Cancel Which Magazine the easy way

Overview

Which Magazine is the consumer-facing print and digital offering from Which? Limited, the consumer advice organisation owned by the Consumers' Association. The magazine provides product tests, buying guides, and consumer advice aimed at people in the United Kingdom.

Formats and frequency

Which Magazine is available as a print subscription published 11 times a year and as digital editions. Plans include print-only, digital-only, and full-access bundles (print plus digital).

Company facts

For official membership and help pages see the Which? help centre on cancellation and membership offers.

Web cancellation (My Account)

1. Visit your Which? account at the official site and log in.
2. Open the membership or subscriptions area and choose the cancellation option.
3. Follow on-screen prompts to confirm the cancellation date; web cancellations take effect at the end of the paid term.
4. Save the email confirmation you receive after submission.

iOS - App Store (In-App Purchase)

1. Open Settings on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap your Apple ID, then Subscriptions.
3. Find the Which? subscription and tap Cancel Subscription at least 24 hours before renewal.
4. Which? cannot cancel Apple-billed subscriptions; request any refund from Apple. See the official Which? in-app help page: Apple in-app purchases.

Google Play

1. If you purchased via Google Play, open Google Play Store on your device.
2. Go to Subscriptions and cancel the Which? subscription from there.
3. Which? does not publish specific Google Play handling; keep Google Play confirmation as proof.

Phone cancellations

1. Call 029 2267 0000 (or +44 29 2267 0000 from outside the UK).
2. Confirm your name, membership number and cancellation date with the adviser. Business hours Mon to Fri 09:00 to 17:00 and Sat 09:00 to 13:00.
3. Ask the adviser for a confirmation reference or email and save it.

Postal cancellations

1. Write to Which? Customer Service including your name, membership number and desired cancellation date. Address for post is Which Magazine, Crown Way, CF14 3UZ Cardiff, United Kingdom.
2. Send by recorded delivery and keep the proof of postage.
3. Allow up to 30 days for administrative processing.

Cooling-off period - statutory 14 days

If you join online or at a distance you have a 14-day cooling-off right under the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013. For digital-only memberships the 14-day period begins on the day you join. For memberships that include a print magazine the 14-day period begins on the day you receive your first magazine. To claim a full refund within 14 days, cancel via Live Chat or Phone and quote your membership details.

Required proof: membership number and date of joining or date first magazine received. Law: Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013.

Cancellation after the 14-day period

If you cancel after the initial 14 days, Which? states you can end your membership 30 days after your request and you may receive a pro-rata refund for the remaining days of the paid year except where an annual payment within the first paid year is non-refundable under Which? terms.

Required proof: membership number and payment date. Law: contractual terms plus Consumer Rights Act 2015 on service performance.

Annual renewal within 14 days

If an annual membership renews, you have a 14-day cancellation right that applies after renewal; cancelling within that 14 days gives you a full refund of the renewal payment.

Required proof: renewal payment date and membership details. Law: Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013.

Apple in-app purchases and loss of cancellation right

Purchasing a Which? membership through the Apple in-app route may involve requesting immediate access to digital content. That request can waive the 14-day cancellation right for digital content. Refunds for Apple-billed purchases must be requested from Apple; Which? does not control Apple refunds.

Required proof: Apple receipt and Apple subscription ID. Law: Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 (digital content exception).

Price increase or significant contract change

If Which? increases price or changes terms materially, you can seek cancellation if the change is adverse to you. If Which? enforces an unfair contract term you can escalate complaints to Citizens Advice or the Competition and Markets Authority. Gather the original terms, notice of change, and proof of how the change affects you.

Required proof: original contract or plan details and the price change notice. Law: Consumer Rights Act 2015 and CMA guidance on unfair auto-renewal practices.

Death of the subscriber

Which? does not publish a specific public procedure for bereavement cancellations in the pages we reviewed. In practice contact member services by phone or post, provide the membership number and a copy of the death certificate and request cancellation. Keep the evidence and request written confirmation.

Required proof: death certificate and membership details. Law: not a specific statutory article; use contract rights and contact Which? customer service.

Before you cancel: how to negotiate retention offers

Which? does run promotional offers periodically. Confirmed offers from public pages include 50% off the first year and limited promotions such as a 12-month digital subscription for £29. To ask for a retention offer, call 029 2267 0000 or use Live Chat and state you are considering cancellation and would like any available discount or alternative plan. If a retention offer is made, request the offer code or an email confirmation immediately.

Examples of public offers: 12-month digital for £29 via promotional links and other time-limited discounts. See an example offer page: Which? promotional offer.

What cancelling saves - yearly maths

Calculate annual cost if billed monthly vs annual price to show savings. Using Which? published plan prices:

Which? Digital monthly: £9.99 x 12 = £119.88 per year. Annual price: £89. Saving = £119.88 - £89 = £30.88 per year.

Which? Full Access monthly: £11.99 x 12 = £143.88 per year. Annual price: £109. Saving = £143.88 - £109 = £34.88 per year.

Which? Magazine (print) monthly: £9.99 x 12 = £119.88 per year. Annual price: £79. Saving = £119.88 - £79 = £40.88 per year.

Cheapest real alternative from competitors found in research: Ethical Consumer annual subscription £34.50 per year. If you hold Which? Magazine annual at £79 switching to Ethical Consumer saves £79 - £34.50 = £44.50 per year.

Key UK consumer law

Your cancellation rights are primarily protected by the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 which gives a 14-day cooling-off right for most online and distance sales. The Consumer Rights Act 2015 requires services to be performed with reasonable care and skill and protects against unfair contract terms.

Auto-renewal and the regulator

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) treats hard-to-cancel subscriptions and unclear auto-renewal terms as potentially unfair. If Which? applies unclear renewal terms you can raise a concern with Citizens Advice or the CMA.

Escalation path

1) Complain to Which? through member services and keep written records. 2) If unresolved, complain to the Legal Ombudsman for disputes about a trader not complying with terms; the Legal Ombudsman can consider small compensation up to £100 in the Which? context. 3) Seek Citizens Advice for guidance, and if you paid by credit card consider Section 75 or a chargeback with your card issuer.

Statutory time limits

Complain to the Legal Ombudsman within 6 months of Which? finishing its complaints process. Use the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 and Consumer Rights Act 2015 when asserting cancellation or refund rights.

Access and what ends when

Web cancellations usually stop future payments but access continues until the end of the paid subscription term. For Apple in-app subscriptions access continues until the end of the current paid period. If you cancelled within the 14-day cooling-off period you should receive a refund as described under refunds.

Data and account details

Keep a copy of your cancellation confirmation, any email or chat transcript and proof of postage if you used post. Request a record of transactions if you need evidence for a refund or dispute.

Final billing and refunds

If you cancelled within 14 days you are entitled to a full refund. If cancelling after the cooling-off period you may receive a pro-rata refund for the remaining days of the paid year unless you are in the first paid year of an annual membership where Which? states no full or partial refund of the annual payment applies but the benefits continue until the end of the paid year.

Re-activation

To re-activate your membership sign up again through Which? subscription pages. Promotional pricing previously offered may not be available for re-subscribers. See the subscription page for current offers: Subscribe to Which?.

Use this checklist when you cancel to protect your right to a refund and to keep evidence.

• Find your membership number and the card used to pay.
• Decide which cancellation channel you will use: Live Chat for speed, Phone for a call record, or Web for a standard request.
• If cancelling within 14 days, use Live Chat or Phone and state you want a full refund under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013.
• Take screenshots of any confirmation screens and save email confirmations.
• If cancelling by post, send a recorded delivery letter to Which Magazine, Crown Way, CF14 3UZ Cardiff, United Kingdom and keep your proof of postage.
• Record dates: date of cancellation request, expected end date, and any confirmation numbers.
• If you purchased via Apple, request refunds from Apple; Which? cannot do this for Apple-billed sales.
• If you do not receive the refund you expect, raise a formal complaint and keep a record of the complaint progression.
• If unresolved, contact Citizens Advice and consider Section 75 or chargeback if you paid by credit card.