Conned by Streamline.net

nubonamission · 1 Feb 2010 at 14:38

I signed up for a web hosting account and domain with streamline.net on 10th Jan

Basically it was for a project I was going to do, which fell through and I don't need/want the domain or hosting any more.

I send them a support ticket saying I wanted to cancel my account, they send me this message:

"Please make sure to backup all your files and emails as that will be deleted. You can contact directly our customer care to this number 0844 941 2000 to process the cancellation, they are available from Monday to Friday 9:00am to 5:30pm."

So, after reading that, I felt pretty confident it would be a simple matter of phoning them up and getting it sorted.

So I phone up this morning, and I'm left holding for 15 minutes, by which time I had ran out of time and had to leave it. I phone them back a minute ago, and after holding an age I finally get through. I am basically told I can't cancel the account, because I'm in a twelve month contract with them. I wouldn't have signed up if I realised this, this wasn't obvious by any stretch of the imagination when I was signing up as far as I remember.

I then ask to make sure my contact is cancelled after it runs out in 12 months, to which I am told they can't cancel in advance I will have to do it after the last payment. So, I am going to have to remember to cancel something I'm not going to be using, and will totally forget about a year from now?

I wonder if anyone has any advice, what can I do? The women I spoke to over the phone was just so unhelpful, it feels like I've been totally conned...

neil3k · 1 Feb 2010 at 14:40

do you not get a cool off period with buying stuff online ?

Burnsy2023 · 1 Feb 2010 at 14:40

nubonamission said:
I then ask to make sure my contact is cancelled after it runs out in 12 months, to which I am told they can't cancel in advance I will have to do it after the last payment. So, I am going to have to remember to cancel something I'm not going to be using, and will totally forget about a year from now?

If they want to play that game, send them a letter sent recorded delivery stating you wish to cancel. If they say that's not valid, cancel the payment method and tell them to take you to court. You can give them notice of cancellation of contract at the end of the term at any point.

nubonamission · 1 Feb 2010 at 14:42

Burnsy2023 said:
If they want to play that game, send them a letter sent recorded delivery stating you wish to cancel. If they say that's not valid, cancel the payment method and tell them to take you to court. You can give them notice of cancellation of contract at the end of the term at any point.

I was thinking that I will go down to my bank and tell them to deny streamline.net taking any money out.

Burnsy2023 · 1 Feb 2010 at 14:43

nubonamission said:
I was thinking that I will go down to my bank and tell them to deny streamline.net taking any money out.

If your in a 12 month contract then you'll likely receive debt collectors.

brummie · 1 Feb 2010 at 14:46

You signed up for 12months? if you did it is hardly their fault.

nubonamission · 1 Feb 2010 at 14:48

They have an option to pay for a year, two years or monthly. I selected the monthly option, maybe I am naive but no where did it suggest to me I was entering a 12 month contract.

brummie · 1 Feb 2010 at 14:51

nubonamission said:
They have an option to pay for a year, two years or monthly. I selected the monthly option, maybe I am naive but no where did it suggest to me I was entering a 12 month contract.

If it didn't then you are ok but did you read the T&C's?
Having a look i cant see it say what contract length it would be other than the paying options. i aint signing up to find out

Lethal` · 1 Feb 2010 at 14:54

Didn't they state that you are accepting the terms and conditions or whatever?

http://www.streamline.net/about-us/terms-and-conditions/general/ said:
6. TERM & TERMINATION

6.1 The term of service for all annually billed Services is annual, and the term of service for all biennially billed Services is biennial;

6.2 The term of service for all monthly billed Services, excluding dedicated servers, is annual;

nubonamission · 1 Feb 2010 at 14:57

Lethal` said:
Didn't they state that you are accepting the terms and conditions or whatever?

Yep, so I accepted to it. Like I said, I must be naive, but when I signed up to a monthly payment I thought it would mention if it was a twelve month contract without me having to go in and read the small print...

JHeaton · 1 Feb 2010 at 15:00

nubonamission said:
Yep, so I accepted to it. Like I said, I must be naive, but when I signed up to a monthly payment I thought it would mention if it was a twelve month contract without me having to go in and read the small print...

It does. If you didn't read the terms and conditions, that's not their problem. It's entirely your responsibility to make sure that you have read and understood the terms and conditions of any product or service that you are paying for.

6.2 The term of service for all monthly billed Services, excluding dedicated servers, is annual;

AtreuS · 1 Feb 2010 at 15:01

nubonamission said:
Yep, so I accepted to it. Like I said, I must be naive, but when I signed up to a monthly payment I thought it would mention if it was a twelve month contract without me having to go in and read the small print...

Always read the small print. Ive had similar in the past so now i just assume the worst and always read the contract before signing just about anything now.

I no longer believe verabl assurances either, i ask them to point me to the relevant part of the T&C's instead of just taking a salesmans word for it.

nubonamission · 1 Feb 2010 at 15:02

JHeaton said:
It does. If you didn't read the terms and conditions, that's not their problem. It's entirely your responsibility to make sure that you have read and understood the terms and conditions of any product or service that you are paying for.

Irregardless of whether or not it's "their problem", it seems like a misleading way to lead people into signing up for 12 months of service.

To only state that you are being signed up to twelve months within the small print seems like a cheap trick to scam unwitting people like me out of some money.

AtreuS said:
Always read the small print. Ive had similar in the past so now i just assume the worst and always read the contract before signing just about anything now.

Right, looks like I've learnt a hard lesson. But is there really nothing I can do. I mean, I don't want to just give in and let these ********* take my cash...

Burnsy2023 · 1 Feb 2010 at 15:03

nubonamission said:
Irregardless of whether or not it's "their problem", it seems like a misleading way to lead people into signing up for 12 months of service.

To only state that you are being signed up to twelve months within the small print seems like a cheap trick to scam unwitting people like me out of some money.

Unfortunalty that's life. Read the T&Cs next time.

drunkenmaster · 1 Feb 2010 at 15:06

nubonamission said:
Irregardless of whether or not it's "their problem", it seems like a misleading way to lead people into signing up for 12 months of service.

To only state that you are being signed up to twelve months within the small print seems like a cheap trick to scam unwitting people like me out of some money.

Right, looks like I've learnt a hard lesson. But is there really nothing I can do. I mean, I don't want to just give in and let these ******** take my cash...

Many or most things are done on longer contracts, the method with which you pay is no indication, nor misleading, in terms of the length of contract. Not reading the contract you agreed to is entirely down to you.

INternet, mobile phones, Sky tv, they are all mostly on 12months contracts but are paid monthly with the option to pay in other ways, same goes for utilities, gas/elec, flat/house rental.

Its standard for things to be signed up to on a long term contract, to assume otherwise is really your fault I'm afraid, not them trying to be misleading.

nubonamission · 1 Feb 2010 at 15:06

Burnsy2023 said:
If they want to play that game, send them a letter sent recorded delivery stating you wish to cancel. If they say that's not valid, cancel the payment method and tell them to take you to court. You can give them notice of cancellation of contract at the end of the term at any point.

Are you saying that I can tell them I want to end my 12 month contact now, if I send them it in writing? I didn't entirely understand what you were saying here...

Burnsy2023 · 1 Feb 2010 at 15:07

nubonamission said:
Are you saying that I can tell them I want to end my 12 month contact now, if I send them it in writing? I didn't entirely understand what you were saying here...

I'm saying you can give them notice not to renew your contract at the end of the 12 month period.

nubonamission · 1 Feb 2010 at 15:08

Burnsy2023 said:
I'm saying you can give them notice not to renew your contract at the end of the 12 month period.

And I can give that notice now? Rather than in 12 months?

Totality · 1 Feb 2010 at 15:08

I can see how it would be misleading hiding the fact it is a 12-month contract in the T&Cs but it is there none the less unfortunately. They don't make it clear from the site I will give you that though - something like "12-month minimum contract applies" would be nice on their costs page to make it clear to people which suggests to me they probably rely on people signing up and not reading the T&Cs.

I can't see why they wouldn't let you just pay the remaining balance off now and then close the account though?

I use Vidahost for my websites and so far they have been great. I found a link to them on here a year or so ago and haven't used another host since. May be of use if you look for hosting elsewhere again.

Burnsy2023 · 1 Feb 2010 at 15:09

nubonamission said:
And I can give that notice now? Rather than in 12 months?

Yes.