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Re: Membership Query
Posted: Wed Jul 10, 2019 12:20 pm
by Allan Hodgkinson
Thanks, Mick. That’s helpful.
Re: Membership Query
Posted: Wed Sep 04, 2019 8:56 am
by Richard Bates
So I received the renewal notice on July 10 - I don’t think I took any action. I note on that email it mentioned the DD option and that you would be notified a month prior to any money being taken.
On 31st Aug I received email advising membership had expired and to go to (web address) to renew. I didn’t do anything.
On 2nd September £39 was taken from my bank account (I guess I must have set up a DD last year).
I’m not aware of any other communication. The membership page doesn’t appear to show membership having been renewed.
Is this consistent within anyone else’s experience and/or does this sound like the system is supposed to work?
Re: Membership Query
Posted: Wed Sep 04, 2019 9:54 am
by Alex Holowczak
Richard Bates wrote: ↑Wed Sep 04, 2019 8:56 am
Is this consistent within anyone else’s experience and/or does this sound like the system is supposed to work?
I'm not sure, because when I had an issue to do with my renewal, I thought the way the system was supposed to work was you ask the Office/Dave Thomas directly, on the basis that they would actually know the answer to my question.
Re: Membership Query
Posted: Wed Sep 04, 2019 9:55 am
by John Upham
Richard Bates wrote: ↑Wed Sep 04, 2019 8:56 am
So I received the renewal notice on July 10 - I don’t think I took any action. I note on that email it mentioned the DD option and that you would be notified a month prior to any money being taken.
On 31st Aug I received email advising membership had expired and to go to (web address) to renew. I didn’t do anything.
On 2nd September £39 was taken from my bank account (I guess I must have set up a DD last year).
I’m not aware of any other communication. The membership page doesn’t appear to show membership having been renewed.
Is this consistent within anyone else’s experience and/or does this sound like the system is supposed to work?
My experience was to renew on the same day that the reminder email landed. I do not have a DD in place. I renewed my club memberships on the same day.
Re: Membership Query
Posted: Wed Sep 04, 2019 9:57 am
by John Upham
Alex Holowczak wrote: ↑Wed Sep 04, 2019 9:54 am
Richard Bates wrote: ↑Wed Sep 04, 2019 8:56 am
Is this consistent within anyone else’s experience and/or does this sound like the system is supposed to work?
I'm not sure, because when I had an issue to do with my renewal, I thought the way the system was supposed to work was you ask the Office/Dave Thomas directly, on the basis that they would actually know the answer to my question.
I usually find the office to be very helpful but I've struggled to get any kind of reply from Dave Thomas apart from face to face.
Re: Membership Query
Posted: Wed Sep 04, 2019 11:40 am
by Julie Denning
Richard Bates wrote: ↑Wed Sep 04, 2019 8:56 am
So I received the renewal notice on July 10 - I don’t think I took any action. I note on that email it mentioned the DD option and that you would be notified a month prior to any money being taken.
On 31st Aug I received email advising membership had expired and to go to (web address) to renew. I didn’t do anything.
On 2nd September £39 was taken from my bank account (I guess I must have set up a DD last year).
I’m not aware of any other communication. The membership page doesn’t appear to show membership having been renewed.
Is this consistent within anyone else’s experience and/or does this sound like the system is supposed to work?
I renewed very early last year as Dave Thomas had asked me to be a guinea pig for the new system. I set up a DD. This year all seemed to be working properly, but then, like you, I received an automated email dated the 31st August informing me my membership had expired, although I had already received another email saying the renewal fee would be taken from my account on 2nd September - which it was. I forwarded the 31/8 email to Dave, who responded that my accompanying expletive wasn't strong enough! Clearly a gremlin still in the new membership system, but I know Dave is onto it. Please bear with him.
Re: Membership Query
Posted: Wed Sep 04, 2019 12:36 pm
by Richard Bates
Thanks Julie - I think my main concern - and why I asked if others had experienced similar - was that people could easily not notice the DD (especially if they didn’t recall having set it up) and end up renewing twice! Reassuring that the email about the DD being taken probably was sent - i’ll go and look for it in my junk email!
Did you have to take any additional action to get the new membership “acknowledged” (eg. formally renew on the system without payment?)
Re: Membership Query
Posted: Wed Sep 04, 2019 2:30 pm
by Julie Denning
Richard Bates wrote: ↑Wed Sep 04, 2019 12:36 pm
Did you have to take any additional action to get the new membership “acknowledged” (eg. formally renew on the system without payment?)
I don't believe I've received any formal acknowledgement of renewal, nor have I done anything about it other than checking my bank account online which confirmed the DD had been collected on Monday 2nd.
Re: Membership Query
Posted: Wed Sep 04, 2019 6:16 pm
by Richard Bates
For info for anyone interested.
Richard
I have seen your post on the ECForum concerning your ECF membership, and thought it best to write to you directly.
You did set up a Direct Debit last year which we processed in mid-August, and notified you by email that we would take your Gold membership payment 1st September (as this was a Sunday this year, the payment was actually taken on 2nd September). We are expecting to receive notification today that your payment has been taken and paid to us.
We are currently in the process of creating the first membership list of the 2019/20 year, and we hope that this will be published for organisers to access by tomorrow in the organiser’s area, and for the grading database to be updated overnight with membership statuses for 2020, for everyone who has renewed. However, because it can take 7-10 days for Direct Debit payments to update in the membership system, we are manually adjusting the list to reflect the direct debit payments ahead of the membership system being updated. Next year, we will likely pull the payment date forward so that the membership system is updated in time for the 1st September.
We were not aware the system was going to send out a reminder letter over the weekend, to members who had not yet renewed. This included members like yourself who had set up renewal by Direct Debit, and for whom the email was certainly not relevant. The email also, rather unhelpfully, did not give members their usernames, and whilst it has had the perhaps welcome effect of encouraging more members to renew early, it has also caused the office to receive an influx of phone calls and emails from members who had not kept their membership number or username to hand. Their login details were specifically included in the email we sent out in July.
I hope the above is of some help, and happy for you to extract and post on the forum if you wish.
Regards
Gary Willson
ECF Office Manager
Re: Membership Query
Posted: Mon Mar 09, 2020 1:48 pm
by Roger Lancaster
Separate question. The italicised passages below are lifted direct from the ECF website. My belief is/was that, to participate in a FIDE-rated rapidplay, ECF silver membership or higher is needed. However, it has been suggested to me that, if a club rapidplay competition [meaning one limited to club members] is FIDE-rated, then bronze membership is sufficient. Nothing below seems to contradict this. Comments, anyone?
In addition, Bronze members also get —
Free grading of results in club competitions, leagues, county championships
Eligibility for the ECF Master Points Scheme
5% discount off purchases and 50% off CHESS Magazine for the first year from Chess & Bridge – https://www.chess.co.uk/ecf-members/
10% Chess Direct savings – https://www.chessdirect.co.uk/acatalog/ ... ation.html
In addition, Silver members also get —
Free grading of results in club competitions, leagues, county championships, congresses (excl. FIDE-rated standard play tournaments)
Eligibility for the ECF Master Points Scheme
Eligibility for inclusion in the ECF Grand Prix
10% discount off purchases and 50% off CHESS Magazine for the first year from Chess & Bridge – https://www.chess.co.uk/ecf-members/
10% Chess Direct savings – https://www.chessdirect.co.uk/acatalog/ ... ation.html
Re: Membership Query
Posted: Mon Mar 09, 2020 2:50 pm
by David Sedgwick
Roger Lancaster wrote: ↑Mon Mar 09, 2020 1:48 pm
However, it has been suggested to me that, if a club rapidplay competition [meaning one limited to club members] is FIDE-rated, then bronze membership is sufficient. Nothing below seems to contradict this.
My understanding is that that is correct.
However, the club limitation must be a genuine one. A few years ago someone tried to circumvent the normal Silver membership requirement by stipulating that all entrants to a Rapidplay event which he was organising would ipso facto become temporary members of his Club. The ECF were not impressed.
Re: Membership Query
Posted: Mon Mar 09, 2020 3:21 pm
by Roger Lancaster
David Sedgwick wrote: ↑Mon Mar 09, 2020 2:50 pm
Roger Lancaster wrote: ↑Mon Mar 09, 2020 1:48 pm
However, it has been suggested to me that, if a club rapidplay competition [meaning one limited to club members] is FIDE-rated, then bronze membership is sufficient. Nothing below seems to contradict this.
My understanding is that that is correct.
However, the club limitation must be a genuine one. A few years ago someone tried to circumvent the normal Silver membership requirement by stipulating that all entrants to a Rapidplay event which he was organising would ipso facto become temporary members of his Club. The ECF were not impressed.
Point taken - and thank you - although I think I'm correct in saying your second paragraph applies irrespective of whether or not the event is FIDE-rated. What I wanted to establish, and your first sentence is a cautious answer, is whether the FIDE accreditation made any difference.
Re: Membership Query
Posted: Mon Mar 09, 2020 5:51 pm
by David Sedgwick
Roger Lancaster wrote: ↑Mon Mar 09, 2020 3:21 pm
What I wanted to establish, and your first sentence is a cautious answer, is whether the FIDE accreditation made any difference.
I don't believe that it does, but I was indeed being a little cautious.
I suggest that you check with the ECF Office.