Stopping Pact Coffee: What you need to know

About Pact Coffee

Pact Coffee is a UK-based coffee subscription service that has been delivering freshly roasted, specialty-grade coffee directly to customers' doors since 2012. Founded with a mission to revolutionise how people buy coffee, Pact works directly with coffee farmers to source high-quality beans, which are then roasted to order at their roastery in Haslemere, Surrey. This means that subscribers receive coffee within days of roasting, ensuring maximum freshness and flavour.

The company operates on a flexible subscription model, allowing customers to choose from a wide range of single-origin coffees and blends. Subscribers can customise their delivery frequency, grind type, and quantity to suit their consumption habits. Pact Coffee prides itself on ethical sourcing practices, paying farmers significantly above Fairtrade minimum prices and maintaining long-term relationships with their growers.

As a subscription service, Pact Coffee requires customers to commit to regular deliveries, though they emphasise flexibility in their marketing. However, as with any subscription service, there may come a time when you need to cancel. Whether you're moving house, changing your coffee consumption habits, finding the service too expensive, or simply wanting to try alternative providers, understanding your rights and the proper cancellation procedure is essential.

The company is registered at A403, The Biscuit Factory, 100 Clements Road, London SE16 4DG, United Kingdom. This address is important for formal correspondence, particularly when cancelling your subscription through official postal channels.

Subscription plans and pricing

Pact Coffee offers several subscription options designed to accommodate different household sizes and coffee consumption patterns. Understanding your current plan is crucial before initiating cancellation, as it affects billing cycles and notice periods.

Standard subscription options

Pact Coffee structures its subscriptions around bag size and delivery frequency. Customers typically choose from 250g bags or larger 1kg bags, with delivery schedules ranging from weekly to monthly intervals. The pricing varies depending on the coffee type selected, with single-origin coffees generally priced higher than blends.

These prices are approximate and may vary based on the specific coffee selection and any promotional offers active at the time of subscription. Pact frequently runs introductory offers for new customers, which may affect the first few deliveries before reverting to standard pricing.

Commitment and flexibility

Unlike some subscription services that lock customers into lengthy contracts, Pact Coffee advertises itself as a flexible subscription with no long-term commitment required. This means that, in theory, customers should be able to cancel at any time. However, as with many subscription services, the practical reality of cancellation can be more complex than initial marketing suggests.

The subscription automatically renews based on your chosen frequency, with payments processed before each dispatch. This automatic renewal system means that timing your cancellation correctly is essential to avoid unwanted charges and deliveries. Therefore, understanding the exact terms and conditions governing cancellation becomes critically important for protecting your consumer rights.

Cancellation terms and conditions

As a UK-based subscription service, Pact Coffee must comply with consumer protection legislation, including the Consumer Rights Act 2015 and the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013. These laws provide important protections for subscribers who wish to cancel their service.

Your legal rights under UK law

Under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, you have specific rights when entering into distance contracts, which includes online subscriptions. You have a 14-day cooling-off period from the date you enter into the contract, during which you can cancel without providing any reason. This applies to your initial subscription sign-up.

After the cooling-off period expires, your cancellation rights depend on the terms and conditions you agreed to when subscribing. However, UK consumer law still provides protections. As a result, companies cannot make cancellation unreasonably difficult or impose excessive penalties for ending a subscription service that is advertised as flexible and commitment-free.

Pact Coffee's cancellation policy

According to Pact Coffee's terms of service, subscribers can cancel their subscription at any time. However, the company requires adequate notice to prevent the next scheduled delivery from being processed and charged. This notice period is typically stated as needing to be completed before the next billing date.

In practice, this means you need to be aware of when your next delivery is scheduled and ensure your cancellation is processed with sufficient time. Many customers report confusion about whether their cancellation was successful, particularly when using online methods. This uncertainty is precisely why postal cancellation with tracked delivery provides the most reliable evidence of your cancellation request.

Billing and final charges

Once you cancel, you should not be charged for any future deliveries beyond those already processed. If a payment has been taken for a delivery that is being prepared or has already been dispatched, you will typically receive that final order. Therefore, timing your cancellation to coincide with just after receiving a delivery can help minimise any final charges.

If you are charged after submitting a valid cancellation request, you have the right to dispute this charge with your bank or card provider. This is another reason why having documented proof of your cancellation—such as a tracked postal letter—becomes invaluable for protecting your consumer rights.

Why postal cancellation is most reliable

Many subscription services, including Pact Coffee, offer online account management where customers can supposedly cancel with a few clicks. However, numerous consumer complaints across various subscription services reveal that online cancellations sometimes fail to process correctly, leading to continued billing and unwanted deliveries.

Postal cancellation via Recorded Delivery or Special Delivery provides several critical advantages. Firstly, you receive physical proof that your letter was delivered to the company's registered address. Secondly, the dated postal receipt establishes exactly when you submitted your cancellation request, which is crucial if disputes arise about notice periods. Thirdly, a formal letter creates a paper trail that is legally recognised and difficult for companies to dispute.

This means that while online cancellation might seem more convenient, postal cancellation offers superior protection for your consumer rights. In cases where companies claim they never received your cancellation or that it wasn't processed correctly, your postal tracking evidence becomes your strongest defence.

How to cancel Pact Coffee by post

Cancelling your Pact Coffee subscription by post requires careful attention to detail, but the process is straightforward when you follow the correct steps. This method ensures you have documented evidence of your cancellation request.

Preparing your cancellation letter

Your cancellation letter should be clear, concise, and contain all necessary information to identify your account. Include your full name as it appears on your Pact Coffee account, your account email address, your delivery address, and any customer reference number if you have one. Clearly state that you are cancelling your subscription and specify the effective date you want the cancellation to take effect.

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