AA Service - More sharp practice?

[Pickled Piper]

I've been with the AA for several years. I let them hold my credit card details for their auto renew service. This has been fine. Every year they send me a renewal/ reminder letter a good month before my cover expires. The autorenewal figure quoted is always extortionate, so I just check on line and get them to price match. A bit underhand of them, but hey they always advise me a good month before auto renewing so no real issue.

You can probably guess what happened this year. No reminder letter, they just go ahead and autorenew my policy. I then get a letter of apology after the renewal date stating due to a technical error they didn't send out reminder letters, but not to worry as they have auto renewed and I am still covered. Their auto renewal figure is a good £90 more than they are quoting on line. A quick phone call and they refund the £90.

Has anyone else had a similar experience? Have they done anything illegal and who should I be complaining to? Genuine "technical error", or as I suspect, just sharp practice?

pp

[scotal]

They've refunded the difference. I don't think any ombudsman would uphold your complaint with that in mind.
They won't even consider it until you've exhausted the AA's internal complaints system either way, so if you want to moan about it you'll need to start with the AA. (Who will most likely tell you, nicely, that they've refunded your £90 and you should bugger off)

[Pickled Piper]

Yes agree your point. They happily refunded the money to me - so no issue on that front. However, it is the supposed "technical glitch" that prevented them from sending out a reminder letter that is my issues. Also, the practice of auto renewing at a high price and waiting for the customer to complain before doing the right thing.

annoyed
from the West Midlands

[greygoose]

It seems typical of the way companies nowadays try and stiff customers in the hope that they won't notice. The RAC are just as bad, it's a shame that companies do not reward the loyal customer.

[750turbo]

greygoose said:

It seems typical of the way companies nowadays try and stiff customers in the hope that they won't notice. The RAC are just as bad, it's a shame that companies do not reward the loyal customer.

Absolutely, Sharp Practise to say the least by the AA!

[Ultuous]

They're getting my goat these days too... I constantly get mailed and phoned by them trying to upsell house insurance/ breakdown insurance etc. etc.... I politely tell them that I don't want to be contacted again whilst trying to work unless it has something to do with the services I've asked for, and the phone goes dead for a few months before they start up again!

I got a flyer from them the other day offering me a discounted 'service' and safety check with the local main dealer as they care so much for my vehicle... It turned out in the small print (too small for a little old lady to read) that the 'service' was just an oil and filter change - nothing like anything in the manufacturer's service intervals (and it goes without saying that the safety check is just a cynical attempt to claw the 'discount' back in terms of generating extra work for the garage)

I know they've got to maximise revenue somehow, but it's got to the point where I'm considering going with someone else as I feel like I'm paying for the privilege of being constantly hassled and fobbed off with crap offers - I'm just worried the others probably behave the same way these days!

[/grumpy]

[sussexjob]

I just join when I breakdown, as modern cars very rarely do..I was last a member 6 years ago for a year.