Can You Have A Contract Without Ever Signing For Such?

[Khandro]

My website has been changed to a new provider. The old provider says my 'contract' with them does not  run out for a further year, but I have never signed any such contract with them.

They have been subtracting bi-annually their fee which I have stopped. Am I correct in doing so, and should I pay someone 100 euros for doing nothing? 

[newmodarmy]

You can have a contract without signing- you can accept just by implicitly agreeing to their terms, paying any consideration and using the service. There should be cancellation terms you will have been shown as part of the Tc and Cs you probably just clicked past (we nearly all do). You might be able to negotiate something. Good luck!

[THECORBYLOON]

You might have clicked on a website to indicate you agreed to pay or you agreed to something you hadn't noticed involved a payment.

[david small]

Yes you unfortunately can.

[newmodarmy]

And I assume you must have provided your credit or debit card details if they have been taking money.

[Khandro]

newmodarmy; No, there was direct debit taken twice a year.

 

[barry1010]

Yes you have a contract and now you have breached the terms and conditions.

[newmodarmy]

OK, you agreed to the contract by clicking to agree and by paying the direct debit.

[THECORBYLOON]

How did the website get your bank details?

[barry1010]

Khandro signed up for the service and made use of the service, Corby. 

[Old_Geezer]

But that would have been with the original provider.

However I expect the contract will have legally been passed over to the new company.

[Gromit]

You have a website?

What is your url ?

[THECORBYLOON]

BARRY I gathered that but KHANDRO appears to be under the impression he did not agree to the payments so what were the direct debits for?

 

 

[barry1010]

I think he agreed to the payments for the service he was getting but didn't realise he had contracted for a set period nor that the company could transfer him to a third party with the set period enforced.

[Khandro]

The original 'contract' was set up 18 years ago by a 'techie' on my behalf, details of my bank account would have been given at that time. I have instructed my bank not to pay any further payments.

I have posted to them ( by real mail) a polite letter thanking them for their services & informing them that the change does not reflect on my dissatisfaction, but has been brought about by technicians who prefer a fuller control of my website. The notices I am getting requesting payment are obviously computer generated - I just received one this Sunday evening.

On reflection, the only connection they have to me is via my email address. The new hosted website has a different password so they can not enter it directly

The 100 euros I can afford, but in principle it seems unfair to be forced to pay for a service which is not being provided.