Warning for anyone wanting to move PSP away from Protx!

[TraceyHand]

I'm cancelling my Protx account and had notified them, in writing.

Today, I get this email

Thank you for your letter

I'm sorry to hear that you wish to close your Protx account.

When you signed up to use our services you agreed to our terms and conditions. Our terms state that you need to give 3 months notice to close your Protx account, and all fees become payable immediately on termination.

You can pay your termination fee via credit/debit card by calling us on 0845 111 4455. Alternatively, payment can be made by cheque or by BACS using the following bank details:

xxxxx

Please use your vendor name or your account reference to help us identify your payment.

Once the termination fee has been paid we will cancel your Direct Debit and your account can remain open for the notice period.

We would be grateful if you could also let us know the reason you wish to close your account.

Kind Regards,

wtf?
THREE months notice?
Serves me right for not noticing or remembering that from signup (way back about 5 years ago!) I suppose but nobody would expect it to be 3 months, would they?


Just a heads up for anyone else, who might be thinking about moving away, to check their notice period!!

[grantglendinnin]

I'm cancelling my Protx account and had notified them, in writing.

Meh, I was contemplating doing the same - AP seems to come hand-in-hand with Actinic nowadays, but feel AP's rates are much higher than what Protx offer. Although you have other reasons for doing so (good luck, btw!), it makes you wonder what they do with companies that fold quickly and don't give 3 months notice.

[RuralWeb]

3 months sound reasonable to me - it's the same wtb most things eg hosting, mobile contracts etc etc

[Duncan Rounding]

It also gives Protx and the merchant tinme to clear any auths and callbacks.

[TraceyHand]

I understood the chargeback aspect. I'd given 8 weeks notice anyway. In my experience, if it counts for anything, 3 months is a lot!

[RuralWeb]

vodafone were going to charge me a year to cancel my contract with them - most hosting is 30 days so 3 months is the top end of the scale but you are dealing with transactions that take time to clear etc so I can see why they want to keep you on the hook

[TraceyHand]

phone contracts hardly compare!
Just makes me wish I'd cancelled when I first knew I was closing rather than waiting (even though closing became transferring)

[RuralWeb]

Everyone is getting the same these days. I'm even doing it now with my support contracts being a minimum of 12 months with balance due if cancelled before end.

Actinic tried a fast one on me the other day - sent out my support renewal on the 9th - I got it on the 10th and had to notify them by the 11th if I did not want it or they would invoice me.

[RuralWeb]

Slow payment lists are now becoming common with companies actively slowing payments to certain suppliers. We found we were on one last week - the result was the company being told to find another designer.

[TraceyHand]

Re. the cover contract. I've noticed that a lot actually. Very lttle notice and/or opportunity to change/cancel.
Something for actinic to look into, I think.

[CymraegKev]

Yep, I've cancelled about five WP accounts for various clients and all of them have been on the three month termination. All but one of the clients took it on the chin.

[RuralWeb]

Sharp practice IMO - I cancelled

[cbarling]

If you're on an Actinic Payments contract that is monthly, there's no notice period. So you can cancel at any time and it will be effective from the point the contract would renew.

I hate paying for something that I don't want. This isn't a legal commitment, but with Cover, we are sometimes late on renewal reminders, but you will find that we will credit you if the contract has renewed and you don't want it.

On the point about the cost of Actinic Payments, it's priced to be very competitive. I think you will find if you read the full details it's cheaper than most and in the same ball park as the lower cost ones. As far as I'm aware, the £100 per annum package is the lowest cost entry point for a PSP service in the UK.

Remember that we quote monthly transaction allowances, some of the others quote the number of transactions included in a quarter.

Chris

[grantglendinnin]

On the point about the cost of Actinic Payments, it's priced to be very competitive. I think you will find if you read the full details it's cheaper than most and in the same ball park as the lower cost ones. As far as I'm aware, the £100 per annum package is the lowest cost entry point for a PSP service in the UK.

Remember that we quote monthly transaction allowances, some of the others quote the number of transactions included in a quarter.

Thanks Chris - perhaps it's time I took another look at AP. We got hit for six by Protx for going over the 'quarterly' limit twice, as the majority of sales are done through the second and third quarters. Wasn't our fault, we advised them on every aspect of our business but they still gave the recommendation of that package but we still broke the barrier. Turns out they'll do as the customer says, not as the boss said.

[Darren B]

Oooh Tracey wont be too pleased but PROTX have just confirmed with me that they are only charging 2 months, also you have the option to continue to use the account during this period.

Which makes you wonder why they need the notice if you can continue to use the account, so its not to clear charge backs.

anyway sorry tracey