iFollow violating Terms and Conditions on monthly renewals - Be aware | Vital Football

iFollow violating Terms and Conditions on monthly renewals - Be aware

L

LA_Imp

Vital Squad Member
If you are an iFollow monthly subscriber please be aware that the EFL/iFollow will violate their own terms and conditions to automatically renew your subscription in June and July. I’ve been going back and forth with them through email on this issue.

They state in their Terms and Conditions that they will email any major changes to monthly service to subscribers so they can make a determination of whether to continue the subscription the following month. Apparently they do not consider zero matches being available a change in service, and so automatically charge you without notification. This does of course beg the question what your monthly subscription is paying for in June and July.

It would appear that the position of EFL/iFollow is to purposefully not send out notification of automatic renewal for June and July despite that their own Terms and Conditions explicitly state that subscribers will be notified in advance of planned changes. Clearly this fraudulent behavior occurs because EFL/iFollow know that most fans would unsubscribe for the summer months when there are no matches available, thus it becomes a way to maximize income at the expense of poor customer service and unethical business practices.

If you are an iFollow subscriber be aware. I’ll let you know if they come back with any change from their position. Really disappointing, I’m tired of fans being treated this way.
 
Yes... they took 20 quid out of my account for May (despite zero games)... in fairness they immediately refunded when i complained. You have to opt out by email which is another sly move. Clearly no one will intentially choose to pay for the close season ~ so they are just trying to catch some people out.
 
imp73 said:
Yes... they took 20 quid out of my account for May (despite zero games)... in fairness they immediately refunded when i complained. You have to opt out by email which is another sly move. Clearly no one will intentially choose to pay for the close season ~ so they are just trying to catch some people out.
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We can now add inconsistency to the list of shady practices as I've asked for a refund and they have refused to do anything.

I'm tired of football fans being treated this way. Businesses prey on the emotional attachment we have to clubs, and iFollow have a monopoly on how we can view matches. It's not like we have the option to use another company or service.

They said because they did this last year I should have known. I pointed out I wasn't a customer last year (although that shouldn't make a difference) and then they moved on to a point about regional rights which is irrelevant to the issue.
 
LA_Imp said:
If you are an iFollow monthly subscriber please be aware that the EFL/iFollow will violate their own terms and conditions to automatically renew your subscription in June and July. I’ve been going back and forth with them through email on this issue.

They state in their Terms and Conditions that they will email any major changes to monthly service to subscribers so they can make a determination of whether to continue the subscription the following month. Apparently they do not consider zero matches being available a change in service, and so automatically charge you without notification. This does of course beg the question what your monthly subscription is paying for in June and July.

It would appear that the position of EFL/iFollow is to purposefully not send out notification of automatic renewal for June and July despite that their own Terms and Conditions explicitly state that subscribers will be notified in advance of planned changes. Clearly this fraudulent behavior occurs because EFL/iFollow know that most fans would unsubscribe for the summer months when there are no matches available, thus it becomes a way to maximize income at the expense of poor customer service and unethical business practices.

If you are an iFollow subscriber be aware. I’ll let you know if they come back with any change from their position. Really disappointing, I’m tired of fans being treated this way.
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Mabye you could ask Jules to bring this matter up at the clubs next fans forum meeting?
 
LA_Imp said:
If you are an iFollow monthly subscriber please be aware that the EFL/iFollow will violate their own terms and conditions to automatically renew your subscription in June and July. I’ve been going back and forth with them through email on this issue.

They state in their Terms and Conditions that they will email any major changes to monthly service to subscribers so they can make a determination of whether to continue the subscription the following month. Apparently they do not consider zero matches being available a change in service, and so automatically charge you without notification. This does of course beg the question what your monthly subscription is paying for in June and July.

It would appear that the position of EFL/iFollow is to purposefully not send out notification of automatic renewal for June and July despite that their own Terms and Conditions explicitly state that subscribers will be notified in advance of planned changes. Clearly this fraudulent behavior occurs because EFL/iFollow know that most fans would unsubscribe for the summer months when there are no matches available, thus it becomes a way to maximize income at the expense of poor customer service and unethical business practices.

If you are an iFollow subscriber be aware. I’ll let you know if they come back with any change from their position. Really disappointing, I’m tired of fans being treated this way.
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Exiles clouted again! I pay for the year in each June, it provides radio commentary. Obviously, last season we sort of paid twice, because we could pay to watch the games on TV. TV is great for exiles. Like most fans who live hundreds of miles away (or thousands) I ensure that the club gets money from me in ways that differ from attending matches physically. When I do go to my half dozen home and around the same amount of matches away, I'll be proudly wearing as much Imps stuff as possible (a bit like one of those pearly kings in London). For home matches I stay in Lincoln hotels. I always visit the club shop in the Waterside and save money to spend as much as I like. Overall, my contribution to the Imps with costs of travel and accommodation is quite significant over the year (just like many others). The only major gripe that I have, is that exiles are completely off the radar and not considered for those special occasions when tickets are in short supply. It's always a case of "Season Ticket holders only". Theoretically, many season ticket holders need only fork out for their discounted ticket and pay no more to follow the Imps. This gives them special privileges. Exiles therefore often pay several times more per year. When I do go to home matches I always pay the full price, even though I qualify for the coffin dodgers discount. Further, exiles have no voice, no place in forums, no invites to this and that, no representation. This is because we probably can't make the meetings and anyway, why should season ticket holders care about those that don't have a season ticket. I also find it curious how some fans boast about great value in season tickets. If I did buy a season ticket I'd rather pay the full price of a match so that the club has the money.
 
SalfordImp said:
Mabye you could ask Jules to bring this matter up at the clubs next fans forum meeting?
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I'm not sure how much issues like this are a club item or EFL issue to be honest. I know the club receive money from iFollow purchases the details of the arrangement are a bit unclear to me.
 
Thanks for this thread: reminded me that I needed to cancel my monthly membership (long and uninteresting story as why I needed to use monthly option for this season).

Emailed ifollow on Saturday, I think - quoted their own terms for cancellation - and pleasantly surprised to get an email response confirming cancellation yesterday.

As the saying goes, there's many a slip between the cup and the lip, however, and after experiencing them fouling-up my previous annual subscription (and taking money from an account they had confirmed they wouldn't) I'm not 100% convinced they won't debit my account yet. We'll see.
 
The latest situation has the customer support contradicting themselves saying that because this was in the summer and was known in advance they don't have to notify anyone. Meanwhile their T&C explicitly state:

"significant planned changes to iFollow and/or these Terms, you will be provided with reasonable notice of the planned change"

So how they can claim because something is known they don't have to notify, while simultaneously stating "planned" changes will produce notice of the planned changes, is beyond me. Really shady behavior, simply because they know fans will not resubscribe.
 
This worked pretty well for me: delete payment option at end of last game. I got a few emails telling me to resubmit and ignored them.
 
Ex-Ref said:
The only major gripe that I have, is that exiles are completely off the radar and not considered for those special occasions when tickets are in short supply.
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While I agree broadly with your point - and like you, when I attend Sincil Bank it represents a significant cost, with travel, etc. - I do think that the current board does make an effort to try and consider exiles. For example, this new 'Silver Membership' looks ideal for me and my son, and while it's still a 'second class' kind of thing, I suspect it will offer some sort of priority for away tickets, etc. Also, short of sending in receipts to prove how much we've spent getting to a game, there's a limit to what the board can do in prioritising tickets.
 
Impartiality said:
It seems to me the answer is to cancel the direct debit so they can't take any money, or am I missing something?
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All future transactions have been cancelled but they violate their own T&C when they state subscribers will receive notification of planned changes, but do not notify you when there are no matches the following month. Apparently, they do not consider the absence of any matches a planned change, and yet in my email exchanges with them they have also argued that because it was anticipated that there would be no matches the fault is somehow mine.

It's a very shady practice where they offer no service and take your money, even if it means they break their own terms by failing to notify you of the change in service for the month of June.
 
Impartiality said:
It seems to me the answer is to cancel the direct debit so they can't take any money, or am I missing something?
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Depends if it's a Direct Debit. Mine's a recurring payment via Debit Card. Banks don't make those easy to cancel. Be nice if they did, but you know banks.
 
Impartiality said:
It seems to me the answer is to cancel the direct debit so they can't take any money, or am I missing something?
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GoBC said:
Depends if it's a Direct Debit. Mine's a recurring payment via Debit Card. Banks don't make those easy to cancel. Be nice if they did, but you know banks.
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I just wouldn't set up recurring payments or DD for what is essentially a seasonal service. Maybe telling your bank you lost your card/may have been stolen will clear those payments?
 
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LA_Imp said:
All future transactions have been cancelled but they violate their own T&C when they state subscribers will receive notification of planned changes, but do not notify you when there are no matches the following month. Apparently, they do not consider the absence of any matches a planned change, and yet in my email exchanges with them they have also argued that because it was anticipated that there would be no matches the fault is somehow mine.

It's a very shady practice where they offer no service and take your money, even if it means they break their own terms by failing to notify you of the change in service for the month of June.
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It isn't a planned change, it's a given. Do you really need them to notify you, a football fan, to tell you that games will not be shown after the end of the season?
 
John Bigbooté said:
It isn't a planned change, it's a given. Do you really need them to notify you, a football fan, to tell you that games will not be shown after the end of the season?
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As this is my first season using the iFollow monthly subscription I was under the impression that they would not charge during June and July, because....what exactly are they charging you for?

What is the difference between a planned change and "a given"?
 
LA_Imp said:
As this is my first season using the iFollow monthly subscription I was under the impression that they would not charge during June and July, because....what exactly are they charging you for?

What is the difference between a planned change and "a given"?
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A given is "an obvious thing". It's not a legal phrase. It's obvious that there will be no matches in June and July.

iFollow would argue that livestreamed matches are one facet of the service you pay for, not the whole (ie you can probably still access match replays - I can't because I don't subscribe), and they would probably have a fair case for saying so.

I know iFollow are money grubbing bastards, we all know that, but if you've signed up to recurring monthly subscriptions then they will continue unless you tell iFollow within the stated period outlined in the T&Cs that you wish to cancel.
 
John Bigbooté said:
A given is "an obvious thing". It's not a legal phrase. It's obvious that there will be no matches in June and July.

iFollow would argue that livestreamed matches are one facet of the service you pay for, not the whole (ie you can probably still access match replays - I can't because I don't subscribe), and they would probably have a fair case for saying so.

I know iFollow are money grubbing bastards, we all know that, but if you've signed up to recurring monthly subscriptions then they will continue unless you tell iFollow within the stated period outlined in the T&Cs that you wish to cancel.
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I would agree with you, except that their own T&C indicate they will email to inform of planned changes, and as June and July are months without streaming matches (a change) and they know this in advance (planned) by not emailing they are violating their own T&C. Violation of this should warrant a refund, but like you said, they are money grubbing bastards, and I would add, who prey on the loyalty of fans with the monopoly they have.

Here are the relevant articles:

3.2. For more significant planned changes to iFollow and/or these Terms, you will be provided with reasonable notice of the planned change. For example, this may include:
3.2.1. removal of outdated or redundant features from iFollow

Clearly a redundant feature is livestreaming when there are no games to livestream, and no "reasonable notice" was offered, which is why they are not following their own T&C.
 
LA_Imp said:
I would agree with you, except that their own T&C indicate they will email to inform of planned changes, and as June and July are months without streaming matches (a change) and they know this in advance (planned) by not emailing they are violating their own T&C. Violation of this should warrant a refund, but like you said, they are money grubbing bastards, and I would add, who prey on the loyalty of fans with the monopoly they have.

Here are the relevant articles:

3.2. For more significant planned changes to iFollow and/or these Terms, you will be provided with reasonable notice of the planned change. For example, this may include:
3.2.1. removal of outdated or redundant features from iFollow

Clearly a redundant feature is livestreaming when there are no games to livestream, and no "reasonable notice" was offered, which is why they are not following their own T&C.
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I've read the T&Cs LA, and I'm afraid this boils down to your interpretation of a "planned change" against theirs, as well as your interpretation of redundancy. I'm sorry that they're not the best company to deal. Cancel your subscription now, and know next time. The instructions on how to do so are in the T&Cs.
 
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