up for renewal, but don't worry, if you do nothing we'll automatically renew it and charge your credit card.

But I don't want to renew, I quite happy now with Tarquin. So I have to call them. And so it begins, hanging on the end of a call centre queue for 35 minutes, still no answer. Called 3 times, each time never ending queue.

cnuts.

Fancy that!

[sasguru]

Finally got through. Call centre agent was decidedly English (sounded like a geezer wot sells used cars).

That's Delboy Daljeet of Delhi, innit? He's been on the "Introduction to Cockney" course.

[PerlOfWisdom]

They have no email address.

Isn't that illegal with the new rules?

[ratewhore]

they all do it. That's Britain in the 21st century I'm afraid...

[DimPrawn]

Never set up 'continuous authority credit card payments'. It's not subject to the same rules as direct debit. With direct debit there are two relationships, one between the bank and you and one between the bank and the payee. Therefore you just contact the bank e.g. via the web to cancel the payments. With credit cards there is sole relationship between you and the payee.

I didn't knowing set this up. No doubt buried in 15 pages of small print when I took out the policy, probably had to opt out. This really pisses me off. Seems to happen with a lot of online insurances now.

Finally got through. Call centre agent was decidedly English (sounded like a geezer wot sells used cars).

[NoddY]

Never set up 'continuous authority credit card payments'. It's not subject to the same rules as direct debit. With direct debit there are two relationships, one between the bank and you and one between the bank and the payee. Therefore you just contact the bank e.g. via the web to cancel the payments. With credit cards there is sole relationship between you and the payee.

[ChimpMaster]

Have you tried calling the call centre during Indian local times?

[Epiphone]

They have no email address. Only call centre that never picks up.

Our lass works for an insurance company, I've sent her an SMS to see if she's got any unpublished numbers. In the meantime it might be worth ringing the Sales line. Sales lines always get answered.

[DimPrawn]

They have no email address. Only call centre that never picks up.

[Epiphone]

Email em and send a letter via special delivery. Then claim it back off your credit card as unauthorised seeing as it's not a CCA.

[Sysman]

A registered letter has been known to work. Keep it polite though.

[DimPrawn]

It's Tesco Insurance.

I still can't get through. By the time the letter arrives the money will be taken and no doubt an admin fee for cancelling will be due.

[Captain Jack]

Phone your Credit Card company and ask them to block payment.

CC companies can't/won't do that. The best you can do is once the amount has been debited inform the CC company it was unauthorised. However they always side with the customer as they can profiteer by charging the debiting company a clawback fee.

[pisces]

Phone your Credit Card company and ask them to block payment.

[BoredBloke]

Can't you write them a letter stating that you do not wish to renew and get them to chase you. Easier than spending 35 mins on a phone.

I was told that in the eyes of the law a 'non response' can not be taken to be an agreement. There could be all manner of reasons why you failed to respond - you could be dead and so not in need of car insurance!