I need some advice please.

I had to cancel the healthy pet club scheme in my vets after a number of problems.

I suffered poor service, increase in prices, I was forced to purchase a blood glucose kit costing me £120, they charged me £15 consultation fee when its a free health club check, then they refused me insulin as my cat is a diabetic.

I reported the vets to the British Veterinary Association, whom have yet to reply to my complaint back in August.

I cancelled at the healthy pets club direct a couple of months ago; why demand money now?

Today I got a letter from the vets demanding a payment of £167 as I had cancelled out of contract on the scheme.

Upon reading the terms and conditions on their website, it clearly states you can cancel at any time, and doesn't mention about being charged anything!!

Also when I canceled with them direct, they never said anything about being charged either!!

I thought that the monthly fee of £9.99 was collected by the healthy pet club people not the vets direct?

I fail to see why I should pay this because I had been forced to take my cat elsewhere as they had put his health at risk not just once but twice.

I also cannot understand how they claim I owe £167 when the monthly fee is £9.99 this does not add up!!??

In a pickle and dont know what to do!

All this vets wants off me is money!!

Hello there.

Who is the healthy pet club contract with please, the vet or a different organisation please?

HB

As far as I can see the contract is the CVS (UK) Limited and not the vet direct!?

This is what was showing when the direct debit came out of the bank as CVS UK?

So I dont know why the vet is demanding the money direct?

Can you provide a link to the website and the policy conditions please?

HB

As this seems to be more of an insurance query than a legal one, I'll move you to the insurance forum.

HB

Upon reading the terms and conditions on their website, it clearly states you can cancel at any time, and doesn't mention about being charged anything!!

 

Can you get a screen grab of this - it is not unknown to suddenly discover changes after someone discovers contradictory information.

I cant see why you are being charged this fee if there is nothing in their T&c to support it.

I need some advice please.

 

I had to cancel the healthy pet club scheme in my vets after a number of problems.

 

I suffered poor service, increase in prices, I was forced to purchase a blood glucose kit costing me £120, they charged me £15 consultation fee when its a free health club check, then they refused me insulin as my cat is a diabetic.

 

I reported the vets to the British Veterinary Association, whom have yet to reply to my complaint back in August.

 

I cancelled at the healthy pets club direct a couple of months ago; why demand money now?

 

Today I got a letter from the vets demanding a payment of £167 as I had cancelled out of contract on the scheme.

 

Upon reading the terms and conditions on their website, it clearly states you can cancel at any time, and doesn't mention about being charged anything!!

 

Also when I canceled with them direct, they never said anything about being charged either!!

 

I thought that the monthly fee of £9.99 was collected by the healthy pet club people not the vets direct?

 

I fail to see why I should pay this because I had been forced to take my cat elsewhere as they had put his health at risk not just once but twice.

 

I also cannot understand how they claim I owe £167 when the monthly fee is £9.99 this does not add up!!??

 

In a pickle and dont know what to do!

 

All this vets wants off me is money!!

Examples of poor service ?

Did the scheme say that prices would not increase ?

Did the scheme say it would provide free of charge such things as a blood glucose kit ?

Did they say they would charge a £15 consultation fee or did they say there were no such charges ? ( you need to look carefully at what you signed up for)

Did your Cat have diabetes diagnosed before you took out the policy or during the period you were arranging it ?

Was the product sold to you as a full pet Insurance or simply as a way of reducing vetinary costs ?

Is this a 12 month policy or is there a minimum period of membership ?

Is there an admin fee for cancelling the policy ?

If you have claimed on the policy, do you have to pay the premiums for the whole minimum membership period ?

It sounds to me that you have been missold this product or there has been a misunderstanding as to what it provides. Sounds like communication problems, when it has not been made clear what the scheme provides and what the terms/conditions are.

If you can answer the questions raised, it would help point you in the right direction.

Ask the Healthy pet club for a copy of their complaints procedure. They should have this available.

Right, membership is £9.99.

It is not an insurance scheme of any sort.

This is the website :- http://www.thehealthypetclub.co.uk.

Look at the bottom of the page and click on terms and conditions.

It clearly states that the fee is payable each month for a year and you can cancel at any time.

Upon going through the terms its does not state anything about being charged any excess if you cancel.

In the letter received from the old vet today its stating ""You have made payments totalling to £149.31 during the current year of membership and the value of treatment discounts received during this time totals £316.46. The balance now payable to the practice is therefore £167.15".

The healthy pet club is run by CVS and you pay them the premium NOT the vet.

Confused.

As I understand it Healthy Pets Club is not pet insurance. It provides for vaccinations, boosters and worming whilst offering discounts off other treatment.

This is appears to be something that I joined up to.

I receive 6 monthly check ups for the hounds FOC. The worming and flea treatments are FOC and there are 10 & 20 % discounts off treatments and products. The way it was sold to me was, if I were to advise my Pet Insurer that I had joined up to this scheme, then they would offer me some form of discount as well because obviously the costs that savings were reducing their payouts.

Far from my insurer reducing the yearly fee to me.. they increased it by around 32% ?

However, aside from my grievance.. if I were to come out of the Vet plan, any reductions I had already received, they would be looking to reclaim back because the full year payment hadn't been made and I suspect this is what your Vet is attempting to do.

 

 

 

In the letter received from the old vet today its stating ""You have made payments totalling to £149.31 during the current year of membership and the value of treatment discounts received during this time totals £316.46. The balance now payable to the practice is therefore £167.15".

 

So it is a discount scheme with some benefits.

Just ask them to prove that they provided you with the terms that allow them to claim back the difference between treatment discounts received and the membership fees that you have paid. Also ask them for a full breakdown of the treatment discounts.

They are saying that without these treatment discounts, you would have paid the vet an extra £316.46. Does this sound right ? When the vet has given you a bill, has it ever stated the value of the discount ?

Had you been in the scheme for more than a year?

 

4.3 Either you or CVS may terminate your membership by giving one

month’s notice to the other at any time after the initial term of one year has

expired.

If you have then I can't see how any billing could be retrospective as the terms say you are no longer eligible for the benefits and that definitely implies it's from the point of cancellation. I can't see how it could be otherwise unless they pay you back everything you've paid them in that period.

 

4.4 For the avoidance of any doubt, upon termination of your membership

in accordance with the terms of this agreement you will no longer be liable to

make any further payments to CVS and will no longer be eligible receive any of

the entitlements listed at clause 1 from CVS.

Had you been in the scheme for more than a year?

 

 

If you have then I can't see how any billing could be retrospective as the terms say you are no longer eligible for the benefits and that definitely implies it's from the point of cancellation. I can't see how it could be otherwise unless they pay you back everything you've paid them in that period.

I suspect there is a clause somewhere to allow a claw back of discounts given which exceed the premiums paid, in the event of mid term cancellation.

I suspect there is a clause somewhere to allow a claw back of discounts given

which exceed the premiums paid, in the event of mid term cancellation.

This is not insurance. The payments are not insurance premiums, they are membership fees. After the first year a member can cancel whenever they choose by giving a month's notice. While you remain a member you get the benefits of membership and once you cancel you don't.

This is not insurance. The payments are not insurance premiums, they are membership fees. After the first year a member can cancel whenever they choose by giving a month's notice. While you remain a member you get the benefits of membership and once you cancel you don't.

My instinct is that there must be something in the t&c's of membership to collect the difference between discounts allowed and membership fees paid for the period, if membership is cancelled mid term.

Unless you know the full t&c's to state otherwise. The OP will need to ask for more details.

 

My instinct is that there must be something in the t&c's of membership to

collect the difference between discounts allowed and membership fees paid for

the period, if membership is cancelled mid term.

I suspect that anyone who cancels within the first year is in breach of contract and therefore benefits can be clawed back. That's why I've asked the OP if they had been a member for longer than twelve months. Other than that I can find nothing which allows them to claw back the discounts obtained while you are/were a paid up member.

I was originally with the healthy pet club at another vets in another area.

When I cancelled the previous healthy pet club due to change of address, I was not charged a penny.

When I registered with the new vet in December, I thought great!!

There is defo nothing mentioned in the t & C's on their website about pennalising me for any monies if you cancel within the first year, I have printed it off and read it properly and there is no mention about any penalty.

I removed my cat from the vet clinic because they had refused me insulin for my cat whom is a diabetic, and they had put his safety at risk.

The old vet has failed to show in the letter about what they are claiming for.

I fail to see how they can want £167 off me when the monthly premium was only £9.99

This simply does not add up.

I am going to fone CVS tomorrow to speak to them direct first as they are the people whom you pay the monthly fee to and see what they say.

The T&Cs make it clear that the initial 'term' is for one year and cancellation during this first year is only possible in specific circumstances. After that you can cancel at any time.

3 Term

Unless terminated earlier in accordance with

clause 5 your membership of the Healthy Pet Club will continue for an initial

term of one year and shall continue thereafter until such time as it is

terminated by you or CVS in accordance with clause 4.

 

4 Termination of this agreement

4.1 CVS may

terminate your membership of the Healthy Pet Club at any time (including during

the initial term) by giving you notice of termination to take immediate effect

if you commit any serious breach of these terms and conditions which shall

include failure to meet your payment obligations as set out at clause

2.

4.2 You may terminate your membership of the Healthy Pet Club

during the initial term of one year by giving CVS notice of termination to take

immediate effect if:

(a) the Pet(s) named on the Registration Form

die;

(b) you move house and there is no CVS veterinary practice within a 10

mile radius of your new address (proof of change of address in the form of a

recent utility or council tax bill will be required); or

© there is a material change in your circumstances such as loss of employment or a significant reduction in your income which CVS agrees in its sole discretion and upon proof of such evidence of your change of circumstances as it may reasonably require justifies termination of your membership during the initial term.

4.3 Either you or CVS may terminate your membership by giving one

month’s notice to the other at any time after the initial term of one year has

expired.

4.4 For the avoidance of any doubt, upon termination of your

membership in accordance with the terms of this agreement you will no longer be

liable to make any further payments to CVS and will no longer be eligible

receive any of the entitlements listed at clause 1 from CVS.

So if I ask CVS to reinstate the direct debit I should be okay then?

The vets told me to reinstate it to avoid the £167!!

 

So if I ask CVS to reinstate the direct debit

I should be okay then?

 

The vets told me to reinstate it to avoid the

£167!!

I'm not so sure yet you should make it that easy for them. You say you cancelled membership once because you moved house and yet you then took out membership again at your new place to use a vet within the scheme. I don't think you should have had to cancel and start again as there is obviously a vet close to your new address working within this scheme . If you would have been a member of the scheme for more than a year in total had you just continued your original membership then you could have been badly advised. Why did you cancel the original membership? How long had you held that membership?

Good news!!

I foned the healthy pet club this morning and explained my circumstances and why I cancelled.

They were very help and agreed to help.

I paid August and September premium paying £19.

They then reinstated the direct debit so that October's payment can be taken

They said they would contact the vet clinic to inform them and so therefore no need to pay the £167!!

They agreed to cancel the years membership on the anniversary which is 27 October.

Happy days!!