Yahoo Finance How to cancel unwanted subscriptions – from Sky to Amazon to your gym
It’s become part of modern life. Skimming through a bank statement only to realise you are still paying for a subscription you barely use and meant to cancel months ago.
Britain’s cost of living crisis is making households more aware than ever of their outgoings. And while signing up can be done at the press of a button, cancelling often takes longer.
Lisa Webb, a consumer law expert at Which?, advised setting up reminders to cancel at the end of free trials.
There is also currently a proposal for new regulations on so-called “subscription traps”, but until then Telegraph Money’s definite guide can help you cancel unwanted services as quickly as possible.
Ms Webb explained that proposed rules currently being debated in Parliament mean businesses will need to ensure it is easy for consumers to exit a contract, and will require them to be issued a reminder before one auto-renews.
There are also ways to keep getting some services for free, if you want to trim costs.
Many streaming services have free alternatives (although you will need a TV licence to watch BBC iPlayer and live TV on demand). Viewers can also rotate subscriptions, using Netflix one month and Disney+ the next, or share passwords – though Netflix is cracking down on this.
Consumer expert Helen Dewdney said people taking out subscriptions should be careful to read contracts and be aware of the 14-day “cooling off” period they are entitled to under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013.
Subscription trials will often offer the first month free but require that you input your payment details when you sign up. Some of the most popular subscriptions can be cancelled at the push of a button but others require more legwork.
Be wary of scam websites and check that the URL reads “https” at the start and has a lock symbol at the beginning. Make sure you read all the terms and conditions before you start the subscription, as some may impose a minimum term contract.
Customers are also protected against unfair contracts, for example, those that require a long notice period to cancel, by the Consumer Rights Act 2015.
Using a direct debit can help when companies are difficult with cancelling subscriptions, as you can cancel payments directly through your bank. This can mean that a customer will still owe a month’s payment, as some subscriptions are paid a month in advance.
Make sure to let your bank know that you’ve cancelled the subscription – that way, if a payment is taken accidentally, you will be covered by the Direct Debit Guarantee.
Here, Telegraph Money takes a look at some of the most popular subscriptions and how to cancel them.
Now read: The best value TV streaming services – and where you can still share passwords
Sky
Sky customers can cancel by calling customer service on 03337 590 958 or using the chat function on the website. Alternatively, they can email Sky at mysky@sky.uk.
A minimum 31 days’ notice is required to cancel Sky TV, talk and broadband.
The broadcaster offers an extended 31-day cooling-off period at the beginning of contracts, which is much longer than the two weeks that are legally required. Customers in the Republic of Ireland will only receive 14 days.
If Sky is your broadband provider, the Ofcom service launched in 2015 to make switching easier means that you can ask your new company to cancel your contract on your behalf.
You will be contacted by Sky and your new provider to confirm arrangements but this does not apply to Sky TV customers.
Pret
The five-coffee a day offering from the lunchtime hotspot was popular during the pandemic. At just £20 per month for 5 coffees a day it was a bargain.
But the price of the subscription has jumped to £30 and the sandwich chain is no longer offering a free first month, meaning some coffee drinkers don’t think it is as worthwhile.
To cancel the subscription, Pret users need to click the ‘Manage My Account’ link in the emails they receive from the chain. From there, you will need to login with your email and password and click through to cancel the subscription.
If you are going on holiday or might want to restart your subscription another time, you can always pause it rather than cancelling it completely. The pause is effective from the next midnight and lasts for 31 days.
It’s always worth calling to let the company know you want to cancel, as they might offer you a reduced rate. Pret has been giving those who wanted to cancel up to 50pc off for a month.
Disney+
Whether you signed up to watch reruns of Modern Family or to geek out on Marvel films, Disney+ has taken the streaming platform market by storm since it was launched in 2019.
The streaming giant, which costs £7.99 a month or £79.90 for a year and no longer offers a free trial, is also relatively easy to cancel.
Users simply need to log on to the site and click through to their profile before opening the Account section. From there, scroll to Disney Subscription and then click cancel.
You’ll be asked to give a reason why you are cancelling and then asked a final time to confirm that you wish to end the subscription.
Netflix
After years as the undisputed king of the streamers, viewers are getting Netflix fatigue and the number of British users is falling.
The streaming service offers several levels of membership, including Basic, Standard and Premium, ranging in price from £4.99 monthly with adverts to £15.99 a month for Premium, which offers higher resolution video quality.
The Netflix subscription is another membership that can be cancelled online by clicking on your profile, then through to account, before choosing the cancel option. You can always set up a new account if you change your mind later.
Amazon Prime
Amazon Prime offers a range of benefits, from free and fast delivery on products, Prime Video and Music, and even discounts in Amazon Fresh stores.
Customers can enjoy a one-month free trial before the paid subscription kicks in at £8.99 a month.
It also offers a six-month free trial for students and is then half price at £3.99 a month for those at university. For those who graduate, the subscription is often not immediately updated to a full account, offering extra months on the reduced rate.
A basic account just for Prime Video is a good option for those who don’t need free delivery but want to watch the streaming giant’s shows and films.
To cancel, Amazon Prime members need to login to their account and click through to Manage, select Update, Cancel and More, following the instructions on the screen.
If paid members haven’t used some benefits, including placing an order using the advanced delivery options, they may be entitled to a refund. Customers who placed an order but haven’t used Prime Video or Music may receive a partial refund.
Hello Fresh and Gousto
Food boxes offer an easy way to avoid a large weekly shop and often contain a wide range of easy but flavoursome recipes that even the most inexperienced chefs can replicate.
HelloFresh offers big discounts on first orders and allows customers to skip weeks at will, making it a flexible option.
To cancel, members will need to login to their account online and go to the settings page. From there, you can choose which subscription you would like to cancel before clicking close to confirm the end of the contract. The deadline for cancelling is five days before the next organised delivery.
Gousto is a similar offering and also allows members to skip weeks or pause their subscription. To cancel the subscription go to the My Account tab and choose “Disable My Account”. If you change your mind, accounts can be reactivated by getting in touch with the customer support team.
Beer52 and Wine52
Unlike many of the subscriptions in this list, customers of Beer52 and Wine52 need to call to cancel their membership.
The services offer monthly deliveries of between eight and twelve cans of beer for up to £37, with their beer magazine Ferment included. Beer52 claims 200,000 members and subscriptions can be paused or updated online.
To cancel, beer and wine enthusiasts must call the customer service line on 0131 285 2684. It is open between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday.
The alcohol subscriptions offer discounts on first orders with codes advertised on popular podcasts, such as The Rest Is History. But those living in a shared house should be warned that only one of these discounted orders is allowed per address.
Gyms
For those who signed up as part of a New Year’s resolution but can’t quite make the time each week to commit to sessions, cancelling gym memberships can be a real pain.
Some gyms will allow customers to quit their contracts with a minimum notice period but others will tie you in for the duration.
If you signed up online, you’ll be able to take advantage of the 14-day cooling-off period, although this does not apply if you joined the gym in person.
For those outside the two-week change-your-mind period, it might be worth seeing if the contract has any unfair terms, which include a more than 12-month lock-in period and major price increases without being able to cancel the contract.
Pregnancy, serious injury and illness can be considered a “change in circumstances”, meaning you might be able to get out of a contract or pause the membership. You’ll most likely need to provide evidence of the medical condition.
The first step is to write to your gym, setting out why you think the terms are unfair. You might need to escalate the complaint through the gym’s formal complaints procedure but there is not an ombudsman for gym contracts.
The final possibility would be small claims court or external disputes resolutions although you have to pay fees for cases in advance. Complaining to the Competition and Markets Authority might be more effective, as the body enforces consumer protection legislation.
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