Unlawful Cancellation of PRO Subscription – Immediate Resolution Required

Dear Miguel and Team,

We are creating a new support request since you have closed our previous requests without proper resolution. We have reviewed your responses so far in consultation with our legal team. We are very disappointed with the illegal steps you have taken so far with our PRO subscription. We strongly recommend that you discuss this with your senior team of Co-Founders and your legal team, and try to understand that your business cannot engage in such misleading, deceptive and illegal business practices. There is a right way to do business and there are wrong ways to do business. You have chosen the latter so far.

The following outlines the unlawful cancellation of our PRO subscription and the resulting service interruption caused by your actions. We also explain how your business has breached various sections of Australian Consumer Law (and most likely, similar consumer laws in India and Sweden). We request you to review and address this matter urgently.

Key Points of Dispute

1. Subscription Renewal Notice:
On 11 November 2024, we received a subscription renewal notice offering a specific price for our PRO subscription renewal.

2 Paid in Full Subscription Confirmation:
On 19 November 2024, we received confirmation of payment for the renewal price offered earlier. This confirmation included a tax invoice stating the subscription was successfully renewed and valid through 17 November 2025.

3. Attempted Additional Charges:
Despite this confirmation, multiple attempts were made to charge an additional amount on the card on file without prior notification, explanation, or justification. This attempt violates the agreed-upon pricing structure and the terms of the renewal. This also misuses the purpose of collecting/storing our card details for agreed charges only.

4. Illegal Subscription Cancellation:
During our discussions and support requests, we discovered that our PRO subscription was cancelled without notification. Most recently, your team cited an unfounded “remainder” as justification for this cancellation, directly conflicting with the paid invoice confirming the subscription was renewed in full.

Our Position
Your actions constitute a breach of contract and are potentially unlawful under Australian Consumer Law (ACL), specifically in the following areas:

1. Misleading and Deceptive Conduct (Section 18 of the ACL)
Under Section 18, businesses are prohibited from engaging in conduct that misleads or deceives consumers.

Conflicting Pricing Information: After confirming a renewal price and accepting payment, your subsequent attempt to charge an additional amount contradicts the agreed-upon terms, misleading us as consumers.

Failure to Notify of Price Changes: No prior explanation or notification of the additional charge was provided, concealing material information that influenced our renewal decision.

Implied Agreement of Services: By issuing an invoice and confirming payment in full, you created a reasonable expectation that services would continue until 17 November 2025, which your unilateral actions disrupted.

2. Unfair Contract Terms (Sections 23–28 of the ACL)
The ACL prohibits contract terms that cause significant imbalance, are unnecessary to protect the business’s interests, or harm the consumer.

Unilateral Price Adjustment: Attempting to impose additional fees without our agreement constitutes an unfair contract term, leaving us with no reasonable opportunity to accept or reject the change.

Cancellation Without Justification: Cancelling a fully paid subscription due to an unfounded “remainder” is unreasonable, causing financial and operational detriment while denying us the services we paid for.

Failure to Clearly Outline Terms: Additional charges should have been explicitly disclosed in the renewal terms before being charged. The lack of transparency renders any additional attempts to charge our card unilaterally, illegal.

3. Failure to Deliver Services for Which Payment Was Made
Under ACL principles, businesses must provide services as agreed after payment.

Denial of Service: Despite receiving payment following your renewal offer to us for one more year, you cancelled the subscription and deprived us of the services for which we paid.

Unilateral Imposition of Additional Fees: Attempting to justify cancellation based on an undefined “remainder” demonstrates bad faith and a breach of the original agreement.

Deceptive Actions Around Cancellation: You failed to notify us of cancellation of our PRO subscription, violating consumer rights to clear and fair contract terms.

Required Resolution
To resolve this matter amicably, we expect the following actions:

Immediate Restoration of Our PRO Subscription: Reinstate our subscription without delay, providing full access to the service until the agreed renewal date of 17 November 2025.

Compensation for Damages: Compensate us for wrongful unilateral cancellation without notification, of our PRO subscription that was paid in full at the offered price.

Next Steps
If this issue is not resolved satisfactorily immediately, we will be forced to pursue legal remedies against RankMath and group.one, under applicable laws in:

Australia: Filing complaints with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) and pursuing legal action under Australian Consumer Law.
India: Initiating proceedings under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, for deficiencies in service and unfair practices.
Sweden: Filing complaints through Swedish consumer protection authorities or the European Consumer Centre (ECC) Sweden for violations of EU consumer regulations.

These actions will be taken concurrently and may result in significant reputational and financial consequences for Rank Math and group.one if a resolution is not reached promptly.

We urge you to address this matter seriously and ensure an immediate resolution.