AA Breakdown Cover - worth a haggle

[sparky Paul]

That's another one of my pet hates, AA auto renew policies unless you contact them. The two services I mentioned do not, you have to return the payment by post, phone, or go online and pay.

[guest4871]

That's another one of my pet hates, AA auto renew policies unless you contact them. The two services I mentioned do not, you have to return the payment by post, phone, or go online and pay.

That is an excellent point.

If you are moving from AA or RAC, you MUST cancel the policy before the renewal date otherwise they will auto renew.

They are an absolute pain to deal with.

[guest5079]

Unfortunately my problem is not just deafness. It is interesting though that when I mentioned the Disability Discrimination Act AA have come back apologising for not knowing I couldn't use a phone ( everything I do carries the fact that I cannot) and have asked that I wait to be contacted by Email.
Watch this space!!!!

[sparky Paul]

Good luck with them auntyneddy.

If you are moving from AA or RAC, you MUST cancel the policy before the renewal date otherwise they will auto renew.

It sounds like a reasonable principle to many people, but what really turns you against auto-renewal is when you come across a company that insists you ring them to cancel, then goes ahead and renews the policy anyway, taking payment from the card on file. You have a battle on then, of course the company will deny any knowledge that you have cancelled. I'm not the only person I know that this has happened to.

[VicW]

You should also contact your bank to cancel the auto renewal direct debit.

Vic.

[sparky Paul]

The problem is when you pay by card. These companies use what is called a 'continuous payment authority', and you cannot stop them - only the company taking the money can cancel the arrangement. They even remain in force if you change card number, or if your card expires - there is an automatic system to update these CPAs.

Even if you were paying by direct debit, cancelling it can end up incurring further charges from a returned direct debit.

Cancelling a direct debit does not cancel a debt, it only prevents the company from taking the money... which is fine if you can prove that no debt is owed. Cancelling by phone, as many companies nowadays insist, there is no paper trail - insist on a letter or email from them acknowledging cancellation.

[guest5079]

A couple of days ago, Email  from AA, sorry were not aware I could not use a phone. Today another Email from Customer services I think!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!telling me that as I could not accept that they had found my complaint in my favour and that I was obviously dissatisfied at  their findings case closed. Return was not complimentary. Second Email offering at great effort by the AA to reduce to circa £190 ( sorry so pi**ed I can't remember exactly) Just said thanks but no thanks.
Talk to them I have had better conversations with a brick.
RAC have not come back although promised they would so it's GEM or Green Flag.
When I cancelled the AA I did it by Email and a letter. They acknowledged my cancellation BUT why should it be so difficult after all,D/D suits them.

[sparky Paul]

Don't you fancy AutoAid neddy?

[VicW]

The problem is when you pay by card. These companies use what is called a 'continuous payment authority', and you cannot stop them - only the company taking the money can cancel the arrangement. They even remain in force if you change card number, or if your card expires - there is an automatic system to update these CPAs.

I have twice cancelled 'continuous payment authorities'. On both occasions  I advised the company that I wanted them cancelled or I would take my business elsewhere and I also contacted my bank and told them that I no longer wished to pay the payments. These were both at renewal time.
CPA's do not appear in your bank account as direct debits so are not easily cancelled as direct debits are.
The company must tell you that a CPA is in force but this is usually in the dreaded small print.

Vic.

[sparky Paul]

I have twice cancelled 'continuous payment authorities'. On both occasions  I advised the company that I wanted them cancelled or I would take my business elsewhere and I also contacted my bank and told them that I no longer wished to pay the payments.

The problem with CPAs is that not even the bank can stop them. They are handled by the card company, and any valid request for payment will be processed, and the bank instructed to reserve funds.

[VicW]

On the two occasions that I have managed to cancel CPA's the bank advised me that they would advise the receiving companies that they had been cancelled.

Vic.

[sparky Paul]

On the two occasions that I have managed to cancel CPA's the bank advised me that they would advise the receiving companies that they had been cancelled.

Sounds like a decent bank. Although in theory you should be able to cancel CPAs, most banks don't move quickly enough to prevent payments being taken... my bank is utterly hopeless.

Another trick used by some companies is to immediately represent the same payment as a one-off 'customer not present' card charge. These are guaranteed payments, and, of course, will go straight through if the bank isn't (very) on the ball.

If a payment is taken when it shouldn't be, at least you can get that back. The problems start when you say you have cancelled, and the company you are dealing with says you haven't. Unless you can prove that you have cancelled a renewal, you could be in for some bother... and cancelling the CPA doesn't cancel your debt.

[VicW]

With both companies it was in the small print that the contract was subject to CPA and also that the CPA could be cancelled by contacting them.

Vic.

[sparky Paul]

It's hard to avoid CPA these days, but I don't like them at all.

It's fine if the company plays by the rules, but as I say, the problems begin when they agree to cancel the renewal and CPA, but then go ahead and renew a policy and take payment regardless.

[culzean]

It's hard to avoid CPA these days, but I don't like them at all.

It's fine if the company plays by the rules, but as I say, the problems begin when they agree to cancel the renewal and CPA, but then go ahead and renew a policy and take payment regardless.

Any company that insists on CPA will not be getting my business.