So I tried plus a few weeks and did not like it so I cancelled it. This evening I get a pop-up saying I’ve been opted into a free trial of Plus? Anyone seen this?
Just don’t use it?
Have you asked support to turn it off?
This could be as simple as bad timing. I noticed a code change in the 
app last week which suggested (totally my interpretation here) a possible upgrade-for-free-for-a-while feature, which I thought was intended to target Plus users to upgrade to Premium. It hasn’t yet been switched on for me, but that doesn’t mean it hasn’t been switched on for any other Monzo user. And I’m Premium so there’s a 99.9% chance I’ll never see such an invite anyway…
But it could also be targetting Plus/Premium users (who have previously cancelled) to invite to the paid tiers again. Totally my individual assumption again too. The code line, applicable to my account:
<boolean name="paid_existing_users_free_trial_scaleup" value="false" />
I’m a bit old fashioned in that customers should sign up for something not be automatically be enrolled for it…
I’m also not sure that Monzo meets its requirement for what the FCA handbook calls method and timing of communication where you are automatically opted into a paid service and information on how to exit immediately is not present without having to enter the chat process but that’s just my quick skim of the handbook…
That all sounds about right - maybe they are trying to just convert free to plus for the moment?
Hum… looking further into this - this seems to be a breach of BCOBS 2A.1 Restriction on marketing or providing an optional product for which a fee is payable.
I will make a complaint and we will go from there.
Does that apply if you don’t ever have to pay?
Isn’t the offer free though?
In which case a complaint won’t get too far.
The key is to make sure it IS free and then that it is automatically canceled when the offer period expires. If ‘no’ to any of those 2, you’ve got a complaint-case.
Depends on how you interpret the wording:
Note it doesn’t say “is” or must" just may
Let’s see how the complaint shakes out.
According to Reddit you won’t ever be charged, which means the clause doesn’t apply. If they charged you then that’s different.
It will get to the omsbudman because I’m just like that.
And it won’t get any further because it’s just a free trial, which by all accounts won’t lead to any payments been taken. But hey good luck on the lost cause, please do come back and update us when the decision is made.
I will but it will be three or four months.
Aren’t you supposed to demonstrate that you’ve tried to resolve it first? i.e. Contact Monzo and see what they’ve to say?
Yes of course - this is not my first time on the dance floor…
ok… but reading your replies it seemed like you were going straight to the ombudsman. You’ve gone from being curious and asking a few questions to immediately quoting banking regulations and saying “I will get this to the Ombudsman”.
Out of interest what are you looking for? An apology, clarification or some form of compensation perhaps?
Modification of process.
Compensation is not relevant or appropriate in this type of case because there is no loss.
A free trial is all fine and dandy. I do think it’s a bit odd to auto enrol a user without any say though. Just a screen saying ‘Hey, try this for free’ and yes/no buttons would be desirable imo.
Would be interested in what information is presented to users auto enrolled regarding this. Do you have any screenshots to share?
Sadly I did not screen-shot
The big white heading however of
“We’ve upgraded your account for free”
is technically correct but shady.
The fact also you cannot opt out at that point. I have seen a few people on twitter say they were unsure how to exit and just seen a user there also suggest he does not think this is line with UK bank regs - might DM him and see if it is for same reasons as me.
Having the offer of a free trial, cool.
Having a free trial which goes onto a paid plan which you are placed onto without express consent, not cool.
Emma do a similar thing but they make it explicitly clear it’s a free trial with a limited period when you first sign in