National Ice Centre

I regret to inform you that the service provided by the Ice Centre did not meet my expectations.

Our daughter previously engaged in figure skating training at your facility. After several months, she decided to discontinue her participation, and we subsequently sent an email requesting the cancellation of our direct debit arrangement. Upon reviewing our bank statement the following month, we observed that the usual payment (processed on the first day of each month) had not been deducted. However, a few months later, my wife discovered that the ice centre had continued to debit our account despite the cancellation request previously made.

We have contacted the ice centre via email (there is no alternative contact option) and briefly explained the situation.

In response to their request, we provided a copy of the email containing the direct debit cancellation request that was sent to them at the appropriate time. Subsequently, we were asked to furnish a copy of the acknowledgment email that they claim to automatically send as an auto-response. However, we were unable to locate this email as it has been approximately three months since the initial correspondence. It is possible that the email was filtered into the spam folder and subsequently deleted after 30 days, as per our mailbox settings. We were advised to contact our email service provider to inquire about the non-receipt of the email. Good luck to us in obtaining these answers from Google.

Regarding the revised date of the initial data collection post-cancellation, we were advised to contact our bank. This demonstrates a consistent pattern of placing the onus of proof on us, implying wrongdoing on our part. The direct debit policy provided by the company is concise, consisting of only three lines. However, it lacks crucial information regarding the cancellation process. Specifically, it does not specify the acceptable form of cancellation (written or verbal) or the designated recipient and contact details (postal address or email) for submitting the cancellation request. This omission places an undue burden of proof on customers who are seeking to cancel their direct debit arrangements and obtain rightful refunds. It is imperative that the company acknowledges its oversight and rectifies the situation by providing comprehensive and accurate information about the cancellation process, thereby ensuring a fair and transparent resolution for all parties involved.

In a spirit of goodwill, the manager offered to refund 25% of the total outstanding amount. While we declined this offer, we extended a counterproposal as a gesture of our goodwill. We expressed our willingness to accept a voucher for the entire amount owed to us, which could be redeemed for skating sessions or ice hockey games. This option would ultimately be more cost-effective for them.

It has been a month since I have not received any response. The first email regarding the issue was sent at the beginning of January!

I may need to take legal action in order to recover the funds.