[AzH]

I need some advice.

I received this email:

Date: Jan 16, 2010
Reference: ragegame.org
Order number: 1458050

Dear Alan Smith

On Dec 15, 2009 we sent you an invoice regarding your subscription of
the web space with the domain ragegame.org.

We sent the invoice via email to the address alan@xxxxxxx.xxx.

We have noticed, that you still have an outstanding amount of 22.77 GBP
regarding order number 1458050, which covers services for the domain
ragegame.org.

You can see the invoice(s) in the control panel, that can be accessed
from the link below:

https://www.one.com/admin/

Payment of outstanding amounts should be settled via the Internet on the
following url not later than Jan 26, 2010:

https://www.one.com/pay.do?ocode=###############

If you paid the amount due within the last few days, please disregard
this e-mail.

In order not to burden you with further costs, we ask that you pay the
amount as soon as possible. We draw your attention to the fact that you
may incur further costs if the amount is not paid by Jan 26, 2010.

For information regarding our payment terms, including reminder fees, we
refer to our terms of business.

Remember to keep your address and email address information with us
updated, in the control panel on our website (One.com Web hosting**-**Domain • Hosting • E-mail**).

Best regards

One.com
1 Ropemaker Street
London, EC2Y 9HT UK

Fax no. +44 (0) 203 355 7918

I contacted them on their live chat available on the home page to ask about it. They said that it had been auto-renewed and that I needed to pay the invoice to avid additional charges and the involvement of a debt collection agency.

Here is the chat log:

Arjun: Thank you for using One.com 24/7 Interactive Online Support. How may I assist you?
you: hello. I'd like to discuss a Payment Notice I have received via email.
you: Order number is 1458050
Arjun: Hii
Arjun: ok
Arjun: Hi*
you: are you retrieving the details or waiting for me?
Arjun: I am checking
Arjun: are you referring to the renewal email ?
you: yessir
you: "We have noticed, that you still have an outstanding amount of
22.77 GBP regarding order number 1458050, which covers services for the domain ragegame.org."
Arjun: ok, what is the problem please ?
you: well the email sounds like a demaind for payment. it mentions "not to burden me with further costs" i have decided to not bother renewing. I never used it in the end.
Arjun: Please hold on while I check
Arjun: Shall I send you the cancellation link ?
you: can you confirm there will be no additional costs?[/COLOR]
Arjun: The current renewal fee has to be paid as the subscription is already renewed. We renew all subscriptions 35 days before the end of the subscription period.
you: I didn't request renewal.
Arjun: It is an automatic renewal, which is done as you have not requested a cancellation.
you: i never agreed to automatic renewal.
Arjun: http://www.one.com/en_US/terms-and-conditions
Arjun: please refer to section 1.6, you have agreed to these terms when you placed the order.
you: and the penalty for refusing this?
Arjun: At first, we will add a reminder fee of 10GBP, if that is also ignored, our debt collection agency will be looking into the matter.
you: okay. this is not your fault but I find that to be really quite terrible. you will have recieved a bounce back regarding any emails that were sent to me as the email address was inactive until just a week ago and i received a single text message today from you but no other attempt to contact. so i will contest any involvement from the debt collection agency or court action. as a good will can ytou look to cancel based upon i paid for a year and never used the service. i think you did well out of it.
you: (not you, but you know what i mean).
Arjun: I understand what you mean, if we receive bounced back emails we always notify you via an alternative method
you: i was never notified until i got a text message today and reactivated the email account.
you: and since one.com had my telephone number.... that would have been an acceptable alternative.
Arjun: The SMS is the alternative, we do not offer telephone support
you: yes. that is what i mean. sms. it is my mobile number i supplied.
you: the SMS arrived today. too late for me to act.
Arjun: Here is what I have in the log:
Arjun: Dec 22, 2009 1:57 PMReturned mail and invoice sent with oridinary post
Arjun: we have sent out the invoice via post as the email bounced back.
you: i did not receive any invoice in the post. assume it was not a recorded delivery message.
Arjun: Since we did not receive a reponse to this, we have sent you the sms now.
you: too late, as i said. can you also check the log when my last activity on the account was? or when the URL was last accessed?
you: I'm merely asking for some goodwill to avoid any unpleasantness that may result.
Arjun: We do not maintain access logs as usage is not taken into consideration.
Arjun: I understand what you mean but at this point, we cannot have the invoice removed due to the renewal already having been done.
you: can you escalate the request? i never used the service in the end, so it was paid for, and unused.
Arjun: Sorry, I cannot do that, as you will receive the same answer I have given you.
you: okay. fair enough. take me to court and enjoy the bad press.
you: (not personal, you understand)
Arjun: Sorry about the issue
Arjun: Is there anything else I could assist you with?
you: nope. cheers. "see you in court" ;o)

I never bothered to use the domain or hosting beyond the first week. They got a full year out of me and have now sprung this auto-renew on me. I'm at a loss what to do.

The money is no biggie. I just feel like they're taking liberties with me.

If there is no way out of it, at least you should all be aware to avoid One.com Web hosting**-**Domain • Hosting • E-mail**

[jschneier]

Sounds like you may be stuck with last year's payment. I can't stand it when companies do this kind of thing. Obviously it doesn't encourage users to use their services.

[Rizzo]

Good on you for posting this. Nice for the rest of us to be aware and not use them!

[Flashgear]

I'd tell them where to go...

[Ani]

Hi,

am dismayed to find out that I'm in the same sorry situation as the OP.
Came across this site googleing to see if anyone else had been caught by their automatic renewal terms and conditions, and an email notice.

I would have thought that at the very least a renewal notice would have to be sent to my postal address rather than just an email.

Suppose if I really am too late to do anything about it now, then I am at fault too for bothering to read the terms and conditions properly when signing up/ giving out an email address which i use to redirect spam.

Just wondering wheter you have had any joy in fighting this AzH?
Should forgo spending time and energy fighting this or just resign myself to accepting the penalty charges?

Anyone got any other advice/thoughts regarding this?

[AzH]

I paid. Then asked for cancellation. Then took solace in that I had posted this at a number of sites. If as many as two people do not use them because of this, I will think it a moral victory.

[DB42]

Hi, I've just had the same experience, wondered how you have got on with this problem?

[Ani]

Unfortunately have to say that I paid and just let it drop.

Too many things going on right now (newly married - website domain was for my wedding website) for me to deal with this aswell :S

Sad thing is that they probably get away with stuff like this because ppl don;t find it worth the hassle to pursue it

[DB42]

Sadly I have now paid only because we are selling the house and this company could affect a credit rating, stinks really but the more people read this the better, might put them off using them, I found this company through a money saving website. lol