It's only the 22nd, so you would be leaving still within term. Although you have paid for the full term, I wonder if that is the cause.

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

It's only the 22nd, so you would be leaving still within term. Although you have paid for the full term, I wonder if that is the cause.

I just called them back because it didn't seem right. It seems you are right. That's exactly what happened and I have now managed to 'cancel the cancellation' so that it won't apply. Apparently if Plusnet take over the line before the 24th September (the contract end date), I will be liable for the £30 cessation fee. BT recommend waiting til 10 days or so before that date before giving notice and signing up to Plusnet to ensure it won't be charged.

I should have known someone would throw a spanner into the works. It seems giving notice to any phone or utility company comes with gotchas.

It could have been worse. Your giving notice before receiving the MAC has been known to trigger a Cease Order on the line. Which totally screws things!

A MAC cannot then be issued and no orders for a restart of the line can be placed for several days after the cease takes effect. The another wait before broadband can be ordered.

The only way out then is to cancel the Cease before it happens.