Wolfnet/MLSFinder Billing

[ericbramlett]

So I thought I would share this with you guys, since it's turning into a PITA for me. I signed up with wolfnet/mlsfinder in 2005, and upgraded to maptracks in 2006. I was a pretty heavily trafficked user so was spending ~$250-$300/month b/c of their "overage" fees. A few months ago, I finally made the switch to another system, and notified wolfnet that I was terminating service - sent them an email & a fax.

I get a call from one of their sales agents asking why I left, "you have so many users, why would you go somewhere else?" I tell him that I liked their product, but found something better. He then tells me:

You're in an automatically renewing annual contract. We're going to continue billing you through March 2010, which is when this agreement expires.

I have a couple of BIG problems with this:

1. It's dishonest & not transparent, because this stipulation was not explained to me before I signed their 6 page agreement.
2. The contract is not initialed on each page, so I have no idea if they just shoved another page with this stipulation into the existing contract.
3. It's a completely bogus stipulation to begin with. I paid their "setup fee" and was a customer for 4 years. They had no loss to recoup with regards to my account (or to any account, as they charge set up fees.) I should be able to cancel when I've found a better product.

Now, if the stipulation was really in the contract when I signed, then I'm partially to blame, as I didn't read it carefully. However, if that is the case, then their sales team should know the agreement well, and should explain every aspect of it to potential clients.

Anyways, I'm going to fight this, but I wanted to let everyone else know about it, in case you're considering doing business with Wolfnet. Make sure to look through the contract, and insist on line iteming through the automatic annual renewal. Oh, and if you're considering buying their product, keep looking (IMO - their product is beaten handily by other providers.)

[satxproperty]

Is there any early termination clause? Does the annual contract obligate you to all services including maptracks? Can it be modified to Agent Only perhaps?

Have you asked for a copy of the terms you signed?

[ericbramlett]

I've reviewed the document they sent, and there's no early termination clause. It doesn't require that I keep paying for maptracks, but does require that I pay $59/month for a solution that you couldn't pay me to put on my site.

When I signed up, I was a relatively new agent (2 years of experience) and I might not have reviewed the document as closely as I should have have.

Regardless, this type of clause is a pretty big "screw you" to the customer. I can't think of any service provider that writes in an indefinite annual renewal. The closest comparison I have is mobile providers that entice you to re-up your agreement by giving you new equipment.

If they're going to include something like this (that would have been a deal killer for me) then they should require an initial by that specific clause. Nothing was mentioned by the sales rep, and there's nothing on that page to indicate that it was pointed out (no initials on the page whatsoever.) Again, for all I know, they shoved this page into the middle of the document after it was signed.

Was I a bit careless reviewing the initial agreement? Maybe. Is this a responsible, transparent way for Wolfnet to operate their business? Absolutely not.

[Logan UT Real Estate Gal]

Hi Eric,

Sounds like your getting hosed, and after 4 years they continue to leech money out of you, when you obviously found a better provider is bad business. By you stating how you have been treated here on a public forum, they are going to lose how much money in the long run? When all they had to do was thank you for your use of their product and wish you success in the future.

Bad business all around...