When you pay for a service that isn't delivered
A subscription is an exchange: you pay, the service provides. When the service is missing, interrupted, or permanently degraded, the balance is broken, and you shouldn't have to pay full price for nothing.
Observe and Document
Before taking any action, note what's wrong: unavailability dates, screenshots, error messages, communications. An undelivered service is proven by dated facts. This documentation makes the difference between a solid claim and an impression that is difficult to defend.
Report Without Delay
Notify the service as soon as you notice a problem, in writing, from your subscription area or support. Describe the outage, its duration, and its concrete effect. A quick, dated report carries more weight than a complaint filed weeks later.
Request a Proportionate Gesture
For an interruption, you can request compensation proportionate to the period not provided: free days, a discount, or a partial refund. The compensation must correspond to the actual damage. A service cut for a week is not resolved by a simple apology message.
Pro-rata Refund
Refunds are generally calculated on the portion of the service not provided, not on the entire subscription. A three-day outage in a month does not entitle you to the entire month, but rather to those three days. Quantifying the actual damage makes the request credible and easy to accept.
The Case of a Prolonged Outage
If unavailability is prolonged or repeated, the problem goes beyond a simple incident. A persistently failing service may justify termination for breach of contract, without the usual penalties. The contract implies a conforming service; its repeated absence provides grounds for termination.
Distinguish Between Outage and Offer Change
A removed feature or a downgraded quality is not an outage but may constitute a contract modification. Depending on its extent, it opens up a right to termination. Check if the service announced this change and what the terms and conditions stipulate in such a case.
What You Should Not Do
Do not stop your payments before obtaining an agreement or terminating: non-payment puts you in the wrong and complicates the case. Complain, document, and request a refund once your right is recognized, but keep the initiative on the right side.
Escalate if Necessary
In the face of an unjustified refusal, escalate to the complaints department, then to the consumer mediator, which can be contacted free of charge. A dated file, showing the unavailability and your unanswered requests, effectively supports the claim with a third party.
Keep the Entire File
Gather proof of the outage, reports, responses, and refund requests. It is this file, and not mere good faith, that secures compensation. A well-documented unrendered service is almost always resolved, amicably or with the help of a mediator.
