Not sure about this, but....
I don't remember renewing my licence this year. I got what I thought was a renewal reminder in the post some weeks ago and knowing when it was due (1st Sept), I left it unopened until today to open it and renew it, except....
It's not a reminder, rather it is a Payment Plan, suggesting they will just take the annual payment. In other words they just help themselves to your money, which I don't ever remember giving them permission to do.
Ring them up then. Brian
Thatb whatb the form is for: asking you to pay this way. By returning it you give permission.
charles brought next idea :
No, it takes the form of a statement that they WILL take the annual payment within 3 days of the 1st Sept., and the account details from which they intend to take it. I don't recall ever having given them permission to auto-renew my TV licence.
It does ask that I update my bank account details, if they are not current.
Perhaps it was the default option and you didn't notice. In principle, you can change it. These may be helpful:
I think if you grant them a direct debit then the small print says you agree to auto-renew. I remember noticing that at the time I gave them my account details.
Instruct the bank to deny any order except those you set up.
Well I've been watching Quest all evening. Far better than anything on the BBC. The licence is a rip-off as far as I'm concerned.
Bill
williamwright was thinking very hard :
I tend to agree!
Roger Hayter has brought this to us :
This is the first time it has tried to auto-renew and I have always paid by card.
Credit or debit? I don't see how they can take money by DD if they don't have your bank details. (I always pay by credit card.)
That *should* be the default situation. You shouldn't have to tell them!
Then there is nothing to be concerned about?
That would be my guess as well or a double negative tick box to agree not to authorise auto renewal.
always
It is possible for merchants to setup up regular payments from credit cards but it's not very common.
Didn't think you could set up direcct debits. You inform the merchant they can take payment by DD and they contact your bank to set it up. The bank should then write to you giving details of the new DD and asking if this is OK? The default answer being yes. Talk to Mr Jeremy Clarkson...
Max Demian expressed precisely :
I had to check the sort code on the letter, to find the bank. They will take it from my TSB debit account. I will ring TV licensing in the morning.
My car insurers started using the auto-renew a few years ago, without my consent. I made it clear that if they didn't stop it immediately they had lost me as a customer. They have never tried it on since.
I'm quite happy paying the regular auto-payments each month for gas, electric, phone, council tax and water - I have agreed to those and expect them, but not these large annual sums.
It may vary but with my accounts for a long time now it has been the /merchant/, not the bank, who confirms that a mandate has been set up (by email or post) - often along with the notification of the first payment.
If you sign in (uses licence number, surname and postcode) you should be able to see, and change, how they think you are paying.
Davidm explained on 30/08/2020 :
I would rather ring them up and complain, but I have just realised its a bank holiday tomorrow, so no one answering.
Indeed.
Most companies setting up D/D now get you to agree online, they pass this to the bank, and the bank accepts that without writing to you.
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