Community Chat

[Q4u]

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..... 

[colleena]

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,

[StraytoStay]

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.

[ScrapHappy]

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.

[Q4u]

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@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,

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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.....

[Q4u]

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@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.

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

[chrystaltree]

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.  

[NickNack]

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@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,

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@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.

[NickNack]

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@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.

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@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.

[Q4u]

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@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.  

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