I was wondering if you could help with a query I have. I am writing on behalf of my parents who are having serious problems with AOL. In July this year I contacted AOL to cancel our Broadband Service as my mother had noticed a couple of duplicate AOL direct debits had come out of her account. They stated this hadn't happened and offered to reduce the package to £12.99 a month from £14.99 (including free phone calls to landlines) and put us on a package that did not tie us to AOL (so we could leave if we were still not happy with their service). On Monday the 9th December 2008 my parents received a bank statement showing several payments that had left their bank account though November and December to AOL of varied amounts up to £41.00.
After this we then checked every bank statement dating back to January 2007 and noticed since that there has been two different amounts coming out of their bank every month (£14.99 at the beginning of the month and £15.99 half way through the month).
My parents then contacted AOL via phone on Tuesday the 9th December and spoke to a 'Sheila' in the billing department. She then informed my parents to call the following night (10/12/08) and speak to a supervision/manager regarding getting a full refund. I then called AOL on behalf of my parents last night and I was informed that when we cancelled our Dial-up connection in 2006, this never happened and so it ran simultaneously at the same time as when we set up the broadband. I was then informed that my parents had been paying £15.99 extra every month for 2 and a half years, as they had not cancelled dial-up (even though I spent half an hour on the phone to them cancelling it myself) and that I should speak to the cancellation department and then a manager.
I was then put through to a Mary Power in the cancellation department who was disgusted at how we have been treated and told me that AOL should have noticed that we had two accounts running several times over the years and informed us immediately with a refund and not fraudulently just carried on with it.
Mary also told me that the AOL representative that I spoke to in July 2008, had signed us up to a 1 year agreement even though they had informed us we would not be on a contract and we never even received any paperwork to the effect. ALSO Mary stated the representative should of informed us at that point that two accounts were running as all employees notice that straight away.
I then cancelled the dial-up immediately and asked to speak to a manager. I was put through to customer services and told the managers were busy and would call my father later that night.
My father received a call last night just after 9 o clock and the manager told him e could offer him a six month refund but that is it, so my father refused and told them we will contact our family solicitor/ Citizens Advice bureau.
I am disgusted with the way we have been treated and the fact that we have been tied to a contract we never agreed with and would now have to pay to leave that contract! Please may you advise
After this we then checked every bank statement dating back to January 2007 and noticed since that there has been two different amounts coming out of their bank every month (£14.99 at the beginning of the month and £15.99 half way through the month).
My parents then contacted AOL via phone on Tuesday the 9th December and spoke to a 'Sheila' in the billing department. She then informed my parents to call the following night (10/12/08) and speak to a supervision/manager regarding getting a full refund. I then called AOL on behalf of my parents last night and I was informed that when we cancelled our Dial-up connection in 2006, this never happened and so it ran simultaneously at the same time as when we set up the broadband. I was then informed that my parents had been paying £15.99 extra every month for 2 and a half years, as they had not cancelled dial-up (even though I spent half an hour on the phone to them cancelling it myself) and that I should speak to the cancellation department and then a manager.
I was then put through to a Mary Power in the cancellation department who was disgusted at how we have been treated and told me that AOL should have noticed that we had two accounts running several times over the years and informed us immediately with a refund and not fraudulently just carried on with it.
Mary also told me that the AOL representative that I spoke to in July 2008, had signed us up to a 1 year agreement even though they had informed us we would not be on a contract and we never even received any paperwork to the effect. ALSO Mary stated the representative should of informed us at that point that two accounts were running as all employees notice that straight away.
I then cancelled the dial-up immediately and asked to speak to a manager. I was put through to customer services and told the managers were busy and would call my father later that night.
My father received a call last night just after 9 o clock and the manager told him e could offer him a six month refund but that is it, so my father refused and told them we will contact our family solicitor/ Citizens Advice bureau.
I am disgusted with the way we have been treated and the fact that we have been tied to a contract we never agreed with and would now have to pay to leave that contract! Please may you advise
