Cancel Forces War Records the easy way

Overview

Forces War Records is an online service that provides access to military records and resources to support military genealogy research. The site offers free basic features and a Premium Access subscription that grants access to a large collection of records, image collections and special research tools.

Who it is for

The service is aimed at people researching British Armed Forces ancestors, medal research and troop movement maps. The target audience includes family historians and military researchers.

Company facts

Web - cancel via your account

1. Sign in to your Forces War Records account on the website.
2. Go to Account Details or Subscription settings.
3. Select the option to cancel or turn off auto-renewal.
4. Save changes and keep a screenshot of the confirmation screen if one appears.
5. If you do not receive visible confirmation, follow up using the contact form.

iOS - cancel via Apple

1. Open Settings on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap your name, then Subscriptions.
3. Find Forces War Records and tap Cancel Subscription.
4. Apple will show the expiry date; the subscription will not renew.

Android - cancel via Google Play

1. Open the Google Play Store app.
2. Tap your profile icon, then Payments and subscriptions then Subscriptions.
3. Select Forces War Records and choose Cancel subscription.
4. Keep the cancellation confirmation email from Google Play.

Email / Contact form cancellation

1. Compose an email to [email protected] with your account name, email and the request to Cancel the subscription.
2. Include your username and last 4 digits of payment card if you are comfortable providing them for verification.
3. Request written confirmation of cancellation and keep a copy of your sent email.

Post cancellation (registered letter)

1. Write a cancellation letter that includes account holder name, registered email, subscription plan and the sentence Cancel my subscription immediately.
2. Send the letter by registered post to: Forces War Records, PO Box 1089, NR1 9FA Norwich, United Kingdom.
3. Keep the proof of posting and any returned correspondence.

Moving - change of residence outside available territories

If you must cancel because you move to a location where the service is unavailable, provide proof of new address such as a utility bill or tenancy agreement. Forces War Records accepts contact via the site's contact form or email for account changes. Applicable law: The Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 - see legislation.

Price increase

If the supplier increases your subscription price mid-contract and this is not permitted by the contract terms, you may treat this as a change to the contract and request cancellation and refund. Provide a screenshot of the price change, previous invoice and the date of the change. Applicable law: Consumer Rights Act 2015.

Death of subscriber

To close an account for a deceased subscriber, provide a copy of the death certificate and the request from the executor or next of kin via the contact form or support email. The trader must show the process used to close the account.

Legitimate ground - poor service or inability to perform

If Forces War Records fails to deliver the service with reasonable care and skill, cite the Consumer Rights Act 2015 and provide supporting evidence such as screenshots of errors, correspondence and dates. Applicable law: Consumer Rights Act 2015.

End of commitment

If your plan was annual, the commitment period is 12 months. Cancel at least 2 days before renewal to prevent auto-renewal. Provide your subscription invoice as proof of the end of commitment.

Cooling-off period (14 days)

When you buy an online subscription, you have a 14 calendar day cancellation right under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013. If you request cancellation within 14 days from the date of the contract, you are entitled to a refund. If digital content is supplied immediately with your express consent, the right may not apply. See the Regulations.

Before you cancel - negotiate

Reported retention offers from Forces War Records are not present in the available research. There is no documented standard discount or retention scheme in the research data. To request a retention offer or refund, contact [email protected] or use the site's contact form and state you wish to Cancel and request a refund or downgrade. Ask explicitly for an annual discount or pro rata refund if you are within the first 30 days for upfront yearly subscriptions.

What cancellation saves you - yearly saving

Premium Access monthly costs £8.95 per month. Calculation: £8.95 x 12 = £107.40 per year. Premium Access annual is £74.95 per year. If you cancel a monthly and instead choose an annual at £74.95, the saving is: £107.40 - £74.95 = £32.45 per year. If you cancel Premium Access entirely, you save £74.95 per year for the annual plan or £107.40 per year for the monthly plan.

Cheapest real alternative from research: Findmypast monthly £15.99 and annual £159.99. Findmypast monthly is more expensive than Forces War Records premium monthly. Based on current prices, switching from Forces War Records Premium monthly (£8.95) to Findmypast monthly (£15.99) increases cost by £7.04 per month or £84.48 per year.

Key consumer law in the United Kingdom

Your cancellation and refund rights mainly come from the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 and the Consumer Rights Act 2015. The Regulations give a 14 calendar day cooling-off period for distance contracts. See the Regulations.

Statutory rights and performance

The Consumer Rights Act 2015 requires services to be provided with reasonable care and skill. If the service is not provided properly you can require repeat performance or a price reduction and ultimately cancel the service and request a refund.

Auto-renewal and hard-to-cancel subscriptions

The Competition and Markets Authority treats hard-to-cancel subscriptions and unclear auto-renewal terms as potentially unfair. If you cannot cancel through the advertised method, collect evidence of your attempts and escalate the complaint.

How to escalate

First complain to Forces War Records via [email protected] or the contact form. If unresolved, seek assistance from Citizens Advice and consider payment remedies such as chargeback with your card issuer or, where applicable, a Section 75 claim for qualifying card payments. If the company clearly breaches consumer law, report to the relevant regulator and the CMA.

Check access and final billing

After cancelling, verify whether your account remains accessible until the end of the paid period and check your bank or card statement for further charges. If charged after cancellation, collect proof of cancellation and contact [email protected].

Data and downloads

Download any records, images or saved items you need before the subscription lapses. If you used Ancestry integration, export or save copies of family tree data as required.

Re-activation

You can reactivate by subscribing again via the website or app. If you require a refund within the 30 day policy window for upfront subscriptions, request it immediately citing the refund rules in the site's terms.

Follow this checklist to cancel cleanly and protect your rights.

• 1) Log in to your Account Details page and turn off auto-renewal or select Cancel.
• 2) If cancelling via email, send your request to [email protected] and keep a copy of the sent message.
• 3) If cancelling by post, send a registered letter to Forces War Records, PO Box 1089, NR1 9FA Norwich and keep proof of posting.
• 4) If you paid via Apple or Google Play, cancel through Apple ID or Google Play subscriptions and keep confirmation.
• 5) Save screenshots of confirmation pages or of your sent email, and save the final bank statement showing future charges stopped.
• 6) If you seek a refund within 30 days for an upfront subscription, ask explicitly for a full refund and state the date of purchase.
• 7) If you do not get a satisfactory reply, contact Citizens Advice and consider chargeback with your card issuer.