TV/Broadband contract exit
Discussion
Having a bit of trouble with my TV/Broadband. Having moved house to an area they don't serve I have cancelled the service, but they insist I am in a 12 month contract so need to pay nearly £200 early exit fees.
In March I got a call offering a cheap upgrade to the full package, which seemed like a good idea at the time as I could downgrade again at any time. No mention of a new contract being put in place at this point.
Customer services now say that this commenced the start of a new 12 month contract. I have explained that I wouldn't have agreed to this as I already new I couldn't use their service when I moved. After faffing around to get through their tortuous complaints process, I was told that I was sent the new contract in March, and they would send this again.
Problem is, that the contract they sent is unsigned. I honestly can't remember receiving it, but I am convinced I did not sign it.
So, what chance have I got of them dropping the exit fees?
In March I got a call offering a cheap upgrade to the full package, which seemed like a good idea at the time as I could downgrade again at any time. No mention of a new contract being put in place at this point.
Customer services now say that this commenced the start of a new 12 month contract. I have explained that I wouldn't have agreed to this as I already new I couldn't use their service when I moved. After faffing around to get through their tortuous complaints process, I was told that I was sent the new contract in March, and they would send this again.
Problem is, that the contract they sent is unsigned. I honestly can't remember receiving it, but I am convinced I did not sign it.
So, what chance have I got of them dropping the exit fees?
fatandwheezing said:
Problem is, that the contract they sent is unsigned. I honestly can't remember receiving it, but I am convinced I did not sign it.
You don't need to sign it. They explain the deal over the phone, and they send you out the terms of the deal in the post.
Then, if you don't like the terms you have the option to cancel within x (14? without checking) days.
ETA: This is a pretty standard telecoms tactic. "BT customer, you can get free BT Sport!" Then when you phone them and read the small print you find that the great deal means you now have a 12 month minimum term on the whole shebang.
OK, that is interesting. The key bit missing there though is the "explain the terms of the contract over the phone". If I was told that I was entering a 12 month contract, and that there were early exit fees I would have declined as I knew I was moving to an area they don't service.
What galls me most is when I described the above to customer services I was told that this was completely impossible.
What galls me most is when I described the above to customer services I was told that this was completely impossible.
If they cannot provide service at your location then you should be able to terminate early.
Certainly the way it worked when I moved from a Virgin Media are to a non virgin area, they wouldn't provide service at my new address so terminated contract for TV without me paying any fees but as they could provide national broadband ADSL I was obliged to take that for the remainder of my contract.
Certainly the way it worked when I moved from a Virgin Media are to a non virgin area, they wouldn't provide service at my new address so terminated contract for TV without me paying any fees but as they could provide national broadband ADSL I was obliged to take that for the remainder of my contract.
fatandwheezing said:
OK, that is interesting. The key bit missing there though is the "explain the terms of the contract over the phone". If I was told that I was entering a 12 month contract, and that there were early exit fees I would have declined as I knew I was moving to an area they don't service.
What galls me most is when I described the above to customer services I was told that this was completely impossible.
They should have a recording of the telephone call. What galls me most is when I described the above to customer services I was told that this was completely impossible.
I'd be pressuring them to have a listen.
If they don't tell you then I suspect they'll back down. BT certainly informed me when I changed package, and again, when I changed from normal to 'Faster' broadband recently, I remember them clearly explaining the minimum term as well as my rights to cancel etc.
andburg said:
If they cannot provide service at your location then you should be able to terminate early.
Certainly the way it worked when I moved from a Virgin Media are to a non virgin area, they wouldn't provide service at my new address so terminated contract for TV without me paying any fees but as they could provide national broadband ADSL I was obliged to take that for the remainder of my contract.
They have recently changed this policy too. I've never had a problem with them, and used them for years since they were NTL. I'm disappointed by what is happening, but I guess they see it as why help someone who is leaving us.Certainly the way it worked when I moved from a Virgin Media are to a non virgin area, they wouldn't provide service at my new address so terminated contract for TV without me paying any fees but as they could provide national broadband ADSL I was obliged to take that for the remainder of my contract.
I would try and go down the recording route, If the call center did not mention the 12 month contract and effectivley digitally sign you into a 12 month contract then I would imagine you have grounds for terminating.
What annoys me is, I sign a 12 month contract for lets say £50 quid then 3 months later they write saying my prices are increasing. Surely my 12 month contract should stay at the same price for 12 months. I wonder if you could terminate on the price rise?
What annoys me is, I sign a 12 month contract for lets say £50 quid then 3 months later they write saying my prices are increasing. Surely my 12 month contract should stay at the same price for 12 months. I wonder if you could terminate on the price rise?
Keep fighting them. We had the same issue with Virgin when moving to an area they didn't support. They insisted for months we were obliged to pay over £300 before they eventually gave in and wrote it off 'as a gesture of goodwill'.
We'd been customers for around 3 years prior to that.
Use Twitter and make yourself a pain in the arse. Will get you there in the end. Just don't take no for an answer.
We'd been customers for around 3 years prior to that.
Use Twitter and make yourself a pain in the arse. Will get you there in the end. Just don't take no for an answer.
fatandwheezing said:
Having a bit of trouble with my TV/Broadband. Having moved house to an area they don't serve I have cancelled the service, but they insist I am in a 12 month contract so need to pay nearly £200 early exit fees.
In March I got a call offering a cheap upgrade to the full package, which seemed like a good idea at the time as I could downgrade again at any time. No mention of a new contract being put in place at this point.
Customer services now say that this commenced the start of a new 12 month contract. I have explained that I wouldn't have agreed to this as I already new I couldn't use their service when I moved. After faffing around to get through their tortuous complaints process, I was told that I was sent the new contract in March, and they would send this again.
Problem is, that the contract they sent is unsigned. I honestly can't remember receiving it, but I am convinced I did not sign it.
So, what chance have I got of them dropping the exit fees?
The contract you agree to is for the service to that specific property, not any property that you happen to live in during the term of the contract. Therefore, the argument over them serving your new home or not is moot. In March I got a call offering a cheap upgrade to the full package, which seemed like a good idea at the time as I could downgrade again at any time. No mention of a new contract being put in place at this point.
Customer services now say that this commenced the start of a new 12 month contract. I have explained that I wouldn't have agreed to this as I already new I couldn't use their service when I moved. After faffing around to get through their tortuous complaints process, I was told that I was sent the new contract in March, and they would send this again.
Problem is, that the contract they sent is unsigned. I honestly can't remember receiving it, but I am convinced I did not sign it.
So, what chance have I got of them dropping the exit fees?
How much cheaper was this new deal? How much would you have paid in the past six months at full rate thatbwouldve allowed you to,leave without penalty? I bet there's not much in it.
Finally, you say you can downgrade at any time. Why not do that, then pay the penalties on the lower price?
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