On Top Up, a company that prides itself on offering a "simple way" to add credit to any mobile phone on any network, is under fire for its handling of subscription charges. Customers, including one who was owed £1,900, have expressed dissatisfaction with the company's refund policies and lack of transparency. The company's Trustpilot score reflects this growing discontent, currently holding a "poor" rating due to numerous negative reviews.
The controversy centers around On Top Up's top-up mechanism, which appears to involve an ambiguous step that can lead to customers inadvertently enrolling in a monthly subscription service. Once enrolled, customers do not receive notifications when monthly vouchers are issued, nor alerts if these vouchers remain unactivated and expire after two months. This lack of communication has sparked frustration among users who unknowingly incur recurring charges.
"Recurring charges only take place if the registered user manually activates the auto top-up feature from their account." – On Top Up
Despite this statement, the company's response to customer grievances has been inconsistent. Initially, On Top Up offered to refund one month of top-ups in cases of dispute. However, after complaints were escalated, the company increased its refund offer to cover a full year. The standard policy provides refunds for up to four months, but this can extend further if customers threaten legal action through small claims court.
The refund amounts offered are based on the money paid for the top-ups, less the associated fees. In one notable case, On Top Up's final refund offer was £1,440—significantly less than the £1,900 owed to the customer. This offer was adjusted multiple times before reaching the final amount, highlighting potential flexibility in the company's approach when faced with persistent complaints.
On Top Up's pricing structure also contributes to customer dissatisfaction. As a broker, it applies a near-20% mark-up on credits, starting at 95p for a £5 top-up, alongside fees for its top-up mechanism. This pricing, coupled with the subscription confusion, has led many customers to feel overcharged for the services received.