About downgrading from Premium to Basic.

[Kitty Aeghin]

I bought the 50% off deal with the Quarterly payment and I wanted to cancel it. However, in the process, it says I'd lose "all benefits"; I don't care much about the free house or anything else, but, I was wondering about the Linden Stipend. The documentation makes it sound like I'd immediately lose that when downgrading, so, I just wanted to double-check first that I'd still get the Lindens before downgrading.

[MoiraKathleen]

You don't lose the stipend immediately when you downgrade - that stays until the end of the current period that you have paid up to already.  The only thing you lose immediately has to do with land - if you own any land, the system won't let you downgrade until you've sold or abandoned the land and/or linden home. 

(This was the case as of a couple of months ago, when an alt downgraded from premium). 

[LittleMe Jewell]

As soon as you do the downgrade, it is effective immediately -- i.e. not at the end of the month or quarter, as far as I know.  That means you will immediately stop getting the stipend and if you own mainland, you will no longer get 512 sq m tier free.

ETA - Correction. I found this note in the Knowledge Base.
  Note: When you cancel your account, it remains active until the end of your payment period. You may still log in and use Second Life during this time. For instance, if you buy a yearly Second Life membership and cancel it the next day, you are still be treated as a premium member for the next year!

Edited April 22, 2017 by LittleMe Jewell

[Rhonda Huntress]

30 minutes ago, LittleMe Jewell said:

As soon as you do the downgrade, it is effective immediately

Is it?  That's a change.  It used to continue for as long as you have already paid.  I know it will not let you cancel as long as you own land  but once you go back to basic you will continue to get the stipend, groups and sandbox use until your next unpaid billing cycle.

[LittleMe Jewell]

.

Edited April 22, 2017 by LittleMe Jewell

[Chic Aeon]

One thing you need to note that you may end up paying tier on a lot you no longer have. That happened to a friend. So best to give up your lot and then the NEXT month downgrade ^^.   Doubt the rule has changed -- to lucrative :D. 

[LittleMe Jewell]

So, always get rid of all land before the tier billing date happens.  Only after the tier billing date, should you then downgrade - to be safe.

[Rolig Loon]

12 minutes ago, moirakathleen said:

You don't lose the stipend immediately when you downgrade - that stays until the end of the current period that you have paid up to already.  The only thing you lose immediately has to do with land - if you own any land, the system won't let you downgrade until you've sold or abandoned the land and/or linden home. 

(This was the case as of a couple of months ago, when an alt downgraded from premium). 

Exactly.  Remember that your Premium membership is prepaid, so even if you cancel your membership today, you will still have all your benefits until the end of the period that you paid for.  As Moirakathleen says, you do need to sell or abandon any land that you own on the Mainland in order to start the downgrade process, so that includes your Linden Home, but that's the only thing you have to do.  If you own land in a private estate or you rent anywhere, you can stay where you are.

[Lindal Kidd]

Whoops.  Lots of misinformation here, folks, along with the partially or mostly correct answers!

1.  Linden Lab does not give refunds.  If you downgrade, your Premium membership and its benefits remain in effect until the end of the period you paid for...but you can't get any money back for unused time.

2.  You must sell or abandon any Mainland you hold before the system will let you complete a downgrade request.  So yes, you lose your Linden Home when you decide to downgrade.  However, all non-land Premium benefits remain in effect until the end of the period you paid for.

3.  Therefore, the best strategy is to wait until your subscription is ALMOST up.  Then abandon your Linden Home, sell or abandon any other Mainland you own, and remove any tier donations you have made to groups.  Be sure to submit the downgrade request, though, BEFORE your subscription expires, or it will automatically renew for another period (and you will be charged for it.)

[vince888]

Hi, all, 

Please help me with my query, if i give up my Linden Home (with furniture and setups) now and downgrade to basic membership, can i get it back after few months/weeks if i upgrade to premium membership again? or i will get an "empty" new home? 

[Lindal Kidd]

3 minutes ago, vince888 said:

Hi, all, 

Please help me with my query, if i give up my Linden Home (with furniture and setups) now and downgrade to basic membership, can i get it back after few months/weeks if i upgrade to premium membership again? or i will get an "empty" new home? 

Hi @vince888!

You should go to your Linden Home and Take all your stuff back into your inventory.  Next, go to the About Land (Parcel Details) window and Abandon your home.  Then you can downgrade to a Basic membership.  No, you will not get the same home when you go Premium again, but you may be able to get another one just like it.

[vince888]

1 hour ago, Lindal Kidd said:

Hi @vince888!

You should go to your Linden Home and Take all your stuff back into your inventory.  Next, go to the About Land (Parcel Details) window and Abandon your home.  Then you can downgrade to a Basic membership.  No, you will not get the same home when you go Premium again, but you may be able to get another one just like it.

Thanks for your reply. i think i know what to do.