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HR Inform -an 'auto renew' agreement - what are your thoughts?

Sinead

Hello fellow professionals,

I'd welcome your views on auto-renew contracts and the fact that HR Inform is sold via an auto-renew contract.

I subscribed in 2019 and paid upfront for the year.  In 2020 I received an invoice and again paid upfront for the year.  This year I received the usual invoice but decided not to renew as I no longer need the service (to be honest I haven't used it very much) and I have recently been made redundant.  I continued to receive demands and eventually discovered that in fact the agreement I signed in 2019 was an auto-renew agreement and as I didn't give 30 days notice of termination, I am now liable for the full 2021 cost, even though I haven't used the service at all this year.

This seems harsh and although may be contractually correct, I don't like the approach (I'm receiving continuous reminders and demands from Croner Groups payments team).  I explained my situation and asked them to forgive the oversight of not realising it was an auto renew contract but my pleas have so far fallen on deaf ears and the demands are escalating.

I've been a member of the CIPD for nearly 25 years and have paid my memberships every month without question for all that time.  Am I being unreasonable in asking them to waive the payment this year?

Has anyone else had a similar experience?

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  • Hi, I just noticed that their cancellation policy did not look right and I think this is unacceptable from this CIPD approved service.
  • in reply to Angela

    To let you know, they said they can make it manual instead if I wanted.  The did write Manual on the document but then want you to sign this declaration:-

    "The contract shall be for the duration of the initial Contract Period (3 years down from 5) with no provision for early termination.  The contract shall continue automatically after the Initial Contract Period for the same period ("the Renewal Period") unless terminated by either party giving a minimum notice of 30 days written notice to expire at the end of the Initial Contract Period or any subsequent Renewal Period."
    This is only a one page document and once you sign, I am looking and I cannot see that you can cancel until your period ends?  Lawyers??
    Anyway, do you think CIPD are aware of this?  It is a real shame.
  • in reply to Angela
    I haven't ever used HR Inform, but having read this would be highly averse to entering any kind of renewing contract like this. Surely it does their brand no favours to depend upon this kind of practice to retain customers - if the product were strong enough, surely there would be no need for it. Does the CIPD have a view?
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  • in reply to Angela
    I haven't ever used HR Inform, but having read this would be highly averse to entering any kind of renewing contract like this. Surely it does their brand no favours to depend upon this kind of practice to retain customers - if the product were strong enough, surely there would be no need for it. Does the CIPD have a view?
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