Cancelling 1and1 contract

Hi there,

I started a contract with 1&1 on Friday for a .net domain and 12 months basic web hosting.

I had carefully read the terms and conditions before ordering, on my phone. However, when I received the order confirmation email I noticed that rather prominently displayed at the top was a warning that you must be 18 to use their services. I had not noticed this in the terms and conditions I read online, and further inspection shows that it is covered in point 8.16 - although the online T&Cs appear different to the attached PDF on the order confirmation. In any case, I am only 15 and started the package to host a new site of mine.

Therefore, I went to cancel.1&1.co.uk and cancelled the package. However, you have to confirm this over the phone and they are not open until Monday. I have cancelled PayPal authorisation for 1&1 too. Today, however, I have received my first invoice from 1&1 for the first three months of hosting, plus the domain, totalling £15.55 payable including VAT.

Now I am unsure of what to do. Legally, I shouldn’t even have the contract and I suppose it is my fault that I got into it although I will maintain that the age requirement is much less visible on the terms and conditions online than on the PDF with the order confirmation. What will 1&1 staff say to me when I eventually phone up to confirm the cancellation?

I have also read horror stories about leaving 1&1. It looks like I should be able to get out of the hosting under the 30 day money back guarantee; will I still need to pay for the domain? What I really want is to have the whole thing cancelled and receive no more invoices - or contact really - from 1&1.

Any advice appreciated.

Hi ilmiont. and welcome to the forums.

I’m not a lawyer, so I’m guessing a bit here, but if you’re only 15, then you’re still a minor in law in the UK, and therefore not able to enter into any legally-binding contract. So the contract should be void on that basis, if not also on the basis that 1&1 insist on a minimum age of 18. (Which may well be the legal minimum.)

Have you talked to your parents about it?

Hmm OK thanks that is what I thought. I shall call the cancellation confirmation tomorrow and see what happens anyway.

I’d concur with @TechnoBear - the contract is null and void as is, and they’re almost assuredly going to just refund it and cancel, as they can’t legally hold you to it anyway… at least that’s what I’d assume.

Well I’ve called the cancellation line now… They said that everything would be cancelled and that the invoice would be cancelled. I have email confirmation of this and a credit note voiding the invoice but currently the cancellation status is still showing as “awaiting confirmation” online, despite that being done and confirmed, and the domain still seems to function…

Give it a couple days. I would have actually been shocked if it was automatic.

This topic was automatically closed 91 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.