General Chat

Just received notice my renewal will be £15.96. for a year. This seems to be a big jump. Have been a member about 9 years I think.

Can't remember what I paid last year but it was not near that.

What have other been asked to pay? Also just found out from another thread - they have not given me sufficient notice - fourteen days!!!

Renewing 'old' members are being charged about the same. It used to be £9.95 pa although many were charged £7.25 for last year, something about a 20% discount?

There are a couple of threads around where this is being discussed eg

http://www.genesreunited.co.uk/boards/board/genealogy_chat/thread/1316016

There is also one on Chat, but its probably slipped down the boards

Thanks Det. that is more than double then this year.

I paid less this year than ever...was quite surprised .
It was always £9.95 for standard as I had continuous and I don't think that is bad as you can pay a lot more on other sites.

Mine is continuous also Brenda

Query it Chris....don't let them make you pay this as you have been a loyal member and deserve better...I think they have made a mistake....I don't let companies get away with overcharging.
Let me know how you get on!
Merry Christmas x x

Had a reply saying fees have to go up because of all the extras - but nothing about members being charged different prices for the same service.

Plus they have only informed me this morning of renewal.

This is so unfair...mine only renewed in October....why the sudden increase.
Get back on to them. Don't think they know what they're doing!

Read the thread on gen board Chris, they are apparently bringing 'old' members into line with new so we have a 100% increase this year. I only paid £6.50 for the past two years and I don't use all the extras. Think they are trying to force us oldies off the boards. You should query why you have only been given 7 days notice. Guessed this would happen once bright solid took over.

I would also ask what are the extras as we have to pay on top to access any records? If they are talking about photo´s etc. there are still other sites with free membership that this can be done on so I can´t see why there would be a charge for that.

Here is a reply from one of the Genes team


Historically we have always allowed members to renew at the price they originally paid so long as it was not a special offer price. However, over the past few months, we have been working hard to introduce lots of key new features including the Keepsafe, blogs, family history articles, new records and more. As a result of these additions, we feel that it is fair to ask our members to renew at the current price. Your new subscription is the equivalent of just £1.66 per month. Genes Reunited continue to offer one of the best value subscription options in the family history market, and we hope that you will continue to discover your family history with us.

So the full annual price is now £19.95 with a 20% discount if paid two weeks before due, making it £15.96

Not sure why the new records are mentioned? because standard members would have to purchase credits on top to view those

Here is another reply

as Rachel has already said in her email, we are slowly moving everyone over to the same renewal price. For those of you on a standard subscription, this is £14.95 for 6 months and £19.95 for 12 months. If you renew before the renewal date then there is a 20% discount on the cost of your renewal. Elizabeth - this is why your is £15.96, as that's the annual price less a 20% discount.

As normally happens, we will email you before your renewal date to confirm the cost of it.

If you do have any further questions then please contact our customer support team.


As I am one that has paid normally £9.95 every six months but had a discount four months ago making it £7.96.....this means they would want to charge £11.96 when I am due to renew in Feb...I am sure I have never been given the option to pay yearly??

If I wanted to renew it would work out cheaper to cancel this membership and start again....initially it would work out the same as I normally pay, but after a year it would be cheaper for me....Unless they are going to let the six monthly members now have the choice of how they wish to pay?

It would seem unfair to expect members who have been paying for four or five years to pay £24 a year when new members pay £20

Brightsolid (formerly Scotland Online) acquired the FriendsReunitedGroup in March 2010 so I think they have been planning the pricing changes mentioned above for some time?

This site has four levels of membership (IMHO)
-Free: Just your tree
(and with rounded annual prices a new member would be charged)
-Standard: £20 Your tree, my tree and these chat boards.
-Platinum: £80 Standard plus access to census, BMD's, etc.
-Platinum Plus (thats my name for it): £140 Platinum + 4 sets at £14.95each.

But if they bring on yet another special set, then I guess that one would pay a further £14.95.

It would have been cheaper to use Find my past ( Full membership) then take out the standard on Genes if you wished GOM

Not sure what you mean by a further £14.95? This is what I would be expected to pay for 6 months before the 20% discount

Members who joined the site in 2007 then there was an overall did so on half yearly subcription.......all members who joined before 2007 did so on a yearly membership as that is what the site was-----yearly subcription.

So as a loyalty pre 2007 are being kept at yearly subcription.....

When I first joined it was £5 for the year.

The changes---keepsake,photos and records,,,,,are there ,,,,,,if you dont use them it makes no difference to the subs Gr are charging.....

So it would be correct that anyone joining 2007-2010 who are on the six monthly subscription will now have to pay £14.95 (less 20%) which works out to £23.92 for the year....or do you think we will be offered the £19.95 (less 20%) annual sub?

If I was planning on renewing I would not take kindly to being charged more than a new member

Members from 2007 only had memebrship for 6 months there was no option...........it may flash up in subcription charges at some point,,,,,,either take 6 months or a year,,,,,,all sites who offer 6 months and year ,,,,,,,the yearly one works out cheaper,

If I was offered a year sub it would work out less than what I have been paying for the last three years.

Not seen anyone yet with a six monthly sub say they have had a renewal notice....I am sure we will find out soon enough

There has been an annual/six monthly sub for new members for the last couple of years at the same rates as they are charging now

Just in case my earlier post re: £14.95 was confusing:-

All prices refer to a new subscriber - no discounts for renewals.

I presently have annual Platinum membership plus access to newspaper records. For new subscriber that would cost £80.04 + £ 14.95 = £94.99. There are three more record sets that I have to pay for if I want to view them. That’s another £44.85 (3 x £14.95) Thus a years access to all site records would cost a new subscriber £139.84.

No two sites offer exactly the same records, but as Genes is a sister site to Findmypast (ie both under Brightsolid) it is not surprising that they have mostly the same stuff. But Findmypast does not have these chat boards, etc. And if you do not want access to records, then this site would be £20.04. On a visit to the London offices earlier this year a comment was made that the two sites “cater for different groups”. I chose not to ask about that.

These are the current annual subscriptions available on three sites for various levels of record access. (Open each site and look to the subscription pages)

Genesreunited. £80.04 £139.84

Findmypast £79.95 £109.95 £159.95

Ancestry. £83.40 £107.40 £155.40

I think they may be losing a lot of members quite soon.
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