topic Choosing a Service & finding out it will continue..... in Community Chat

Choosing a Service & finding out it will continue.....

Q4u — Tue, 23 May 2017 19:55:24 GMT

MONTHLY .....YEAR AFTER YEAR unless you cancel!!

We needed some specific yard work, spraying for weeds and insects to be exact. The company is well known and large. Nothing was said about this company signing you up forever! Nothing from the rep, nothing on the receipt.... it was only when we got the bill for the next month did DH call the company and ask what was going on! He was directed to the back of the bill and in much smaller print was the cancellation policy... apparently if we hire them to do some work.... it will be done, every month until forever. Or we cancel. This seems, if not illegal, really sketchy business.

I know this kind of behavior is common with some on-line/TV cosmetics. I've also seen it with some supplements that you buy on-line but a lawn service?? We were totally taken by surprise. Good thing we open every scrap of mail. Now all we have to do is make sure that when they are done with this month's ONLY application that we call ~agaIn~ and make sure it's cancelled! Good Grief.... be careful out there!! If you feel your slacks are sliding off your backside it's because they've got a heavy hand in your pocket.....

Re: Choosing a Service & finding out it will continue.....

colleena — Tue, 23 May 2017 20:09:36 GMT

Q4U: And, sometimes they are really sneaky in the wording and one has to actually write in to cancel where a phone call won't do.

Good luck,

Re: Choosing a Service & finding out it will continue.....

StraytoStay — Tue, 23 May 2017 20:41:49 GMT

I'm leary of hiring Senske just to spray our pie cherry tree. Our neighbors used to use them and they kept coming after they sold and she did cancel. But, all their spraying kept the cherry worms away and now they stopped, we have the worm problem. I went to the garden department to try to get spray to do it myself, but they said I needed to hire someone. Wouldn't be a problem if they wouldn't hound you to do more like the lawn, and more and keep coming back. I always felt sick the day my neighbors had their yard done, too.

Re: Choosing a Service & finding out it will continue.....

ScrapHappy — Tue, 23 May 2017 20:43:44 GMT

Once I signed up for their "rewards" program with a store, it was Champs or Foot Locker. In a month or so I started getting magazines in the mail, like Sports Illustrated. Bewildered I called these magazine companies, and found out by signing up for the rewards program I also subscribed to these magazines. I canceled immediately. I also noticed on renewals for Sirius radio that they offer a great low monthly rate, say $5 a month for a year but read the fine print. It says you agree that after the special intro rate, you agree to continue subscription at regular monthly rate but fails to mention what that is.

Re: Choosing a Service & finding out it will continue.....

Q4u — Tue, 23 May 2017 20:51:12 GMT

@colleena wrote:
Q4U: And, sometimes they are really sneaky in the wording and one has to actually write in to cancel where a phone call won't do.
Good luck,

We had this run-around with a big outfit that will "protect" everything (L***L***). We signed up and after a few months realized that we could do everything they were doing and they weren't doing much. So I called to cancel. Nocando.... we had to write a letter cancelling. I went one step further and requested a letter from their legal department with a signature stating that not only were we no longer part of their sytstem, that whatever information they had encrypted (and they had it al!) was permanently deleted everywhere they may have stored it.... and believe it or not, I got a return letter, signed from the head of their legal department stating exactly what I wanted. I have that letter filed.....

Re: Choosing a Service & finding out it will continue.....

Q4u — Tue, 23 May 2017 20:53:31 GMT

@scraphappy wrote:
Once I signed up for their "rewards" program with a store, it was Champs or Foot Locker. In a month or so I started getting magazines in the mail, like Sports Illustrated. Bewildered I called these magazine companies, and found out by signing up for the rewards program I also subscribed to these magazines. I canceled immediately. I also noticed on renewals for Sirius radio that they offer a great low monthly rate, say $5 a month for a year but read the fine print. It says you agree that after the special intro rate, you agree to continue subscription at regular monthly rate but fails to mention what that is.

Oh.... that's a dirty trick!!

Re: Choosing a Service & finding out it will continue.....

chrystaltree — Tue, 23 May 2017 21:35:21 GMT

I don't think it's illegal because the information to opt out is always available....even if it's teeny tiny print on the very bottom of a sales receipt. There's nothing new about opt outs. I think it's the consumer's responsibility to ask and listen carefully and ask again.

Re: Choosing a Service & finding out it will continue.....

NickNack — Tue, 23 May 2017 22:03:23 GMT

@colleena wrote:
Q4U: And, sometimes they are really sneaky in the wording and one has to actually write in to cancel where a phone call won't do.
Good luck,

@colleena I had a contract with a pest control company one time that I wanted to cancel. I sent a letter with my payment to cancel it, yet they came again the next month. I called to ask why they hadn't cancelled it, and she said I had to call, that a letter wouldn't do it! I've never heard it done that way. Like you I would have thought just the opposite.

Re: Choosing a Service & finding out it will continue.....

NickNack — Tue, 23 May 2017 22:06:39 GMT

@scraphappy wrote:
Once I signed up for their "rewards" program with a store, it was Champs or Foot Locker. In a month or so I started getting magazines in the mail, like Sports Illustrated. Bewildered I called these magazine companies, and found out by signing up for the rewards program I also subscribed to these magazines. I canceled immediately. I also noticed on renewals for Sirius radio that they offer a great low monthly rate, say $5 a month for a year but read the fine print. It says you agree that after the special intro rate, you agree to continue subscription at regular monthly rate but fails to mention what that is.

@ScrapHappy I signed up for Sirius last year when I bought my new car. I got a great rate. Their website says what the regular rate is. I have read on here that if you call right before your renewal date and tell them you're going to cancel that they'll give you a good rate for another year. I'm going to try doing that. I don't know what I'll do if they just say okay we'll cancel. I want to continue it.

Re: Choosing a Service & finding out it will continue.....

Q4u — Tue, 23 May 2017 22:15:04 GMT

@chrystaltree wrote:
I don't think it's illegal because the information to opt out is always available....even if it's teeny tiny print on the very bottom of a sales receipt. There's nothing new about opt outs. I think it's the consumer's responsibility to ask and listen carefully and ask again.

I agree but it still comes as a surprise to most customers. And not an agreeable surprise...

Re: Choosing a Service & finding out it will continue.....

Kachina624 — Tue, 23 May 2017 22:45:23 GMT

You have to approach every business transaction with suspicion these days. So far just this week, I've had words with a plumbing company regarding my air conditioner, and my dentist's office. I find I can't trust anyone anymore.

Re: Choosing a Service & finding out it will continue.....

Plaid Pants2 — Tue, 23 May 2017 23:32:01 GMT

I have always believed that the onus falls on the customer to educate themselves before signing anything, and doing business with any company.

I don't care how long it takes, read every single word, on every single page, both front and back, before signing anything.

Also, read every single word, on every single page, both front and back of your bills, too.

If more people did that, then they wouldn't be so "surprised" when these auto-renewals happen.

But, unfortunately, most people are so jazzed by the introductory price, that they don't think beyond that.

Remember the old saying, "If it seems too good to be true, it probably is".

Re: Choosing a Service & finding out it will continue.....

pigletsmom — Wed, 24 May 2017 00:30:21 GMT

@Nicknack wrote:
@scraphappy wrote:
Once I signed up for their "rewards" program with a store, it was Champs or Foot Locker. In a month or so I started getting magazines in the mail, like Sports Illustrated. Bewildered I called these magazine companies, and found out by signing up for the rewards program I also subscribed to these magazines. I canceled immediately. I also noticed on renewals for Sirius radio that they offer a great low monthly rate, say $5 a month for a year but read the fine print. It says you agree that after the special intro rate, you agree to continue subscription at regular monthly rate but fails to mention what that is.
@ScrapHappy I signed up for Sirius last year when I bought my new car. I got a great rate. Their website says what the regular rate is. I have read on here that if you call right before your renewal date and tell them you're going to cancel that they'll give you a good rate for another year. I'm going to try doing that. I don't know what I'll do if they just say okay we'll cancel. I want to continue it.

@NickNack I called and got the rate lowered for my parents with no problem. If you do end up having to cancel you will start getting good deals to resign with them.

Re: Choosing a Service & finding out it will continue.....

Q4u — Wed, 24 May 2017 00:30:26 GMT

@Kachina624 wrote:
You have to approach every business transaction with suspicion these days. So far just this week, I've had words with a plumbing company regarding my air conditioner, and my dentist's office. I find I can't trust anyone anymore.

Boy are you right~! I went to a new Dentist here, been there 3 times! A cleaning, X-rays and a check up from the dentist. That's it! I have a couple of areas we're watching but have had no work done. I thought I had only been there twice and the hygenist argued with me saying 3 times according to her records, so okay.... it was in my head to check when I got home.

Yes, I had 3 bills in my possession and while looking at them one caught my eye... a $100 charge for tooth #14! I had to google what their coding meant.... but it meant a cavity filling! And I checked tooth #14 and it's one with a crown on it ..... so no, I didn't have that work done but they charged me for it. Incompetence or Scamming??

I still can't believe it.... it's been too long to contest it but you can be sure I'll be seeing another dentist (and check every bill with google!)... I've been so disgusted over that one!!

Re: Choosing a Service & finding out it will continue.....

Tinkrbl44 — Wed, 24 May 2017 00:32:24 GMT

@scraphappy wrote:
Once I signed up for their "rewards" program with a store, it was Champs or Foot Locker. In a month or so I started getting magazines in the mail, like Sports Illustrated. Bewildered I called these magazine companies, and found out by signing up for the rewards program I also subscribed to these magazines. I canceled immediately. I also noticed on renewals for Sirius radio that they offer a great low monthly rate, say $5 a month for a year but read the fine print. It says you agree that after the special intro rate, you agree to continue subscription at regular monthly rate but fails to mention what that is.

@ScrapHappy

That is SO annoying!

Re: Choosing a Service & finding out it will continue.....

CareBears — Wed, 24 May 2017 00:34:24 GMT

Alarm companies are notorious for this kind of "fine print" contracts once they have you, good luck trying to rid them of their service!

Re: Choosing a Service & finding out it will continue.....

Q4u — Wed, 24 May 2017 00:36:32 GMT

@Plaid Pants2 wrote:
I have always believed that the onus falls on the customer to educate themselves before signing anything, and doing business with any company.

I don't care how long it takes, read every single word, on every single page, both front and back, before signing anything.

Also, read every single word, on every single page, both front and back of your bills, too.

If more people did that, then they wouldn't be so "surprised" when these auto-renewals happen.

But, unfortunately, most people are so jazzed by the introductory price, that they don't think beyond that.

Remember the old saying, "If it seems too good to be true, it probably is".

I agree... however this was not a special intro price at all. And DH explained what he wanted over the telephone so there was nothing to read. There was no explanation that this would be monthly until WE cancel. Only when the bill came with the next charge did we see the explanation on the reverse side of the bill. We really do take care to read the fine print....

Re: Choosing a Service & finding out it will continue.....

GCR18 — Wed, 24 May 2017 00:49:32 GMT

I had that happen with a lawn fertilizing company. I used them once. I wasn't planning on ongoing service. I got home from work one day and there was a receipt on the door saying they were there. I called the next day and argued with the guy. They cut the bill in half and cancelled me.