Autorenewal cooling off periods

[EDreamsQuery]

Does anyone know how the law stands on cooling off periods with auto renewal?

My understanding is that for things bought online, there has to be a 14 day cooling off period even if it’s something that subsequently auto renews. There are some exceptions such as travel tickets (planes, buses etc), accommodation and some other things but otherwise if you’ve bought something online, a fresh 14 day cooling off period applies after each auto renewal.

https://harperjames.co.uk/article/customer-auto-renewal-provisions/

Right to cancel
There should be a right to cancel most subscription model contracts on initial contract entry and auto-renewal of the contract.
The CCRs contain cancellation rights for most auto-renew contracts, depending on whether the contract was entered into online (distance selling) or off-premises. The CMA recommends that even if the CCRs do not give the right to cancel, business owners should provide one in all cases. The CMA Unfair Terms Guidancestates that cancellations should not be subject to financial penalties, and the cancellation procedure should not result in the consumer being unfairly tied into the contract.

I stupidly had a free trial turn into a yearly contract, set a reminder to cancel it in a years time but had a lot going on so completely failed to do so or to set another reminder, and this year when I saw the money leave my account, I contacted the company to cancel.

They said that their terms and conditions mean that they can give me half of the money back and the 90% of the remainder as a credit note. I won’t be using their services and just want the money refunded back in its entirety but they say their policy won’t allow it.

Am I right in thinking that the law, if it says what I think it does, would take precedence over their policy?

Hopeful bump

If you have contacted them within 14 days of the renewal they must give you a full refund as per the Digital Markets Competition and Consumers Act 2024. If they refuse to do this, contact your local trading standards.

Just to add, they cannot legally write terms and conditions that prevent you from exercising your consumer rights.

Thanks so much. That’s what I thought, and have emailed them twice about, but each time they have said that their policy means they won’t do this. I’ve pointed out that the law takes precedent over their policy but they just keep repeating that they won’t do anything else.

It was making me doubt whether I’d got the wrong end of the stick, so it’s good to know that they’re just trying to fob me off. I’ll keep persisting - it’s the principle of the thing that annoys me.