When I updated my website I moved the hosting from 1and1.co.uk to a Brazilian host and I wanted to cancel my hosting package but not domain registration. No big deal you’d think. However, they have not allowed me to cancel my contract due to extremely poorly devised systems, in my opinion.
The situation
I normally pay by credit card. However for separate non-related reasons, the registered credit card was no longer valid. Originally, I chose not to update paymenr details until I had a guarantee I would not be charged. I then wrote requesting cancellation and I was repeatedly (over a period of over 2 weeks) sent the same email with instructions on ‘how’ to do this.
The problem
As per the instructions, I navigated to a page to change my package. I selected the option I wanted, and hit the continue button. This directed me to a page asking me to update payment details. However, I don’t have a credit card with a UK address. I have various credit cards, both English and Brazilian, but 1 and 1’s system would not accept the address. I have phoned and emailed on numerous occasions. On one occasion on the phone, I was told that 17th August was a holiday in England and to call back later… The real reason was the time of the call! I’ve sent screenshots documenting the problem
After a long phone call earlier today being forwarded 3 times to the ‘billing’ department (This is whom I thought I was speaking to), I eventually discovered the answer.
The solution
There is no solution. It is a Catch 22. You can’t cancel unless you ‘pay’. I can’t ‘pay’ because they refuse to accept perfectly valid credit cards because their inane error checking doesn’t allow me to enter my address. Even the person I spoke to was unable to do anything. She was using the same system that I was. How idiotic is that?
My advice
Stay clear of 1 and 1. They are cheap, but I’ve never had much success with them. I’m still waiting for answers to various questions I’ve posed over the years.
Has anyone else had similar experiences?
If anyone from 1 and 1 reads this, I would love to discuss this more, but it is impossible to get through the defensive barrier erroneously called the ‘help desk’. This a very much abridged account.
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