Cancelling Xbox Live account woes!

[zoombini]

Hello, when I took out my account it was to start on the 15th march 2003.

Well I rang up a few days before 15th March 2004 (my own idea) and asked if they could make it so that the account closes when it has finished & does not bill me for a new subscription (I had turned it to be monthly prior to this).

Well, I was told that they could NOT close the account before it was due & still enable me to use the last few days of the account. I was told that I would have to ring up on the 15th and cancel it then if I wanted to be able to use it till then.

So I did just that.

Now I find that I have been billed for an extra month & my account is closed.
The chaps at MS are saying that I should have rung up & cancelled the day before, however I have looked at the pages of xbox.com and it says nothing about that, I made a new account last night & I saw nothing about that in the T&C, I read the online T&C & it says nothing about this.
MS are saying that I should have received an email telling me this, 28 days before the due date.

I recall no email, has anyone got a copy of one that they can paste here?

Apart from the hassle that I am having in getting my money back, this highlights a flaw in the accounting software that MS use & the possibility for MS to make money from its customers when they do not provide a service.

I.E. you sign up for a service from 00:00 on the 15th 2003 to 11:59 on the 14th 2004 then you should be able to play online right up until this time.
However, they are saying that you need to ring up on the 13th 2004 to cancel the service & it will be cancelled then, losing you the days play on the 14th.
So I paid 39.95 for 365 days service but only get 364 & then lose 10p to uncle Bill.
Times this by the number of people that want to cancel after the first year (yes I know - no-one really wants to) and Bill gets loads of dosh, no wonder he has +/-£43Billion!!

My refunds are being arranged & I am expecting a call back about this today, however if I dont get them I shall be seeking assistance from elsewhere I.E. CAB etc.


Zoombini no more....

[Emperordalek]

To be a pedantic you did get 365 days of play as this year is a leap year!

[peachey]

Originally Posted by zoombini

Hello, when I took out my account it was to start on the 15th march 2003.

Well I rang up a few days before 15th March 2004 (my own idea) and asked if they could make it so that the account closes when it has finished & does not bill me for a new subscription (I had turned it to be monthly prior to this).

Well, I was told that they could NOT close the account before it was due & still enable me to use the last few days of the account. I was told that I would have to ring up on the 15th and cancel it then if I wanted to be able to use it till then.

So I did just that.

Now I find that I have been billed for an extra month & my account is closed.
The chaps at MS are saying that I should have rung up & cancelled the day before, however I have looked at the pages of xbox.com and it says nothing about that, I made a new account last night & I saw nothing about that in the T&C, I read the online T&C & it says nothing about this.
MS are saying that I should have received an email telling me this, 28 days before the due date.

I recall no email, has anyone got a copy of one that they can paste here?

Apart from the hassle that I am having in getting my money back, this highlights a flaw in the accounting software that MS use & the possibility for MS to make money from its customers when they do not provide a service.

I.E. you sign up for a service from 00:00 on the 15th 2003 to 11:59 on the 14th 2004 then you should be able to play online right up until this time.
However, they are saying that you need to ring up on the 13th 2004 to cancel the service & it will be cancelled then, losing you the days play on the 14th.
So I paid 39.95 for 365 days service but only get 364 & then lose 10p to uncle Bill.
Times this by the number of people that want to cancel after the first year (yes I know - no-one really wants to) and Bill gets loads of dosh, no wonder he has +/-£43Billion!!

My refunds are being arranged & I am expecting a call back about this today, however if I dont get them I shall be seeking assistance from elsewhere I.E. CAB etc.


Zoombini no more....

I was toying with the idea of having a years worth of xbox live

had a 1 meg connection and thought I might muck about with Wolfenstien
at some point

what are your suggestions about taking up the service at all?

[Zorilla]

What!

You have an xbox, and a 1Meg connection, and NOT Live

For £29.99 (Amazon) you can get the starter kit, and join the rest of us for a whole year!

No brainer - if you ask me!

[peachey]

Originally Posted by Zorilla

What!

You have an xbox, and a 1Meg connection, and NOT Live

For £29.99 (Amazon) you can get the starter kit, and join the rest of us for a whole year!

No brainer - if you ask me!

yes

have not got round to it yet

as did not have any 'Live'
xbox games - just standard halo and metalgear solid2 (which I am not all that keen on)

and the Sims - which is a waste of time

[zoombini]

Then you are missing a whole world of experience!

The sheer amount of fun that you can have on XBL makes it well worth the mere pittance that it costs & the fact that uncle Bill creams a days worth of fee from you.

Get some XBL games, if its sports your into there are many, if you like shooting games then Ghost Recon & Rainbow six 3 are the ones to look at.
There are plenty of other games out there too that will give you hours (and I mean hours!) of fun playing against others, laughing, joking & having a general banter.

Go for it, you will not regret it.

P.S. if your Xbox is chipped its another matter.

[peachey]

Originally Posted by zoombini

Then you are missing a whole world of experience!

The sheer amount of fun that you can have on XBL makes it well worth the mere pittance that it costs & the fact that uncle Bill creams a days worth of fee from you.

Get some XBL games, if its sports your into there are many, if you like shooting games then Ghost Recon & Rainbow six 3 are the ones to look at.
There are plenty of other games out there too that will give you hours (and I mean hours!) of fun playing against others, laughing, joking & having a general banter.

Go for it, you will not regret it.

P.S. if your Xbox is chipped its another matter.

thanls for the advice

I suppose I should have a go at it really

will have a cast around for some live games and get that kit of amazon or wherever

[kRAyZZed]

Originally Posted by peachey

thanls for the advice

I suppose I should have a go at it really

will have a cast around for some live games and get that kit of amazon or wherever

if you have broadband and the ability to connect your xbox to it then why not grab one of the free trials you can pick up....they have to be started by the end of march and they are 2 month trials, if you really need it, email me and ill see about getting you a trial subscription code (we have loads of them lying around at work and they do expire soon so.....)

[zoombini]

You will most likely find a trial subscription card in a live game too.

[grindkid25]

yeah. so what is the actual easiest way to cancel your live account?

[zoombini]

The easiest way is to call the Xbox support line number on 0800 587 1102, select live & then billing etc.

Tell them that you want to close your account, they will ask you for some ID, your last 4 cc digits etc & reasons why then note these down so that when uncle Bill finds out he knows why & doesn't get upset.

Get them to confirm that you will NOT be billed for the next subscription.
It may also pay to set your subsription renewal to be monthly in your Xbox config just in case.

DO THIS THE DAY BEFORE THE DATE OF RENEWAL SHOWN IN YOUR XBOX SUBSCRIPTION SCREEN

Then check your CC bill for the next few months for random MS debits.

Also before you do this, write down all your friends that you want to keep & then delete everyone on your friends list.
I dont know if its true, but I think that you still remain on thier friends list even though your account is closed, so be a mate & give them a space on thier list back.

BTW I am getting refunds on both the 4.99 monthly charges that I have been billed, although they have to go to the American branch for this.

[peachey]

Originally Posted by kRAyZZed

if you have broadband and the ability to connect your xbox to it then why not grab one of the free trials you can pick up....they have to be started by the end of march and they are 2 month trials, if you really need it, email me and ill see about getting you a trial subscription code (we have loads of them lying around at work and they do expire soon so.....)

cheers


thanks for the advice

might take a stroll into one of the game shops in town if
I get a chance today

[manowar68]

So why are you giving live up zoombini?

[zoombini]

I'm not
As if I'd give up XBL...

However I'm giving up the Zoombini tag.

Instead I'm going to be "UKThunderaregay" for 12 months.

[manowar68]

Originally Posted by zoombini

I'm not
As if I'd give up XBL...

However I'm giving up the Zoombini tag.

Instead I'm going to be "UKThunderaregay" for 12 months.

UkThunderaregay good one is that lot still around?

Glad to see your not giving live up,so what gamertag are you thinking of then?