A TeamViewer Customer who bought a license and opted not to renew was hit with a collection notice for “Future Uses”

[DrEagleTalon]

This Post from Reddit on r/SysAdmin details how TeamViewer Allegedly charged them for “Future Uses” which is just wrong, if true. 
 

The Comments on the Reddit Thread are others talking about how Linus had issues originally with TeamViewer as well. Also how he had to deal with them again.
 

Here is some of the text from the original post;

 

Quote

Be wary of TeamViewer’s license conditions, a user who purchased a legitimate license and opted not to renew, was hit with a collection notice for a ‘future uses’ This is a bad look.
 

Found on FB

 

This was on a FB group I’m in and figured it should have more exposure.

“TeamViewer we chose not to continue using your platform beyond the initial 12 month term we paid for up front, and you sick a collections agent after us for "future services."?  

 

Good luck with that...

 

And fair warning to everyone in this group actively using #Teamviewer.  The fine (very fine) print will have you tied to them for at least another annual contract for the "thanks for being a customer, sorry to see you go."”

1. Letter Received from the Collection Agency
2. Original FB Post Screenshot:
3. Link to the original Facebook post: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thisisanitsupportgroup/permalink/3397136133865576/
4. The Post on Reddit

[BlueChinchillaEatingDorito]

What's the issue here? It looks like the usual "I forgot to cancel my subscription I did not intend to renew and now I'm stuck with a subscription I didn't want" scenario. The same shit happens with Amazon Prime and Apple TV. It seems they didn't do their due diligence with cancelling the subscription before whatever trial or promotion period ended and now they have to deal with the consequences. 

 

There seems to be a lot of deliberately omitted information here to put TeamViewer in a bad light. And I have no investment in TeamViewer since I use Microsoft Quick Assist (which is free). 

[manikyath]

i agree this is a shitty business practisce, and if anything they should just pester you to renew on time and just cold cut off your license at the end of the license.

 

then again.. it didnt take me more than a cursory read to find this in the terms, which i'd assume you'd at least check the segments about payment and termination before you toss 600 bucks at a company..

Quote

 

Unless otherwise specified in the Contract, the initial term of the Contract for Subscription shall be twelve (12) months (“Initial Term”) and automatically renewed for subsequent periods of twelve (12) months (each a “Renewal Term”), unless either party notifies the other party no less than twenty-eight (28) calendar days prior to the end of the Initial Term or any Renewal Term that the Contract shall not renew. Ordinary termination rights are excluded during the Initial or Renewal Term.

 

yes, OP got stiffed hardcore, but this could all be avoided by a cursory read, and setting a calendar notification 30 days before the end of the term. the terms arent even written in too much legal speak. yes, they're covering a lot of bases, but they are also VERY clear about how termination works.

[An0maly_76]

5 minutes ago, BlueChinchillaEatingDorito said:

What's the issue here? It looks like the usual "I forgot to cancel my subscription I did not intend to renew and now I'm stuck with a subscription I didn't want" scenario. It seems they didn't do their due diligence with cancelling the subscription before whatever trial or promotion period ended and now they have to deal with the consequences. 

 

There seems to be a lot of deliberately omitted here to put TeamViewer in a bad light. And I have no investment in TeamViewer since I use Microsoft Quick Assist (which is free). 

I think the issue here is the sneaky auto-renewal if they are not notified of the licensee's intentions. I mean, seriously. If you don't renew your car's license plates, they go dead and the DMV will not bother you about it. You have nothing to worry about unless you drive the car, right? And even then, a cop has to see you do it, as opposed to the car or license plate electronically snitching you out to DMV or police.

 

You shouldn't have to remember to cancel a subscription. I've had so much sneaky BS like that on random apps and games through Google Play I spend very little time on them anymore.

 

This crap is all a money grab. Just like BMW with its subscription-enabled heated seats, and Toyota's subscription-enabled remote start. You paid for the option with the car, you shouldn't have to pay by the month to use it. And you shouldn't have to remember to cancel a subscription, either. It runs out, it just runs out. And getting a debt collection agency involved? Seriously? I don't condone it, but I've seen people get shot over less.

[Dutch_Master]

Slight problem with that reasoning; you're conducting business the American way. The customer is in Germany, which does NOT fall under US jurisdiction. Instead, EU and German Law applies here, which is far more protective of customers then US law ever will be. Any fine print contradicting EU Law is automatically void, no matter how legally binding the American contract layers made it.

[Blue4130]

3 minutes ago, An0maly_76 said:

I think the issue here is the sneaky auto-renewal if they are not notified of the licensee's intentions. I mean, seriously. If you don't renew your car's license plates, they go dead and the DMV will not bother you about it. You have nothing to worry about unless you drive the car, right? And even then, a cop has to see you do it, as opposed to the car or license plate electronically snitching you out to DMV or police.

Sad to say, in my city in Canada, auto plates DO automatically renew unless you cancel them.

[manikyath]

9 minutes ago, Dutch_Master said:

Slight problem with that reasoning; you're conducting business the American way. The customer is in Germany, which does NOT fall under US jurisdiction. Instead, EU and German Law applies here, which is far more protective of customers then US law ever will be. Any fine print contradicting EU Law is automatically void, no matter how legally binding the American contract layers made it.

that'll depend on if lawyers think teamviewer notified them 'enough' that the subscription will automatically renew.

which.. given it's in the EULA in quite readable text, i assume it would be.

(EDIT: to clarify, this is a snippet from an EU resource on this matter)

Quote

Contracts for specific periods of time often include a tacit extension clause, which means that the contract is automatically renewed on the expiry date if you didn’t remember to cancel your subscription.

However, the seller must draw your attention to this clause before you enter into an agreement. Did the seller fail to do this? In that case, the automatic renewal of your subscription is illegal and you can claim back any charges and still cancel the subscription.

EDIT EDIT, i went to dig on teamviewer's site, on the order page itself:

 

"Price per month, billed anually"

 

sounds crystal clear to me tbh...

[novocain]

As a newfag I'd like to point out the difference between a license and a subscribtion: the first one is something you buy, like a lend or lease. You pay, therefor you are allowed to use. Usually the user has to pay upfront and is reminded that he has to pay or that his license is about to expire. If he wants to continue, he has to make a payment again.

At a subscription is the user is informed upfront that the "license giver" (e.g. Team Viewer) is allowed to charge you in regular intervals.

 

While we're getting pretty comfy with the option to quit both types of a contract within a day or a week, there are still plenty of companies that still demand a notification 28-30 days upfront and only when that is given and you have a confirmation from the other party of your contract, said contract can safely be deemed terminated.

 

That beeing said: READ THE EULA. Especially when you're using software for work as a company.

Have a nice day.