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Netflix has stopped supporting my old TV – what are my rights?
Q I’ve got a Samsung TV, which I admit is getting on a bit, but it still works well. I’ve found out that Netflix is going to stop supporting old models, and I think mine might be affected. I pay for a Netflix subscription, so can I get any money back for compensation?
Hilary Foster
A No, Hilary won’t be able to get any compensation. Companies are allowed to stop supporting services on devices they believe are too old. She might have had a valid claim if she had paid for an annual Netflix subscription and was now unable to use the service, but Netflix only offers monthly subscriptions. Many other companies do offer annual subscriptions though, so keep this in mind if any services you subscribe to stop working on old devices.
But while Netflix is allowed to do this, it hasn’t handled the move well. The only information it gives is a brief message at www.snipca.com/48074. It does list all the devices it works with (www.snipca. com/48073), which is helpful. But there’s no reason why it can’t also reveal those which are losing support.
Many Netflix customers are angry about the move. They reported seeing error messages when they tried to log in, and that it affected TVs made around 10 years ago by companies including Samsung, Sony and Toshiba. Netflix also appears to have stopped working on some old PlayStation consoles and Blu-ray players.
For more information, it might be worth contacting your TV’s manufacturer, or asking a question in their customer forums. Samsung, for example, confirmed in August that Netflix had stopped working on their 2010 (D-Series) and 2011 (E-Series) TVs – see www. snipca.com/48075.
CASE ONGOING
Can I be charged after cancelling subscription?
Q I cancelled my domain name with web-hosting firm UK2 (www.uk2.net) last year, but it has sent me a message saying my subscription will be automatically renewed for this year. UK2 told me that it agrees I’ve cancelled, but claims it can’t stop these reminders going out. Could UK2 get away with charging me again?
Peter Philips
A No, it couldn’t, and it would have to refund him immediately, so we’ve asked Peter to keep an eye on his bank balance. For extra security, he should tell his bank to block future payments to UK2. If he does this within 14 days of any money being taken he’s entitled to a full refund from the bank. If it won’t pay this, or fails t
