Cancelling a Model Rail magazine subscription

[JIJ]

Last March I took out a subscription to Model Rail magazine, but decided I didn't want to continue with my subscription. I had expected some kind of communication around renewal time, similar to that received from other magazine subscriptions, offering to allow me to continue my subscription, of if I took no action, it would be cancelled. 

 

Much to my surprise, I had a notification from my bank on Wednesday morning telling me a payment of £53 pounds had been taken for the subscription, through PayPal. I have sent an email to Bauer media, asking how this had happened, and for a full refund. I should note that it has not been a full year since I first subscribed (first payment was taken on the 22nd of march 2021), and I have not received a magazine from the new subscription.

 

The replies I received have been unhelpful at best, the magazine stating that they "hold a no refund policy" and that my options are to either change my subscription to another magazine, give the subscription as a gift, or to "suspend the subscription and "freeze" the credit (i.e. they stop sending magazines, but keep my money!), or to cancel my 2023 subscription.

 

Again I received no communication from Model Rail/Bauer that this was due to happen, as their policy is to not send renewal reminders unless there is a change of price. 

 

I'm feeling rather peeved by this, and am wondering how I can get my money back, does anyone have any ideas?

[Ramrig]

Strange. I always get a communication from them near the end of my subscription term. It may be because I buy my subscriptions using Tesco Vouchers and looking at my account there is no card or other payment method listed.

Have you an account, usually with 'Great Magazines', you can go on and check that it is not set to 'Auto-renew' before contacting them again.

 

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Edited April 7, 2022 by Ramrig
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[fulton]

I suspect there is a auto renewal clause in the original terms and conditions, I think a very underhand practice, I did have a subscription to a model railway magazine and a sister plastic kit magazine, you could do everything on line except cancel the auto renewal, which was a long tedious phone call! I did get caught once with an internet security auto renewal but when I complained I did get a full refund which they did not have to do, but then they would have lost me as a potential customer forever.

[kevinlms]

It does sound like you have been auto-renewed. Almost certainly something that was ticked when you subscribed the first time! It's an annoying practice and is increasingly common.

 

While you should be able to cancel, it's a PITA and ultimately to save the hassle, be more careful in future.

[RFS]

I always make sure any renewable subscriptions are via Direct Debit or Standing Order. That way I have control and can cancel the instruction directly myself if I choose. 

[ruggedpeak]

If the details are accurate (money taken well before due date and you've requested a cancellation well before that) then that is not exactly helpful. If it were me I'd initiate a dispute with Paypal and ask Bauer for the T&C's you signed at the time where it has a no refund policy. I'd be surprised if that was legal under UK consumer legislation. I agree about using a direct debit or standing order that you can cancel. I always diarise renewals well in advance because you can get caught out with auto-renewals. I have had quite a few subs over the years and certainly found Warners (BRM) and Key Publishing (Hornby mag) to be very helpful and accommodating, even when I got in a muddle.

 

By the way, check with your local library service, Model Rail may be available online for free via that. It is on Pressreader.com that my county library service provides free access to.

 

I'd also point out that this will be an accounts/corporate issue which I suspect the journo's from Model Rail itself probably have little influence over.

[JIJ]

Should anyone encounter the same problem, I strongly advise contacting this email: customer.management@bauermedia.co.uk rather than the subscription email they recommend that you contact. After explaining the problem (and quoting the distance selling regulations https://www.gov.uk/online-and-distance-selling-for-businesses that their policy clearly violates) I have received a full refund.

 

I agree with @ruggedpeak that harassing journalists over a corporate problem is not the way to go, but I should note that some strong language was required towards the subscriptions team before they would pass me on to the customer management team.

[kevinlms]

6 hours ago, JIJ said:

Should anyone encounter the same problem, I strongly advise contacting this email: customer.management@bauermedia.co.uk rather than the subscription email they recommend that you contact. After explaining the problem (and quoting the distance selling regulations https://www.gov.uk/online-and-distance-selling-for-businesses that their policy clearly violates) I have received a full refund.

 

I agree with @ruggedpeak that harassing journalists over a corporate problem is not the way to go, but I should note that some strong language was required towards the subscriptions team before they would pass me on to the customer management team.

A good way to lose customers forever!

[Steamport Southport]

Nothing to do with the magazine.

 

You do realise that Bauer is a multi national corporation worth billions. You'll be dealing with a call centre in somewhere like India.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bauer_Media_Group

 

 

[westerner]

" I have had quite a few subs over the years and certainly found Warners (BRM) and Key Publishing (Hornby mag) to be very helpful and accommodating, even when I got in a muddle."

 

You can add Railway Modeller to that list, always extremely helpful and they do send you a reminder when your subs are nearly up.

[Rich Papper]

I've had a slightly different but equally annoying problem. A subscriber to Model Rail for 15 years and Rail for more than 20, I received a phone call out of the blue from Bauer offering me a subscription deal on Model Rail because I already subscribed to Rail. I politely declined on the grounds that I actually already subscribed to both and the deal they were offering was not as good as the one I was already on.

The next month neither magazine arrived. When I phoned to query I was told that it was because I had asked them to cancel it! On top of which, they then refused to reinstate the deal I had, and claimed the one they had phoned me up about was no longer available!!

Needless to say I now read both on Readly.

Rich

[dibber25]

On 17/03/2022 at 20:08, Rich Papper said:

I've had a slightly different but equally annoying problem. A subscriber to Model Rail for 15 years and Rail for more than 20, I received a phone call out of the blue from Bauer offering me a subscription deal on Model Rail because I already subscribed to Rail. I politely declined on the grounds that I actually already subscribed to both and the deal they were offering was not as good as the one I was already on.

The next month neither magazine arrived. When I phoned to query I was told that it was because I had asked them to cancel it! On top of which, they then refused to reinstate the deal I had, and claimed the one they had phoned me up about was no longer available!!

Needless to say I now read both on Readly.

Rich

I have notified the Editors of both titles and the matter is being investigated. I am always happy to assist with subscriptions problems if I am able. However, I prefer to do so by personal contact, rather than as the result of a public complaint on a rival publication's forum. (CJL)

 

[Rich Papper]

Dibber, I am genuinely sorry if I've caused you or anyone else offence, I only meant to express sympathy with someone with a similar issue. The experience I had was mine, and I would hope mine alone. I have great affection for both publications having taken over the subscription of one from my late father and read both avidly for more than half my life. I have met many of the people involved in the writing of them over the years and found them to be thoroughly charming and knowledgeable people - I quite appreciate that they aren't involved in the marketing and distribution.

 

When this issue occurred I tried every point of contact I could reasonably be expected to find to get it resolved, and drew a total blank - effectively being stonewalled by the subscriptions line. While I don't doubt that it is in the small print somewhere that offers can be changed without notice, I find it disingenuous in the least to be told that such a change had been made at my request when this was not the case. Financial times are tough for many of us, given the lack of honesty on the other end of a phone conversation that I didn't initiate, I still can't see that I had another choice.

 

I will happily re-subscribe to both titles if a resolution can be found. I have asked!
Rich

[dibber25]

Not offended, just disappointed that we've lost a subscriber. (CJL)

[St Enodoc]

On 15/03/2022 at 10:12, kevinlms said:

A good way to lose customers forever!

 

On 07/04/2022 at 07:54, dibber25 said:

Not offended, just disappointed that we've lost a subscriber. (CJL)

 

They've just lost my subscription by quoting a price over 50% higher than last time!