The Independent Avis 

I signed up for a 6 month trial for £1 (switching to £99 per year after that). I haven't accessed it for months and had forgotten that I signed up. It would have been nice if I'd been emailed a warning that this payment was going to be taken (other companies do that !!)
I have now cancelled the paypal authorisation. I contacted Indepenent Newspapers as soon as I realised the payment had been taken (within an hour of seeing the email from Paypal) and they are refusing to refund. They have given me £50 refund.

I have been directed to read the terms and conditions of the trial. It mentions that it will automatically renew (at the price of £99) but does not mention that no advanced warning will be given when it is about to renew.

*UPDATE* They refunded me £50 leaving £49 owing. When I pointed Consumer Rights Act 2015. "This practice (giving no notice that a payment is about to be taken) deprives
consumers of their right to make an informed decision about continuing with the subscription and creates a significant
imbalance in the parties' rights and obligations to the detriment of the consumer." and issuing a letter before legal action they refunded remaining £49.

I would urge anyone in similar situation to quote the Consumer Rights Act 2015 which makes it illegal for any T&C which is weighted against the consumer.

The Independent is what is says on the label, independent from any meddling personalities or corporations. This is what we need in the world of media and is for people who don't like to be told how to think.

Labour loving psychopaths who will cover up child rape and sexual violence against women and children. Elon is coming for them. These gutter rats can't even write an article without bias. Stop showing up on my feed with your crap articles.

False information that is ‘clickbait’. And to view it you either need to pay them or allow them access to all your information via ‘personalised cookies’ so they can go on to sell it. Plenty of other better sites out there so I won’t be using them.

Fraudulent and deceptive use of fully AI-generated audio in videos without disclosure. For example, see "Cruise line cancels stops at ‘violent’ Mexican port following do not travel warning" on December 28, 2024. If website staff attempt to cover up this malicious behavior, Archive.org can be used to view old versions of the page that display evidence of the behavior.

Use of fully artificial, AI-generated audio without disclosure represents egregious fraudulent behavior and deception to site visitors who have a reasonable expectation that a website's content is authentic, real, and genuine photos, images, or art. In addition, failure to disclose AI-generated content means this site may use AI-generated articles or even AI-generated fake news images, without informing its audience, in a fraudulent and immoral attempt to gain profit. For this reason, this site cannot be trusted.

1/5. Do not visit. Blacklist.

Do not subscribe to trial period for the following reason:
I recommend that the independent pre-warn subscribers when the trial period ends and switches to £99 as consumers over a certain age do forget.
I think its marketing that traps unsuspecting elder consumers.
The only positive is agent did offer 50% discount.
Remember to cancel auto-renew.

I too signed up to the offer of a trial for 6 months. They have just taken £99 from my account with no warning! Just before Christmas! I asked for a full refund and they say I'm not entitled to one and attached their terms and conditions. They say as an act of goodwill they will refund me £50 but leave my subscription running until 2025. Surely this cannot be correct? I'm stunned at their appalling customer service!

Dangerous ignorance! Simply uninformed - Only interested in Sensational Headlines. Domestic Violence- invisible as usual... Article 27.11.24 'Young mother wrote ‘I was murdered’ in suicide note after suffering alleged abuse, trial hears'
Amy-Clare Martin
Help contacts at end don't include Women's Aid/Refuge .. it's as if, despite writing 'he tried to strangle her with a phone cord'/final assault which left her in hospital for 11 days', the writer fails to notice that the article is about domestic violence. They also, disgracefully, focus on the victim's 'mental health', but with no such references to the man who's now on trial for manslaughter. Worse than shoddy.

Sneaky money grab.

I signed up for the £6 for 6 months offer, not even sure that they sent a receipt. Didn't know that I had signed up for an account. Didn't know that they had pre-set Auto Renew.
They have just taken £99 from my credit card, no warning.
I requested a a 100% refund, which was refused. I have been offered a half price discount however.
Surely this is on breach of Distance Selling Regs?
These Regs seem to be very vague, so as much use as chocolate fireguard.

Cant even watch the vid always something interrupting

Accept cookies or pay... I'd like to point out that all websites should give clear ways to refuse cookies and tracking, asking for payment to remove them is illegal and I urge everyone to fill out a complaint form at ico.org.uk and to clear your cache as they place them on your computer whether you agree or not!

I used to read their articles a lot as a source for left leaning news. Now you are forced to pay or hand over your data for them to monetise. How does our society survive when the only source of news is misinformation and foreign propaganda unless you are willing to pay? This greedy pathetic money grabbing is creating echo chambers and dumbing down the people.

Your reviews tell it all! Left wing pathetic people writing news that only the brainless enjoy.

I signed up to see what it's like and hated the way the page keeps refreshing while I scroll down it. It's impossible to find out how to unsubscribe and they have now taken £99 from me. I am a pensioner and cannot afford this. They are crooks.

The Independent has become a joke. Biased journalism, constant misinformation and lies and to top it off, a 2 tier comment section.
You're free to spout any hate speech against Trump, but say anything critical about Harris or the democrats, and your comment is deleted.

These so called journalists need to be ashamed of themselves. Sold their pens and their souls.

articles are one sided and biased politically - eg a recent review by Connie Dimsdale on private schools. The headline was very unrepresentative and failed to report the community aspects of swimming pools - eg Repton pool is an asset for the local residents in the village and Adam Peaty frequently trained there for the Olympics. The article seemed to be headline grabbing click bait. The embossed stationary comment was from a public school - when there are only a handful of public schools in the country. Most private schools are much smaller. There is a wide range of fees and attainment. Also the "journalist" uses underhand tactics to get information

I was promised a refund for the subscription, but I am still waiting for it for seven days.

Dear Support,

I hope this message finds you well. I am writing to follow up on the refund that was kindly approved as a gesture of goodwill in your previous communication. Unfortunately, as of today, I have not yet received the refund in my account.

Given that my bill is due in the next five days, I would greatly appreciate it if this could be sorted out as soon as possible. This matter is becoming increasingly urgent, and I kindly ask for your prompt assistance in ensuring the refund is processed without further delay.

Please let me know if there is anything additional I need to do from my end or if there are any updates regarding this issue.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Kind regards,

Michael

Ever time I google UK news, the independent pops up with Boris Johnson still headlining the article before opening the read.. Boris Johnson is a complete disgrace yet the independent still use him as a headliner. Unbelievable.

If I could give a zero I would. Dreadful . Barely anything truthful is printed. It should be classified as a comic !!