Dear all,
First, thank you in advance for your advice. My name is Fernando, I am new to this forum (read it occasionally but first time posting) and I need help about the SBB HalbTax.
It's been almost one year since I live in Switzerland. At my arrival I bought the HalbTax card. Apparently, it is automatically renewed... and I say apparently because I found out by chance yesterday!! I was looking for something else in the SwissPass website (not having logged in for months), when I found an invoice from November for the renewal.
It is said that I could cancel it until one month before the year is due (i.e. until 3rd December 2016, as I bought it on the 4th January). Well, I missed this deadline.
Anyhow, I wrote to SBB Customer service. I explained that I have never received written notification of this. In the invoice they also mention e-mail and SMS reminders... I received none.
Today I got a response from them, saying that they have produced the invoice (attach the pdf) and pointing out that it is now too late... also mentioning that there should be no problem because the cost is paid out in a few trips.
I just replied that it is my only year in Switzerland, that I received no notification by any of the three means in due time, and that in January I am migrating back to Spain and therefore cannot make use of the card. Both allegations are true, not excuses. By the way, I was so polite as my German permits, hehe.
However, I am not very optimistic. In the case the SBB insist on me paying the renewal... what would you advice? Taking into account that it is a service that would start on the 4th January 2017, and therefore I have never used it: Should I just refuse to pay the invoice? This is my first impulse.
Thank you very much. All help is very much appreciated
Depends on whether you ever plan to try and live/work in Switzerland again. SBB (actually anyone you owe money to) can file a Betreibung/debt record that then makes it harder to get permits, get flats, and even get jobs.
You probably received a packet of info with your half tax card. I did. The info packet clearly said that it auto-renews unless you cancel in writing, in advance.
If you're planning on leaving Switzerland soon, you may run into other contract issues, such as lease, gym membership, mobile phone, insurances, etc. Best check your paperwork to be sure you know when to start sending notices and whether there could be any penalties. Send all notices in writing, via registered mail.
You might get out of some contracts by sending your deregistration document, but I don't know if that works for SBB. Good luck.
Thanks, mate!
Yes, it is written about the auto-renewal, but it is also written about their reminders, which SBB did not send. There are obligations on both sides, but they don't seem concerned about theirs. I am going to insist in this regard. Besides, in my personal profile at the SBB website, they have my postal address, my e-mail and my mobile phone, so they could have reached me easily.
All the complaint filed per email, to have it recorded, right?
No, I am not planning to work back in Switzerland.
For the other stuff, thanks for the advice! I am rather confident. For instance, I talked to my health insurance company, and they said that the bound will be terminated immediately (and without notice period) with the paper proving that I unregister from the municipality. I was lucky that the woman had Spanish background, so the language was no issue, hahaha. The flat is a WG, so my flatmates were really flexible. The mobile is prepaid :-)
Hello,
Sorry for your situation.. I got also my letter yesterday and says there, I can cancel it until 20.01.2017 and I have to pay until 20.02.2017.
I already have swisspass internet account and I see this information
Special price Half-Fare travelcard (FP): XXXXXX
Contractual partner : XXXXX
First day of validity : 21.02.2016
Cancellation date : 20.01.2017 Enter date in calendar
Contract status : Valid
Payment interval :Annually
i dont know whether this helps you.. But it seems I got a reminder before 3 weeks..
Thanks, unbalanced!
Curiosity: do they mention in your letter about the reminders via e-mail and/or SMS?
Because the problem is that I have never received this letter! I mean, not in the official way: i.e. on paper and per post. Just yesterday I logged into the SwissPass website for other purposes, and by chance found the electronic letter + invoice in PDF, claiming to be issued on the 10.11.2016, with cancellation allowed until 03.12.2016 (one month before the year is complete and payment due 03.01.2017).
I truly hope they are reasonable. If they expect me to comply, they should have complied with me - notifying per post, as they have notified you... not just with a PDF in an obscure website.
yes in the letter says that the reminder function in swisspass website will remind you in time to possible cancellation by sms or email...
Mine does, it sends several reminders, to my email address
You might find several other subscriptions automatically renew here, it is all in the terms and conditions you agree to when signing up for somiething.
You can go to your Gemeinde / Commune this week and tell them you are leaving in January 2017, they will give you a certificate which you can photocopy and send to all the people expecting you to renew the contract. The SBB might accept this as an excuse.
Thank you, that is a very good idea. I'm right now spending the holidays abroad, but as soon as I return to Switzerland, I'll do this. The caveat is that I'll be back only once the hypothetical extension should already be ongoing. In any case, I will continue to insist on SBB by e-mail.
In the end, SBB have been very comprehensive and accepted my request for cancellation, "as a special exception".
Thanks to you all for your advices, and my appreciation to SBB for their understanding. I must admit I am positively surprised!