Cancel FindMyPast the easy way

Overview

FindMyPast is a genealogy and family-history service run by Findmypast Limited, offering searchable historical records, hints for family trees, newspapers and census datasets for the UK and other territories.

Who uses it

Users are people researching family history in the UK, Ireland, Australia and North America who want access to curated records, tree hints and newspaper archives.

Company facts

Web - cancel via the site

1. Sign in to your FindMyPast account with your username and password.
2. Open My Account, choose My subscription.
3. Select Manage Subscription and click Cancel subscription.
4. Answer any on-screen questions and confirm cancellation.
5. Save or screenshot the confirmation page and keep the confirmation email.

iOS - cancel via Apple

1. Open Settings on your iPhone or iPad, tap your name, then Subscriptions.
2. Find the FindMyPast subscription and tap Cancel Subscription.
3. Confirm cancellation. Keep Apple confirmation email as proof.
4. Note that uninstalling the app does not cancel the subscription.

Android - cancel via Google Play

1. Open Google Play, go to Menu > Subscriptions.
2. Select FindMyPast and choose Cancel subscription.
3. Confirm cancellation and keep the Google Play confirmation email.
4. Uninstalling the app will not cancel billing.

Customer Support - email or help form

1. Use the support contact option inside your account or the site help centre to raise a cancellation request.
2. Include your account email, subscription type and reason for cancellation.
3. Wait for a support reply. Save the reply as proof.

Post - registered letter

1. Write a signed cancellation request with your account email, full name and subscription details.
2. Send by recorded delivery to: FindMyPast, 35 Old Bailey, EC4M 7BA London, United Kingdom.
3. Keep the postal receipt and any response from FindMyPast as proof.

Cooling-off period (14 days)

If you bought a subscription online you have a 14-day cooling-off period under the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013. To exercise it, notify FindMyPast within 14 days from the day after the contract was formed. If you gave express consent to start access to records during the cooling-off period and supply began, FindMyPast is not obliged to refund for the value of the service already provided. Refunds are processed within 3 working days and no later than 14 days to the original payment method.

Required proof: order reference, account email, date of purchase and a clear cancellation request. Law: Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013.

End of commitment / automatic renewal

For standard subscriptions, turning off automatic renewal via Manage Subscription stops the next payment. For 12-month agreements paid monthly, cancelling online stops automatic renewal after the 12-month term; you will continue to pay monthly until the end of the 12-month term. To end a 12-month agreement before expiry you must contact Customer Support.

Required proof: account details and subscription type. Law: Consumer Rights Act 2015 (contract performance and unfair terms guidance) and Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013.

Early termination of a 12-month agreement

FindMyPast requires you to contact Customer Support to request termination before the 12-month term ends. The company’s published information does not disclose a flat early-termination fee. If you dispute an unfair penalty, the Consumer Rights Act 2015 addresses unfair contract terms.

Required proof: account email, copy of the 12-month agreement confirmation, reason for termination.

Death of subscriber

The live research does not publish a specific FindMyPast policy for death of a subscriber. If you need account closure after a subscriber dies, contact Customer Support and be prepared to provide the subscriber’s account details and a death certificate. If no policy is published, escalate using Citizens Advice and the CMA if necessary.

Required proof: death certificate, account details. Law: Consumer Rights Act 2015 and Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 for contract termination rights.

Before you cancel - negotiate

Research does not report specific standard retention offers available from FindMyPast. If you want to keep access, contact Customer Support and ask for retention options or a discount. When you contact support, provide your account email, exact subscription plan and the date of renewal, and request a retention offer or a switch to a cheaper plan. Keep any written offer as proof.

What cancelling saves - exact math

Compare actual FindMyPast plan costs:

Everything monthly: 24.95 x 12 = 299.40 per year.

Everything annual: 16.67 x 12 = 200.04 per year.

Saving by buying annual vs monthly: 299.40 - 200.04 = 99.36 per year.

Switching from Everything monthly (24.95) to Family Tree monthly (9.99) saves 24.95 - 9.99 = 14.96 per month, which equals 14.96 x 12 = 179.52 per year.

Cheapest real alternative: FamilySearch is free at 0 per month, saving 200.04 per year versus FindMyPast Everything annual (200.04 - 0 = 200.04 per year).

Key UK law and regulator

Your rights are covered by the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 and the Consumer Rights Act 2015. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) enforces fair contract and auto-renewal practices.

Cooling-off and digital content exception

The 2013 Regulations give a 14-day cooling-off period for most online contracts. If you consented to service starting during that period and FindMyPast started supplying records, the company may not owe a refund for the portion already supplied.

Unfair terms and escalation

The Consumer Rights Act 2015 allows challenge of unfair contract terms, including disproportionate cancellation penalties. If FindMyPast refuses a lawful refund or enforces an unfair term, complain to the company first, then seek advice from Citizens Advice and report problematic practices to the CMA. For card payments, use Section 75 or a chargeback via your card issuer if eligible.

Check access and final billing

After cancellation your access continues until the end of the current billing period. Confirm the date your access ends and check bank or card statements for the final billing transaction.

Data and downloading records

Export or download family trees and copies of records you need before your access expires. If you consented to supply during the cooling-off period, FindMyPast is permitted to provide content during that time and may not refund for supplied content.

Re-activation and payments

You can re-subscribe at any time. If your subscription was purchased via Apple or Google Play, any refund or re-activation is handled by those app stores. Micropayments are non-refundable per FindMyPast policy.

Follow this checklist to ensure cancellation is completed and documented.

• Log in and cancel via My Account > My subscription > Manage Subscription.
• Save the on-screen confirmation and keep the confirmation email.
• If you subscribed via Apple or Google Play, cancel through that store and save the confirmation email.
• If you have a 12-month agreement and want to stop before term ends, contact Customer Support and keep the reply.
• Download or export any family tree data and record copies before access ends.
• If you expect a refund, request it in writing and note that refunds are processed within 3 working days and no later than 14 days to the original payment source.
• If no response or refusal, gather evidence and contact Citizens Advice or request chargeback/Section 75 through your card issuer if eligible.