Charges for subscriptions and recurring charges The onus should be 100% with the supplier of the service / subscription to clearly and unequivocally notify the customer every time they intend to charge them. These notifications must not be hidden in terms and conditions. Subscriptions for non product based items, eg Gym memberships, must be subject to immediate cancellation when the customer or supplier wants to cancel. No penalty clauses, early cancelation fee or notice period costs should be applicable. Product based subscriptions, eg magazines, should be able to be cancelled for the period where the supplier has incurred no costs, magazines are not printed a year in advance but you should be expected to pay for the magazine for one or two issues ahead. Costs must not be hidden in unrealistic admin, card charges or delivery charges. Example 1) Unless the gym can prove that they turned away a customer recently due to over capacity then there must be no issue in cancelling the subscription. 2) A £3.99 fee for a three day test of a dating website must not be followed up with a £40 monthly fee unless the customer has been made 100% aware at the initial purchase of the test and again before the funds are requested for the monthly fee. The onus is on the supplier to ensure the customer wants the service, not to presume they want it due to lack of action. 3) If I cancel my subscription to Men’s Health magazine then I can be expected to pay for the month I cancelled in and maybe the next month, however I must be able to cancel if I choose without have the pay the full period’s subscription if relevant. 4) Unreasonable admin charges, card charges and postage charges must not happen, margins are made on your product not in over recouping your distribution costs. Bottom line is companies must make products that mirror the selling price and not attempt to create margins in overheads by duping their customers. The law must protect the public and not the companies.