In Jan I took out a 'free trial' with Homestead Technologies Inc. It was immediately apparent that it was unsuitable for my needs so I telephoned the number they provided to cancel.
This required an international call and I was placed on hold with an expected waiting time of 8 mins. I accepted the offer of a call back. Just to be safe, I submitted a help ticket. This is what I wrote:
"You wrote on 1/24/08 at 1:31pm:
I have dialled your cancellation number as required and was given an 8 minute wait time. Given that this is an international call, I cannot wait so long and have requested a call back.
Just in case this system does not work, I am also mailing my request to cancel. Very simply, the store does not offer the degree of sophistication that I need and wish to cancel with immediate effect.
My free trial site is stores. Homestead.com/*-*
If I need to provide further information, please telephone me on the number below, allowing for the fact that I am based in the UK, (? 8 hours ahead?)
Thanks"
Please note that all I was required to do to cancel was to telephone their number - but I could not get an answer, so left a message requesting a ringback. From a legal perspective, I believe that I am expected to take reasonable steps to cancel the account. Homestead did not ring me back as requested and the email was sent simply to cover my bases. Note also that I offered to supply any further information required by telephone.
Anyway, I thought no more of it - I was not well for most of 2008 and only recently have been picking things up again. I noticed at the end of March that I had been billed monthly for something I did not recognise and I had to cancel my credit card to stop the perceived fraud.
Homestead then emailed me pointing out that my card had been cancelled and I was initially relieved to have found a point of contact. I submitted a query to their help desk. My expectation was that they would notice their billing error - I knew it was not something I had authorised - and would issue a refund. How wrong can you be!
For the sake of transparency - there follows a complete cut and paste of the communication. I would like to comment further, indeed I could rant for some time, but I will try to restrain myself.
"You wrote on 4/1/09 at 5:06am:
I have had real difficulties accessing this account because i have no idea what it is! I have also tried telephoning, but this is an international call and I was left holding. I emailed you on the 26th March, but have not received an answer - here are the details:
I am relieved to receive this email from you as I had tried to contact you (having Googled your site) and could not find any method of doing so.
I was ill for a large part of last year and consequently did not verify my bank statements. Recently as part of my business accounting, I realised that a sum has been going out on direct debit monthly, and I don't know anything about this.
There is the possibility that I may have used a free trial of your product - I really don't remember - but you will see that your service/product has not been used. I had no idea who you were and the bank was about to investigate fraud!
I would be grateful if you could check your records.
Many thanks"
Their answer
C* wrote on 4/1/09 at 8:19am:
Hello *,
We are Homestead technologies. A website creating tool that allows you to create a website.
I don't know what you mean by checking our records. If you wish to cancel this service then you can do so.
I'm very sorry that our service does not meet your current needs. If you'd like me to close your account, please provide the following information to help us process your request:
* Your account login name
* Your PIN number
* Your registered e-mail address
Please remember you are also welcome to downgrade your account to a lower service package. I can provide you with more information on this, if you are interested.
Also, if you do indeed decide to cancel, we would truly appreciate you sharing your reason for canceling your account. Our members are our top priority, and we would love to know how we could help you maintain your account, or how we could improve our service.
If there is anything specific that you feel we could do or offer to help you keep your website account, please let us know. We highly value your business, and please remember we are here to help.
*important notes:
- We cannot close your account until we received the information noted above. Please update this ticket with the above information if you wish to complete your cancellation.
- Please note that users will not receive a refund for the prepaid service period upon cancellation. Our Member Agreement outlines this policy in Section 3 (Charges & Billing.)
- If you have registered or transferred a domain name (e.G. Www.yourwebsite.com) to your website account and would like to use that domain name elsewhere, please contact us for more information.
- We do not renew domain names in closed accounts. If you would still like to manage the domain name (s) in your website account (if any), you need to unlock the domain name and transfer the domain name out, to a new registrar.
*
Internet Product & Support Specialist
Intuit/Homestead
My mail
You wrote on 4/1/09 at 9:50am:
There is little wonder that I don't recall what this account is about.
It appears, now that I have managed to access your help centre, that I requested cancellation of the free trial on the 2nd February! Having notified you, I expected the account to be closed. I am quite confident that my credit card will accept this as adequate notification and so would be grateful if you would refund all charges urgently.
I do not know my account login name.
I do not know my PIN number
The email address associated is * - I only have this information because you mailed me when I cancelled my card. (That was the only way I could find to stop the billing!) In case you wonder, I was able to work out the password by working through all my usual choices.
Please confirm my refund.
Thanks
PS I would also like to suggest that you offer some alternative contact methods as this has been a nightmare!
Their response
* wrote on 4/1/09 at 10:10am:
Hello Claire,
I sent you your pin.
My mail - getting cross now!
You wrote on 4/2/09 at 11:19am:
I do not require a PIN - I require an immediate refund of all payments. As I explained before, I have had to cancel my card in order o stop the billing and I am satsified that my credit card company will accept my help ticket to close the account last February as adequate evidence.
I really do not know what you think you are playing at but this is outrageous. I take a week's free trial and before the end, I cancel it. Because you wanted me to jump through some more hoops providing information you already have (ie - you have just supposedly sent me the PIN you ask for!) you continue to bill me for another year!
The matter has already been flagged to the card issuer, but it seems I have little option but to complete their paperwork and claim fraud.
Their response
* wrote on 4/2/09 at 11:43am:
Hello
This account has been open since 02/23/08. If your email is [email protected] then you can receive the pin that I sent so you can verify it and I can close the account. As of now, I can only give you the last payment as a refund on the account.
Internet Product & Support Specialist
Intuit/Homestead
My mail - getting crosser
You wrote on 4/2/09 at 1:23pm:
Fine - I will ask my bank to negotiate the refund of all the payments with you. It is abundantly clear that I requested closure within the 7 day trial and have not used the account since.
I am appalled at your attitude.
THEIR RESPONSE - can you believe this?
* wrote on 4/2/09 at 1:53pm:
Hello
You are more than welcome to speak to your bank about this. At this time I still can't close the account because you have not given me the pin number that I sent to your email. If you provide that pin I can close out the account and you can settle it with your bank.
*
Internet Product & Support Specialist
Intuit/Homestead
My last mail
You wrote on 4/3/09 at 2:19pm:
*
I have completed the forms notifying my bank that your charges are unauthorised and are considered to be fraudulent.
You might like to check again my first support ticket of January. I notified you immediately that your product was not suitable for my needs.
- I tried to telephone as per your system
- I left a message requesting a callback
- I completed a support request confirming that I did not need the account.
Under the circumstances, there is absolutely no excuse for billing me.
You will see that it has not been accessed since. Requests for additional information are ridiculous because you have the account details, you know that the credit card has been stopped and finally, it is necessary to log in with email and password in order to complete a support ticket.
Please issue full refund.
Their response - i am angry beyond words!
* wrote on 4/3/09 at 2:44pm:
Hello,
Please provide me your Pin number. The account is still open.
*
Internet Product & Support Specialist
Intuit/Homestead
INTUIT/HOMESTEAD = complete *holes
Claire
Uppingham
United Kingdom
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