• Cancel a Subscription by phone only

    From Martin Harran@martinharran@gmail.com to uk.legal.moderated on Mon Dec 29 19:38:54 2025
    From Newsgroup: uk.legal.moderated

    I want to cancel my subscription to The Times/Sunday Times. Although
    my subscription was taken out online, they have no option to cancel
    online,or by email, I have to telephone the. There is an email option
    to cancel but that is strictly for people outside the UK and Ireland.
    The number to phone is Freephone but I really don't want the hassle of
    somebody trying to haggle with me to carrry on my subscription going
    through a series of super-dooper, special offers, I just want to
    cancel.

    I'm guessing that there is nothing strictly illegal in this but is it
    ethical or acceptable practice?

    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From The Todal@the_todal@icloud.com to uk.legal.moderated on Mon Dec 29 21:01:11 2025
    From Newsgroup: uk.legal.moderated

    On 29/12/2025 19:38, Martin Harran wrote:
    I want to cancel my subscription to The Times/Sunday Times. Although
    my subscription was taken out online, they have no option to cancel
    online,or by email, I have to telephone the. There is an email option
    to cancel but that is strictly for people outside the UK and Ireland.
    The number to phone is Freephone but I really don't want the hassle of somebody trying to haggle with me to carrry on my subscription going
    through a series of super-dooper, special offers, I just want to
    cancel.

    I'm guessing that there is nothing strictly illegal in this but is it
    ethical or acceptable practice?


    I too have a subscription to the Times and sometimes I have thought
    about cancelling my subscription, usually when they publish a
    particularly irritating article or moderate out my subsequent comment.

    I suspect that if you cancel your direct debit or standing order they
    would continue giving you access to the site and then demand the arrears
    of subscription and maybe even threaten to sue. I wonder if anyone has
    had that experience.

    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Clive Page@usenet@page2.eu to uk.legal.moderated on Mon Dec 29 22:27:42 2025
    From Newsgroup: uk.legal.moderated

    On 29/12/2025 19:38, Martin Harran wrote:
    I want to cancel my subscription to The Times/Sunday Times. Although
    my subscription was taken out online, they have no option to cancel
    online,or by email, I have to telephone the. There is an email option
    to cancel but that is strictly for people outside the UK and Ireland.
    The number to phone is Freephone but I really don't want the hassle of somebody trying to haggle with me to carrry on my subscription going
    through a series of super-dooper, special offers, I just want to
    cancel.

    I'm guessing that there is nothing strictly illegal in this but is it
    ethical or acceptable practice?

    I wonder what defence they would put up against an accusation of discrimination against those with hearing defects. Several of my
    friends and acquaintances in advanced years, which may well be a feature
    of Times subscribers, are somewhat deaf. They mostly try hard to avoid interactions by telephone. They find it much easier to use web pages or
    email to handle subscriptions etc., and I'm not surprised.
    --
    Clive Page


    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Nick Finnigan@nix@genie.co.uk to uk.legal.moderated on Mon Dec 29 22:29:04 2025
    From Newsgroup: uk.legal.moderated

    On 29/12/2025 21:01, The Todal wrote:
    On 29/12/2025 19:38, Martin Harran wrote:
    I want to cancel my subscription to The Times/Sunday Times. Although
    my subscription was taken out online, they have no option to cancel
    online,or by email, I have to telephone the. There is an email option
    to cancel but that is strictly for people outside the UK and Ireland.
    The number to phone is Freephone but I really don't want the hassle of
    somebody trying to haggle with me to carrry on my subscription going
    through a series of-a super-dooper, special offers, I just want to
    cancel.

    I'm guessing that there is nothing strictly illegal in this but is it
    ethical or acceptable practice?

    Implementation of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 being delayed until Autumn 2026 suggests yes, no, maybe.


    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Simon Parker@simonparkerulm@gmail.com to uk.legal.moderated on Mon Dec 29 22:37:10 2025
    From Newsgroup: uk.legal.moderated

    On 29/12/2025 19:38, Martin Harran wrote:
    I want to cancel my subscription to The Times/Sunday Times. Although
    my subscription was taken out online, they have no option to cancel
    online,or by email, I have to telephone the. There is an email option
    to cancel but that is strictly for people outside the UK and Ireland.
    The number to phone is Freephone but I really don't want the hassle of somebody trying to haggle with me to carrry on my subscription going
    through a series of super-dooper, special offers, I just want to
    cancel.

    I'm guessing that there is nothing strictly illegal in this but is it
    ethical or acceptable practice?

    Section 260 of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024
    [^1] (DMCC Act) contains the provision for which you are searching.

    However, only the unfair commercial practices of the DMCC Act are
    currently in force (since 6 April 2025). It is expected that the
    remaining provisions (including specific rules for subscriptions,
    including section 260) will be enacted in Spring 2026.

    Regards

    S.P.

    [^1]
    https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2024/13/part/4/chapter/2#section-260

    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Norman Wells@hex@unseen.ac.am to uk.legal.moderated on Mon Dec 29 21:20:41 2025
    From Newsgroup: uk.legal.moderated

    On 29/12/2025 21:01, The Todal wrote:
    On 29/12/2025 19:38, Martin Harran wrote:
    I want to cancel my subscription to The Times/Sunday Times. Although
    my subscription was taken out online, they have no option to cancel
    online,or by email, I have to telephone the. There is an email option
    to cancel but that is strictly for people outside the UK and Ireland.
    The number to phone is Freephone but I really don't want the hassle of
    somebody trying to haggle with me to carrry on my subscription going
    through a series of-a super-dooper, special offers, I just want to
    cancel.

    I'm guessing that there is nothing strictly illegal in this but is it
    ethical or acceptable practice?

    I too have a subscription to the Times and sometimes I have thought
    about cancelling my subscription, usually when they publish a
    particularly irritating article or moderate out my subsequent comment.

    Doesn't the same apply to ulm?

    The words 'poacher' and 'gamekeeper' come inexplicably to mind.

    I suspect that if you cancel your direct debit or standing order they
    would continue giving you access to the site and then demand the arrears
    of subscription and maybe even threaten to sue. I wonder if anyone has
    had that experience.

    It would be a matter of contract. What exactly was signed up to,
    especially as regards cancellation?

    If cancellation is permitted under the contract terms, as seems clear
    from the fact that it is if you live abroad, a cancellation email sent
    to the address provided should surely suffice. It's cancellation in
    writing that they cannot ignore regardless of what they would actually
    prefer you to do.





    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Jon Ribbens@jon+usenet@unequivocal.eu to uk.legal.moderated on Mon Dec 29 21:28:43 2025
    From Newsgroup: uk.legal.moderated

    On 2025-12-29, The Todal <the_todal@icloud.com> wrote:
    On 29/12/2025 19:38, Martin Harran wrote:
    I want to cancel my subscription to The Times/Sunday Times. Although
    my subscription was taken out online, they have no option to cancel
    online,or by email, I have to telephone the. There is an email option
    to cancel but that is strictly for people outside the UK and Ireland.
    The number to phone is Freephone but I really don't want the hassle of
    somebody trying to haggle with me to carrry on my subscription going
    through a series of super-dooper, special offers, I just want to
    cancel.

    I'm guessing that there is nothing strictly illegal in this but is it
    ethical or acceptable practice?

    I too have a subscription to the Times and sometimes I have thought
    about cancelling my subscription, usually when they publish a
    particularly irritating article or moderate out my subsequent comment.

    I suspect that if you cancel your direct debit or standing order they
    would continue giving you access to the site and then demand the arrears
    of subscription and maybe even threaten to sue. I wonder if anyone has
    had that experience.

    The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 s260 [1] says
    that if you take out a subscription online then you must also be able
    to cancel it online, but it isn't in force yet and apparently isn't
    expected to be until next autumn [2]. I'm not sure if it will apply retrospectively to existing subscriptions or not.

    [1] https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2024/13/section/260
    [2] https://www.lewissilkin.com/insights/2025/11/11/uk-subscriptions-rules-set-to-be-delayed-to-autumn-2026-and-new-eu-rules-for-can-102lu5c


    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Andy Burns@usenet@andyburns.uk to uk.legal.moderated on Tue Dec 30 09:34:18 2025
    From Newsgroup: uk.legal.moderated

    Martin Harran wrote:

    I want to cancel my subscription to The Times/Sunday Times. Although
    my subscription was taken out online, they have no option to cancel
    online,or by email, I have to telephone the. There is an email option
    to cancel but that is strictly for people outside the UK and Ireland.
    The number to phone is Freephone but I really don't want the hassle of somebody trying to haggle with me to carrry on my subscription going
    through a series of super-dooper, special offers, I just want to
    cancel.

    I'm guessing that there is nothing strictly illegal in this but is it
    ethical or acceptable practice?
    I was slightly surprised this was the only method to cancel (I was
    cheekily juggling between one trial subscription and another trial) they
    were perfectly pleasant on the phone and didn't try the hard-sell to
    stop me cancelling ...
    #

    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Jethro_uk@jethro_uk@hotmailbin.com to uk.legal.moderated on Tue Dec 30 09:36:10 2025
    From Newsgroup: uk.legal.moderated

    On Mon, 29 Dec 2025 22:37:10 +0000, Simon Parker wrote:

    On 29/12/2025 19:38, Martin Harran wrote:
    I want to cancel my subscription to The Times/Sunday Times. Although my
    subscription was taken out online, they have no option to cancel
    online,or by email, I have to telephone the. There is an email option
    to cancel but that is strictly for people outside the UK and Ireland.
    The number to phone is Freephone but I really don't want the hassle of
    somebody trying to haggle with me to carrry on my subscription going
    through a series of super-dooper, special offers, I just want to
    cancel.

    I'm guessing that there is nothing strictly illegal in this but is it
    ethical or acceptable practice?

    Section 260 of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024
    [^1] (DMCC Act) contains the provision for which you are searching.

    However, only the unfair commercial practices of the DMCC Act are
    currently in force (since 6 April 2025). It is expected that the
    remaining provisions (including specific rules for subscriptions,
    including section 260) will be enacted in Spring 2026.

    Regards

    S.P.

    [^1]
    https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2024/13/part/4/chapter/
    2#section-260

    Has thre been any suggestion that this will actually be enforced ?

    I am using as my measure the lack of any enforcement (let alone
    meaningful) against websites that are inaccessible to people using screen readers due to the fact they do not adhere to W3C standards. A clear
    breach of the equality act.

    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Nick Finnigan@nix@genie.co.uk to uk.legal.moderated on Tue Dec 30 10:00:13 2025
    From Newsgroup: uk.legal.moderated

    On 30/12/2025 09:36, Jethro_uk wrote:
    On Mon, 29 Dec 2025 22:37:10 +0000, Simon Parker wrote:


    Section 260 of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024
    [^1] (DMCC Act) contains the provision for which you are searching.

    However, only the unfair commercial practices of the DMCC Act are
    currently in force (since 6 April 2025). It is expected that the
    remaining provisions (including specific rules for subscriptions,
    including section 260) will be enacted in Spring 2026.


    Has thre been any suggestion that this will actually be enforced ?

    I am using as my measure the lack of any enforcement (let alone
    meaningful) against websites that are inaccessible to people using screen readers due to the fact they do not adhere to W3C standards. A clear
    breach of the equality act.


    I would use the 'As easy to deny non-essential cookies as accept them' requirement, which is now commonly implemented, but took a while.

    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Jethro_uk@jethro_uk@hotmailbin.com to uk.legal.moderated on Tue Dec 30 09:33:42 2025
    From Newsgroup: uk.legal.moderated

    On Mon, 29 Dec 2025 22:27:42 +0000, Clive Page wrote:

    On 29/12/2025 19:38, Martin Harran wrote:
    I want to cancel my subscription to The Times/Sunday Times. Although my
    subscription was taken out online, they have no option to cancel
    online,or by email, I have to telephone the. There is an email option
    to cancel but that is strictly for people outside the UK and Ireland.
    The number to phone is Freephone but I really don't want the hassle of
    somebody trying to haggle with me to carrry on my subscription going
    through a series of super-dooper, special offers, I just want to
    cancel.

    I'm guessing that there is nothing strictly illegal in this but is it
    ethical or acceptable practice?

    I wonder what defence they would put up against an accusation of discrimination against those with hearing defects. Several of my
    friends and acquaintances in advanced years, which may well be a feature
    of Times subscribers, are somewhat deaf. They mostly try hard to avoid interactions by telephone. They find it much easier to use web pages or email to handle subscriptions etc., and I'm not surprised.

    Given the flourishing nuumber of websites that break accessibility
    software with zero comeback, I would suggest that is unlikely to achieve anything.

    That is now compounded by *apps* that breack accessibility features. The "Livi" GP app, beloved of the NHS being one example.

    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Martin Harran@martinharran@gmail.com to uk.legal.moderated on Tue Dec 30 16:44:06 2025
    From Newsgroup: uk.legal.moderated

    On Mon, 29 Dec 2025 21:01:11 +0000, The Todal <the_todal@icloud.com>
    wrote:

    On 29/12/2025 19:38, Martin Harran wrote:
    I want to cancel my subscription to The Times/Sunday Times. Although
    my subscription was taken out online, they have no option to cancel
    online,or by email, I have to telephone the. There is an email option
    to cancel but that is strictly for people outside the UK and Ireland.
    The number to phone is Freephone but I really don't want the hassle of
    somebody trying to haggle with me to carrry on my subscription going
    through a series of super-dooper, special offers, I just want to
    cancel.

    I'm guessing that there is nothing strictly illegal in this but is it
    ethical or acceptable practice?


    I too have a subscription to the Times and sometimes I have thought
    about cancelling my subscription, usually when they publish a
    particularly irritating article or moderate out my subsequent comment.

    My reasons are entirely mercenary. I currently pay re410 per month but I
    have received a 'come back' offer on a previous email address for re45
    for 12 months which will save me re4115. Will be interesting to see if
    they give me that offer when I ring them tomorrow :)


    I suspect that if you cancel your direct debit or standing order they
    would continue giving you access to the site and then demand the arrears
    of subscription and maybe even threaten to sue. I wonder if anyone has
    had that experience.

    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Andy Burns@usenet@andyburns.uk to uk.legal.moderated on Tue Dec 30 18:06:39 2025
    From Newsgroup: uk.legal.moderated

    Martin Harran wrote:

    My reasons are entirely mercenary. I currently pay re410 per month but I
    have received a 'come back' offer on a previous email address for re45
    for 12 months which will save me re4115. Will be interesting to see if
    they give me that offer when I ring them tomorrow EfOe

    Pay for the cheaper one, then when you phone them string them a line
    such as someone else has generously bought you a subscription as a gift ...


    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Jeff Gaines@jgnewsid@outlook.com to uk.legal.moderated on Tue Dec 30 21:38:04 2025
    From Newsgroup: uk.legal.moderated

    On 29/12/2025 in message <vvl5lk9se1b87urf9o5pq4d4r6luvhq33c@4ax.com>
    Martin Harran wrote:

    I want to cancel my subscription to The Times/Sunday Times. Although
    my subscription was taken out online, they have no option to cancel
    online,or by email, I have to telephone the. There is an email option
    to cancel but that is strictly for people outside the UK and Ireland.
    The number to phone is Freephone but I really don't want the hassle of >somebody trying to haggle with me to carrry on my subscription going
    through a series of super-dooper, special offers, I just want to
    cancel.

    I'm guessing that there is nothing strictly illegal in this but is it
    ethical or acceptable practice?

    Just a word of warning. I cancelled a mobile contract with EE a few years
    back and had to 'phone because they offered no choice.

    After a half hour discussion with a gentleman in Mumbai I finally escaped after saying I did not want any of the offers he made.

    He marked the record that he had convinced me to stay.

    I spent three years fighting them, 2 debt collectors and the factor they
    sold the "debt" to.

    Even of you do have to cancel by phone a recorded delivery letter to their Secretary is worthwhile.
    --
    Jeff Gaines Dorset UK
    All things being equal, fat people use more soap

    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Clive Page@usenet@page2.eu to uk.legal.moderated on Wed Dec 31 10:55:59 2025
    From Newsgroup: uk.legal.moderated

    On 30/12/2025 21:38, Jeff Gaines wrote:

    Just a word of warning. I cancelled a mobile contract with EE a few
    years back and had to 'phone because they offered no choice.

    After a half hour discussion with a gentleman in Mumbai I finally
    escaped after saying I did not want any of the offers he made.

    He marked the record that he had convinced me to stay.

    I spent three years fighting them, 2 debt collectors and the factor they sold the "debt" to.

    Even of you do have to cancel by phone a recorded delivery letter to
    their Secretary is worthwhile.

    Yes, that's a serious problem with having to cancel by phone. With
    email you have a written record of your cancellation, unless you record
    the conversation yourself (and how many of us do?) then any subsequent
    dispute is your word against theirs.
    --
    Clive Page


    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Jethro_uk@jethro_uk@hotmailbin.com to uk.legal.moderated on Wed Dec 31 11:14:42 2025
    From Newsgroup: uk.legal.moderated

    On Wed, 31 Dec 2025 10:55:59 +0000, Clive Page wrote:

    On 30/12/2025 21:38, Jeff Gaines wrote:

    Just a word of warning. I cancelled a mobile contract with EE a few
    years back and had to 'phone because they offered no choice.

    After a half hour discussion with a gentleman in Mumbai I finally
    escaped after saying I did not want any of the offers he made.

    He marked the record that he had convinced me to stay.

    I spent three years fighting them, 2 debt collectors and the factor
    they sold the "debt" to.

    Even of you do have to cancel by phone a recorded delivery letter to
    their Secretary is worthwhile.

    Yes, that's a serious problem with having to cancel by phone. With
    email you have a written record of your cancellation, unless you record
    the conversation yourself (and how many of us do?) then any subsequent dispute is your word against theirs.

    The only *reliable* way to record conversations, is to use a VOIP
    endpoint that has recording built in. Anything that resides in your
    mobile phone is flaky at best.

    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Martin Brown@'''newspam'''@nonad.co.uk to uk.legal.moderated on Wed Dec 31 11:18:08 2025
    From Newsgroup: uk.legal.moderated

    On 29/12/2025 19:38, Martin Harran wrote:
    I want to cancel my subscription to The Times/Sunday Times. Although
    my subscription was taken out online, they have no option to cancel
    online,or by email, I have to telephone the. There is an email option
    to cancel but that is strictly for people outside the UK and Ireland.
    The number to phone is Freephone but I really don't want the hassle of somebody trying to haggle with me to carrry on my subscription going
    through a series of super-dooper, special offers, I just want to
    cancel.

    It is a very common model. Make it easy to subscribe and hard to cancel.


    I'm guessing that there is nothing strictly illegal in this but is it
    ethical or acceptable practice?

    What do you expect from rampant capitalism where the consumer is viewed
    by corporates and their salespeople as something to be exploited. You
    only ever get the best price for an internet connection or mobile phone contract by threatening to leave and going as far as getting the PAC.
    (You need to already have found a credible deal off one of their rivals)

    Then and *only* then do you get to talk to someone who is properly from "retentions" and they will make you much better offers to stay than the advertised headline rates that normal people pay. They have authority to negotiate and they will pretend to talk to a supervisor for a couple of minutes when you are getting close to their walkaway price.

    Cancelling my mum's Sky subscription after she had died was the most
    peculiar experience as I wasn't taking any of the deals and the poor guy
    was clearly following a script that just didn't fit the situation.

    At the very end he apologised for having to ask the final question
    because it was on his script and he had no choice:

    Q: "Was there anything I could have said that would have made you change
    your mind about cancelling today?"

    A: "NO"
    --
    Martin Brown


    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Sam Plusnet@not@home.com to uk.legal.moderated on Wed Dec 31 20:07:53 2025
    From Newsgroup: uk.legal.moderated

    On 31/12/2025 10:55, Clive Page wrote:
    On 30/12/2025 21:38, Jeff Gaines wrote:

    Just a word of warning. I cancelled a mobile contract with EE a few
    years back and had to 'phone because they offered no choice.

    After a half hour discussion with a gentleman in Mumbai I finally
    escaped after saying I did not want any of the offers he made.

    He marked the record that he had convinced me to stay.

    I spent three years fighting them, 2 debt collectors and the factor
    they sold the "debt" to.

    Even of you do have to cancel by phone a recorded delivery letter to
    their Secretary is worthwhile.

    Yes, that's a serious problem with having to cancel by phone.-a With
    email you have a written record of your cancellation, unless you record
    the conversation yourself (and how many of us do?) then any subsequent dispute is your word against theirs.

    Demand an email from them acknowledging the cancellation - or send them
    an email referring to the phone call and doing the same thing? Not 100% reliable, but a low effort and zero cost option.
    --
    Sam Plusnet

    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Adam Funk@a24061a@ducksburg.com to uk.legal.moderated on Mon Jan 5 17:34:00 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.legal.moderated

    On 2025-12-31, Sam Plusnet wrote:

    On 31/12/2025 10:55, Clive Page wrote:
    On 30/12/2025 21:38, Jeff Gaines wrote:

    Just a word of warning. I cancelled a mobile contract with EE a few
    years back and had to 'phone because they offered no choice.

    After a half hour discussion with a gentleman in Mumbai I finally
    escaped after saying I did not want any of the offers he made.

    He marked the record that he had convinced me to stay.

    I spent three years fighting them, 2 debt collectors and the factor
    they sold the "debt" to.

    Even of you do have to cancel by phone a recorded delivery letter to
    their Secretary is worthwhile.

    Yes, that's a serious problem with having to cancel by phone.-a With
    email you have a written record of your cancellation, unless you record
    the conversation yourself (and how many of us do?) then any subsequent
    dispute is your word against theirs.

    Demand an email from them acknowledging the cancellation - or send them
    an email referring to the phone call and doing the same thing? Not 100% reliable, but a low effort and zero cost option.

    Well, *if* you can get an email address that they read. It's a legal requirement for companies with a web presence to provide an email
    address for customer service, but the regulation is poorly enforced.

    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2