Times Newspapers Ltd Reviews 

1,068
TrustScore 1 out of 5

1.1

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Review summary

Created with AI, based on recent reviews

Looking at 156 reviews, most reviewers were let down by their experience overall. Customers frequently experienced severe frustration when trying to cancel their subscriptions, as direct online options are completely unavailable and phone lines are extremely difficult to reach. Many people also strongly complained about unexpected payments being taken from their accounts without any prior warning after trial periods ended. Some reviewers were not happy with the unhelpful customer service representatives who frequently refused valid refund requests or prolonged support calls. Consumers additionally noted that support agents often failed to send confirmation emails regarding cancellations or properly follow up after difficult discussions.

What people talk about most

Subscription

Reviewers highlight negative aspects of subscription models, noting that trial offers quickly transition into... See more

Cancellation

Reviewers mention negative feedback about cancellation, noting that it is virtually impossible to process... See more

Customer service

Consumers find customer service to be overwhelmingly frustrating, frequently reporting long wait times and... See more

Payment

Customers consistently note negative experiences with payment, reporting frustration over unexpected charges... See more

Customer communications

Customers had negative experiences with contact, consistently reporting frustration with having to phone... See more

Reviews shaping this summary

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Woeful customer service. 4 times I've contacted them, 3 times on chat funcrion, get left hanging for 35 minutes and then drops off. Then get fobbed off with non answers. Called customer service and my... See more

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

The times will lure you in with the offer of a cheap trail period. When this ends they will not notify you, but instead move to their ridiculous package of 30 pounds a month. If they are unable to tak... See more

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Can't believe a national newspaper can get away with this. They know that no one would knowingly sign up to pay them £30 A MONTH !!! So they rely on people expecting reasonable charging and not readi... See more

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Joining the chorus of other reviewers here. Fan of the paper but the practices employed when it comes to subscription renewal options are underhand. I agreed a 12 month package to then be auto renewed... See more


Company details

  1. Newspaper Publisher

Written by the company

Thetimes.co.uk hosts the digital edition of The Times, Britain’s oldest national daily newspaper, and its sister title The Sunday Times. The Times was founded in 1785 by the editor and publisher John Walter I, “to record the principal occurrences of the times” for the service of the public. It was called the Daily Universal Register for the first three years, until it rebranded as The Times in 1788 – the first newspaper in the world to use the Times name. In his first edition, John Walter I explained that “like a well-covered table, it should contain something suited to every palate” including politics, foreign affairs, matters of trade, legal trials, advertisements and “amusements”. In its tone and political neutrality, Walter reserved the right of the newspaper “to censure or applaud either [political party]” and to cover contending issues with respectful “fair argument”. More than 200 years on, these founding principles hold true today. The Times has supported both New Labour and the Conservatives in recent times and supported Remain in the 2016 EU referendum. The titles are currently the biggest selling quality print newspapers in the UK and in 2018 The Times was named Britain’s most trusted national newspaper by the Reuters Institute for Journalism at Oxford University. In 2019 The Times and The Sunday Times won the Daily and Sunday newspaper of the year categories at the British Press Awards among several other prizes for their writing, reporting, investigations and campaigns. Both papers are committed to driving digital innovation in all areas of their world-class journalism.


Contact info

1.1

Bad

TrustScore 1 out of 5

1K reviews

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1-star

No recent history of asking for reviews

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1.1

All reviews

(1,068)

152 reviews in the last 12 months

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Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Unscrupulous, dishonest and money-grabbing

I took out a three month trial and attempted to contact them before the renewal deadline. They claim to have no record of my first call, while the second time I called their phones and email were down. No apology offered, they simply said I would’ve been too late to cancel anyway and they’re keeping my £26. This despite the fact that I’ve cancelled or renewed on deadline day several times in the past. Thought the Times were a reputable business, but I see from the reviews on here that’s not the case. A 1.2-star rating? How embarrassing. How can they present themselves as a credible company? They’re unscrupulous and money-grabbing and they couldn’t care less how long you’ve been a loyal reader. I won’t be reading the Times again, let alone subscribing. BOTTOM LINE: IF THEY CAN’T BE HONEST IN DEALING WITH THEIR READERS, WHY SHOULD READERS ASSUME THERE IS ANY HONESTY IN THEIR REPORTING?

August 5, 2025
Unprompted review
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

I had 3 a months deal which has been…

I had 3 a months deal which has been extended over the last 2 year, once or twice I have forgot to cancel and renegotiate and it cost me a bit which is my fault , no problem .
Best on line newspaper, and fantastic content.

July 30, 2025
Unprompted review
Rated 2 out of 5 stars

I phoned up to cancel my subscription…

I phoned up to cancel my subscription since I don't use it enough to justify £26.99/month. I then got persuaded by the customer service rep who gave me a 75% discount for the next few months. This discount also included adding my partner to my account who also has a separate one. A week later when I phoned up to add my partner, I was told that this wasn't included in my package, despite being promised it was. I then said 'i know you record your customer calls so can you review this and you'll see that they promised me multiple users. Their response: "we cannot listen to those recordings as it's only for training purposes but we'll let the customer service rep know." Absolutely furiating. I will, of course, cancel my subscription once my 75% discount has lapsed. On another note, I was of the impression that if you can buy a subscription online, you must be able to cancel it online. No, not with the times. You've got to phone up!

July 15, 2025
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

RIp you off after 2 years Subscription Take money out without telling you

As a lot of these reviews they bent over backwards to take out a 2 year subscription at a good rate.
2 years later as life is busy and goes looked at my card today to find £99 taken out no warning no emails.
Straight to their customer services asked for refund all they do is quote terms and conditions which they quote you must give 2 days notice before end of subscription.
We all have busy lives to expect someone to remember to cancel a subscriptions 2 years later what a pile of crap.
Will not use this Rag of a newspaper again after this year as already paid for it
Buyer beware and read their terms don’t be duped into a low cost subscription then get caught out years later.
This Rag runs investigations into poor conduct on firms someone should do one on them.

July 28, 2025
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Free Trial Scam

Lured into a free trial to read one article.

No reminders or bills sent out since. £26 taken today, called up immediately and cancelled. They're "unable to refund it" as "Head Office are really strict on refunding" as I didn't give them 2 days notice as per T&Cs. This can be translated as, "we know people will forget to cancel the free trial subscription and will not issue refunds, irrespective of whether they want to buy our product or not". Archaic practice, which virtually nobody follows anymore, with a complete lack of integrity.

New baby arriving in 4 weeks and, like everyone, feeling the strain financially. Not that they gave a monkeys. Rules are rules!

1.1 on Trust Pilot... no further comments necessary.

July 22, 2025
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

No method of online cancellation

No method of online cancellation. This seems to be deliberate to create friction and increase income. That is not a business practice which builds trust with consumers.

July 18, 2025
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

This service is an unbelievable scam

This service is an unbelievable scam. I contacted the Times a few months ago, after somehow signing up through a misleading ad, I got roped into a monthly subscription (but of course they don't send ANY email reminders about this and leave you paying without realising in the background). It's been a legitimate nightmare to cancel, and they will lead you to believe you can cancel online, but you have to call them and go through an unbelievably frustrating process. They purposely make it difficult, and as someone with ADHD, it's incredibly distressing. Total unethical business etiquette.

July 6, 2025
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Impossible to cancel subscription

Really awful and unfair policies for online cancellation for subscriptions. I told the customer support team that I could not afford to pay two more months of subscription fees and they said there was nothing that could be done. Completely unfair and discriminatory.

July 2, 2025
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Dreadful Cancellation Procedures

The information on The Times website how to cancel is confusing and contradictory. It is stated that you need to give 15 days notice before you next billing date for physical paper and digital subscription. When I phoned up to do this, they said there is another clause elsewhere on their website that states if you get vouchers then you have to give additional notice ahead of your voucher books being issued.

A total con and no wonder why people rate them so poorly on Trustpilot. Simple to put in one place "you need to give 15 days notice before you next billing date for physical paper and digital subscription except for voucher subscriptions ....... etc etc." Really poor practice and although The Times use a 3rd party for their subscription services, as a major British Institution surely they can ensure good practice in their cancelling procedures.

June 19, 2025
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

A once proud British institution gone to the dogs.

I ordered a years subscription in July 2924 through Google for £119.I have been unable to access my account since the beginning of the subscription starting.When I phoned them they said that I had to apply to Google.I did so with negative response saying they could not help me with this issue.Basically you go round in circles.Essentially they are a scam outfit who are able to con the public with a maze of conflicting responses and an aura of respectability.For heavens sake this is the Times a once proud British institution now grubbing in the dirt and stealing money from an O.A.P. Unfortunately cowboys like these are incapable of feeling shame let alone remorse or heaven forbid sympathy.I notice they do not respond to negative reviews and have virtually no positive reviews.

June 18, 2024
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Carpe Diem. Make sure YOU mark the offer end in your diary

As with so many others I have been caught by The Times not informing me that my offer had ended and they took £25.99 from my creditcard. Phoned them up to argue the point and was "accidentally" cut off when I asked for a refund and how I didn't think them taking money without warning me was legal.
Long and short, read the terms, Mark the dates in your diary and TBH there are better and cheaper newspapers out there.

June 15, 2025
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

No way to cancel subscription online beware

I signed up for an offer on subscription and just seen full payment taken so I tried to cancel in app. Impossible! I live abroad and had to ring. On that basis alone I confirmed cancellation. No reminder of subscription renewal and no online way to cancel. Very dubious practice. Last time I subscribe to the times.

June 5, 2025
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Was only using the app to scan through…

Was only using the app to scan through the news on a daily basis so felt the price was way to high at £26pm. Spoke to cancel and said as I was a casual reader they would reduce right down to £6-7 per month which was fair however just realised that this was only for 6months and reverted back up without any notification and this was not made clear. Please do not fall into the same trap

June 4, 2025
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Extremely scummy business practices…

Extremely scummy business practices from the Times. Attempted to cancel my subscription only to find this can’t be done through a button on the website like most subscriptions instead you have to phone them up. I did so and an extremely rude lady picked up and acted like I was the first person ever to want to cancel. She said that she couldn’t cancel my subscription as I had opted for a discounted rate and could only cancel it from 2028 but even this took some persuading from my side to achieve.

May 29, 2025
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

NEVER deal with this rip-off merchant with horrible customer service!

Don’t deal with this rip-off company under any circumstances! I (allegedly) took out a 12-month discounted subscription and was charged the full price as soon as it ended. WARNING: You don’t receive ANY reminders that it’s expiring. I called customer services and was treated HORRIBLY. Staff had no idea how to treat customers: computer says no, argumentative. I was shocked. Had they been reasonable, I would’ve considered taking out a new subscription but will no longer be giving this rip-off merchant ANYTHING. ALWAYS take out subscriptions using PayPal so you can stop them from taking future payments.

May 29, 2025
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

I cancelled my subscription to The…

I cancelled my subscription to The Times and The Sunday Times via email in early November, but they continued to charge me. Only later did I find out that they require cancellations to be made by phone – something that wasn’t clearly stated. This feels like a deliberate barrier to prevent users from leaving. Still waiting for a refund. Disappointing experience for what I expected to be a reputable publication.

May 28, 2025
Unprompted review

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