Ethical Microsoft Licence Renewal Question

[robjduk]

So I have a conundrum...

 

Last year there was a last minute problem with my MS renewal. Won't bore you with the details but the supplier messed it up and it was all very 11th hour stuff and we took our normal 1 year contract term.

 

Forward onto 2020 and I come in expecting my 90 day renewal notice like every year in my inbox but nothing. I sign into the VLC and see our licence expires in 2022, making it a 3 year one but we only paid for 1 year. We went back, double checked the paperwork and it was definitely for a 1 year contract with no small print.

 

My question is have I got away with this and have 3 years for the price of 1 or will someone inevitably figure it out and randomly cancel my contract? On advice of my finance team I casually emailed the supplier and asked when my renewal will be and they said the end of February so will contact me nearer the time but as I said, no MS email.

 

If I do have to renew then it would be with a different company after the problems I had but that's going to be hard without MS requesting a renewal.

 

Thoughts?

[thimon]

I always say stay clear of grey areas. Contact Microsoft support and tell them the situation in full, be upfront and honest. You don't want issues in 18 months or so when it all catches up.

[Theblacksheep]

You're likely to get a bill in year 2.

[robjduk]

What a muddle. After their handling of the initial order I want away from the supplier them but could do with the renewal notice. Moving supplier often takes a few weeks of paperwork.

 

Could anyone recommend an email address for contacting the MS licence department? Their call center staff are great at allocating keys but don't fancy explaining this one down the phone to them.

[TechMonkey]

My understanding is that they are 3 year pricing agreements, but you pay annually to give you the option to increase or decrease the amounts.

[robjduk]

we have always gone for 1 year options and renewed every year. We checked and the paperwork all says 1 year.

[PotNoodleTech]

Usually even if you agree to fix prices in for 3 years you still get billed every year. So you'll probably have two more bills to come!

[johnlevis]

Your agreement is with Microsoft for 3 years, not the reseller. At some point Microsoft will realise year 2 hasn't been paid and eventually the licences will get suspended. Contact a reseller (hopefully us) and they will be able to get your pricing for this year which will be fixed per licence based on the pricelist you took the agreement out on.

 

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[TD]John Levis | Software and Solutions Specialist

Tel: 0114 321 8609

[email protected]

very-pc.co.uk

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[sparkeh]

@robjduk Just to double check. Are you looking in MSVLC at the agreement details and are you looking at the *end* date or the *renewal* date.

 

To know when your licence runs to, you need to look at the END date, not the renewal (been caught out by that myself )