Finding it impossible to cancel AOL broadband

[legalpickle]

Originally Posted by fuzzybobble

Finally got my MAC code from AOL.

It's only taken 3 weeks and 9 emails to get it, so now I'm billing them £30 for my valuable time they've wasted.

Well done!

Firstly, move before you do anything, as anything can happen and they may be able to block the move.

Secondly, billing for your time is unlikely to stand up in court - unless you can prove a loss of earnings and that you had to deal with it during work time - or in any ADR scheme. I would complain to the ADR responsible for them - CISAS CISAS: Communications & Internet Services Adjudication Scheme - after following their complaints procedure and you will almost certainly get some compensation.

Also complain to OFCOM about not receiving the MAC code within 5 working days.

Keep us posted.

[fuzzybobble]

Originally Posted by legalpickle

Well done!

Firstly, move before you do anything, as anything can happen and they may be able to block the move.

Secondly, billing for your time is unlikely to stand up in court - unless you can prove a loss of earnings and that you had to deal with it during work time - or in any ADR scheme. I would complain to the ADR responsible for them - CISAS CISAS: Communications & Internet Services Adjudication Scheme - after following their complaints procedure and you will almost certainly get some compensation.

Also complain to OFCOM about not receiving the MAC code within 5 working days.

Keep us posted.

I have all the work time I need. Self employed/ vat registered limited company.

Thanks for the info. I'll be looking into it tomorrow.

[legalpickle]

Originally Posted by fuzzybobble

I have all the work time I need. Self employed/ vat registered limited company.

Thanks for the info. I'll be looking into it tomorrow.

Experience is that in these cases it is extremely difficult to claim for loss of earnings on such relatively small matters. And from experience being stupid in a letter, such as asking for £30 an hour for the time you wasted with their incompetent staff will work against you.

I doubt you'll be doing much tomorrow or the day after, but maybe Tuesday. It's unfortunately a Bank Holiday weekend.

Why do the bank's need a holiday? They've not done any work over the last 2 years at least!

[Janet-M]

I always hear how bad AOL is but I have been with them for aprox 8 years and am quite happy . If I ever do have a problem with them they always compensate me by reducing the amount I am paying .

So far I have had free broadband, for 3 months at a time ,on so many occassions that I have lost count. My total bill for broadband and unlimited phone calls should be £21.98 ..I have had it reduced loads of times .

Only yesterday I got the package again reduced and now only pay £9.99 that was just for having ( usually rare ) disconnection problems over 2 days .Where else could I get wireless and unlimited phone calls for that price .

I know that all that happened in #post 1 is bad service but overall I don't think AOL is as bad as it is made out to be ... well not in my case anyway

	Record your calls Follow this link to read the review of the Truecall telephone recorder and call manager. This is the Rolls Royce of call recorders. It's a bit pricey but if you buy it with our special offer you will get it at cost: about 20% discount. How much do we make on the deal? - Nothing at all. You can also buy cheaper devices from Maplins. Truecall is the best - but the important thing is to record your calls.

[legalpickle]

Originally Posted by Janet-M

I always hear how bad AOL is but I have been with them for aprox 8 years and am quite happy . If I ever do have a problem with them they always compensate me by reducing the amount I am paying .

So far I have had free broadband, for 3 months at a time ,on so many occassions that I have lost count. My total bill for broadband and unlimited phone calls should be £21.98 ..I have had it reduced loads of times .

Only yesterday I got the package again reduced and now only pay £9.99 that was just for having ( usually rare ) disconnection problems over 2 days .Where else could I get wireless and unlimited phone calls for that price .

I know that all that happened in #post 1 is bad service but overall I don't think AOL is as bad as it is made out to be ... well not in my case anyway

You're lucky and from my understanding a rarity. Though apparently they have only gone to terrible when TalkTalk/Carphone Warehouse took over, and from my experiences with TalkTalk, you are very lucky Janet, because they are a bunch of scum.

	Record your calls Follow this link to read the review of the Truecall telephone recorder and call manager. This is the Rolls Royce of call recorders. It's a bit pricey but if you buy it with our special offer you will get it at cost: about 20% discount. How much do we make on the deal? - Nothing at all. You can also buy cheaper devices from Maplins. Truecall is the best - but the important thing is to record your calls.

[fuzzybobble]

Well the changeoverfor my brodband is as follows.

27th August new router and things arrive.

1st September ADSL gets changed over.

AOL have no choice about the £30, as I already owe it them, as they will find out when they realise I cancelled the direct debit when they try and debit my account on the 3rd September.

It's worked with OneBill, and Talk Talk, and Paypal, so fourth time lucky with AOHELL too. If you hassle them and complain long enough, they soon give up.

	The Direct Debit Guarantee • The Guarantee is offered by all Banks and Building Societies that take part in the Direct Debit Scheme. The efficiency and security of the Scheme is monitored and protected by your own Bank or Building Society. • If the amounts to be paid or the payment dates change, we will notify you three working days in advance of your account being debited or as otherwise agreed. • If an error is made by us or by your Bank or Building Society, you are guaranteed a full and immediate refund from your branch of the amount paid. • You can cancel a Direct Debit at any time by writing your Bank or Building Society. Please also send a copy of your letter to us. This is a term of your banking contract and you can sue on it.

[legalpickle]

Originally Posted by fuzzybobble

Well the changeoverfor my brodband is as follows.

27th August new router and things arrive.

1st September ADSL gets changed over.

AOL have no choice about the £30, as I already owe it them, as they will find out when they realise I cancelled the direct debit when they try and debit my account on the 3rd September.

It's worked with OneBill, and Talk Talk, and Paypal, so fourth time lucky with AOHELL too. If you hassle them and complain long enough, they soon give up.

Instead of doing that I'd complain through the complaints process and take it to CISAS and you're likely to get compensation which would offset more than the £30. If you only refuse to pay that and don't take it further you'll probably lose.

	The Direct Debit Guarantee • The Guarantee is offered by all Banks and Building Societies that take part in the Direct Debit Scheme. The efficiency and security of the Scheme is monitored and protected by your own Bank or Building Society. • If the amounts to be paid or the payment dates change, we will notify you three working days in advance of your account being debited or as otherwise agreed. • If an error is made by us or by your Bank or Building Society, you are guaranteed a full and immediate refund from your branch of the amount paid. • You can cancel a Direct Debit at any time by writing your Bank or Building Society. Please also send a copy of your letter to us. This is a term of your banking contract and you can sue on it.

[msowing]

Interesting reading. Ive been trying to get a MAC from AOL for the last couple of months but when I phone up they just try and talk me out of it by offering 3 months free or lower monthly payments (Not biting their service has gone terrible over the last 6+months some days cant even get a connection), got told the last time that their computers werent working properly so she could give me the MAC.
Thanks for posting e mail address on cancelling will be sending email out today.

[Dave123456]

I had the same problem mate.I paid by capitol one card every month but was being billed 2 or 3 times every month! treid cancelling 7-8 times but they would not listen saying that the monies would be sorted out "eventually!" so my only course of action was to phone capitol one and tell them I had lost my card!..end of problem then they started threatening me with court action if I did`nt fulfill my contract,What they failed to realise is that my contract with them was out of date by about 6 months! I can promise you this BT are not much better!

[legalpickle]

Originally Posted by Dave123456

I can promise you this BT are not much better!

I can second that!

[lindamorena]

I have been trying to cancel my AOL account for two years now. It is not even Broadband, but dial up as the account is so old. My bank has sent a number of official letters to AOL and yet they continue to take money from my account every month. My bank has now agreed to treat this as fraud and I am awaiting the outcome. I have had the same problem with Napster who refuse to acknowledge that my bank sent them any cancellation letters.

My advice to anyone and everyone thinking of signing up to AOL is DON'T and whatever you do, please do not give them your credit or debit card details.

[ben232]

Hi

A problem that I had with AOL is that i found it very difficult to remove all their software from my PC

Ben

Originally Posted by fuzzybobble

Hi people,

AOL are sending me around in circles. For over 2 weeks now I've tried to cancel by email and in writing. Each time I try to cancel I provide what they ask for. (full name, phone number, master screen name, last four didgits of car number used to start the account with) Each time I send the info they reply a day later saying they cannot process my request as I didn't provide the info. They even copy my email at the bottom that contains all the info they are requesting.

This has happened 5 times now, and my written request has been ignored. Can I change ISP without a MAC code? I have a feeling that AOL are just messing me about so I will give up tying to change.

[ben232]

Originally Posted by legalpickle

I can second that!

another view....i went from AOL to BT and they have been fine with me so far

(2 years out)

Ben

[legalpickle]

Originally Posted by ben232

another view....i went from AOL to BT and they have been fine with me so far

(2 years out)

Ben

Yeah, when you work for them what do you expect?!?!?!

BT are one of the worst in anything on the face of this planet. In December I had two business lines installed. They messed up the installation and the promised consecutive numbers. They didn't respond to my threat of legal action, so I sued them. I won in a hearing in July £780.

They still want money for cancellation charges and late payment charges, because I refused to pay because the amounts were in dispute. They were specifically told by the DJ to pay the full amount and not offset any monies, any further disputes can be sorted in new proceedings and are not part of these proceedings - that was the ruling. So they paid in full, and then I paid the amount I admitted owing them of £5.82.

I've told them that as the account [and court proceedings, cheque & all correspondence] is in one my limited company names, there's no credit record that they can ruin, so if they want the money they'll have to sue and I'll vigorously defend it.

If they know what's good for them they won't sue, and I doubt they will after I've knocked them for £780 in a court hearing, that is evidence of their breach of contract - because they'd lose!

I HATE BT! The best name for them is 'British Trouble'!

[Dave123456]

the major problem with BT is that they are no longer BT!in 1967 they made a deal with some other country to buy their stock of copper..well it turns out the copper they bought was`nt the copper they thought they were going to get. so we ended up with the rubbish they have outside virtually every house in britain today(please note no capital B for britain)
we are ritually being screwed over for £24.99 per month and being told thats the most the line will take when in reality the line will take what ever is being thrown down it!broadband is simply put.a lot of electrical signals being sent at once down the same line!if it was unsafe to do so the government being the idiots they are would ban it immediatley through health and safety legislation.if any one has any other explanation please offer it . I`m no expert but what they are saying defy`s the laws of physics!
in Korea.one of the most poor countries in the world the average broad band speed is 16 meg!go figure!

[legalpickle]

Originally Posted by Dave123456

the major problem with BT is that they are no longer BT!in 1967 they made a deal with some other country to buy their stock of copper..well it turns out the copper they bought was`nt the copper they thought they were going to get. so we ended up with the rubbish they have outside virtually every house in britain today(please note no capital B for britain)
we are ritually being screwed over for £24.99 per month and being told thats the most the line will take when in reality the line will take what ever is being thrown down it!broadband is simply put.a lot of electrical signals being sent at once down the same line!if it was unsafe to do so the government being the idiots they are would ban it immediatley through health and safety legislation.if any one has any other explanation please offer it . I`m no expert but what they are saying defy`s the laws of physics!
in Korea.one of the most poor countries in the world the average broad band speed is 16 meg!go figure!

That may be a problem with the broadband, but my issue - and many other issues I know of - was nothing to do with broadband. I didn't even order broadband.

Don't give them excuses, they don't deserve it! The problem with British Trouble is that they quite simply don't give a damn!

[fuzzybobble]

So far so good with the changeover.

Filled in the application online with BT. They called a few hours later and told me the equipment would be delivered on wednesday 27th August (which it did.) And the broadband would be changed over on monday 1st September. The little PDA thing is great too. Tried it out while in town and it has no problem connecting to WIFI at Maccy D's.

While I was at it, I've sent complaint off to CISAS, OFCOM and AOL, about AOL taking two weeks to send me a MAC code.
As a precaution also informed my bank not to let AOL withdraw money from my account on 5th August as my account will be cancelled on the 1st August. I've heard a few stories that they keep taking payments after you cancel. I also confirmed in writing by recorded delivery letter, to make sure I could prove I had cancelled, in case of any problems at a later date.

[legalpickle]

Originally Posted by fuzzybobble

So far so good with the changeover.

Filled in the application online with BT. They called a few hours later and told me the equipment would be delivered on wednesday 27th August (which it did.) And the broadband would be changed over on monday 1st September. The little PDA thing is great too. Tried it out while in town and it has no problem connecting to WIFI at Maccy D's.

While I was at it, I've sent complaint off to CISAS, OFCOM and AOL, about AOL taking two weeks to send me a MAC code.
As a precaution also informed my bank not to let AOL withdraw money from my account on 5th August as my account will be cancelled on the 1st August. I've heard a few stories that they keep taking payments after you cancel. I also confirmed in writing by recorded delivery letter, to make sure I could prove I had cancelled, in case of any problems at a later date.

CISAS will refuse your complaint at this stage. You cannot complain to CISAS till the business - in this case AOL - have had 12 weeks - yes, 12 weeks - to answer your complaint or sent a "deadlock" - final - letter that is not satisfactory.

[fuzzybobble]

Oh well. I'm used to waiting around for things. Filed too many CCA requests and 8 week waits for OFT complaints. So 12 weeks is a picnic in the park of life.

When it comes to broadband in the UK we all end up paying for a slow, unreliable, and overpriced service, so we may as well go for the one that gives us the most useful freebies along the way.

Make the most of a bad thing. ISP's / Banks....No difference really. But we have no choice when all the options are bad and out to screw you for everything they can.

In the UK we can choose from crap or abysmal. Take your choice if you still have the will to choose anymore.

[legalpickle]

Originally Posted by fuzzybobble

When it comes to broadband in the UK we all end up paying for a slow, unreliable, and overpriced service, so we may as well go for the one that gives us the most useful freebies along the way.

Make the most of a bad thing. ISP's / Banks....No difference really. But we have no choice when all the options are bad and out to screw you for everything they can.

In the UK we can choose from crap or abysmal. Take your choice if you still have the will to choose anymore.

Apt statements. Couldn't agree more!