Early termination charges.

I have been with Plusnet for many years on and off, and re-joined them last in 2012.

In January I downgraded from 40/20 to 40/10 (I think) and asked to upgrade my broadband package to unlimited and my home phone package to anytime calls. I didn't realise that it would (or why it should have to) mean renewing to an 18 month contract. I have also had two occasions now, where a line fault was reported and the ticket got absolutely no response for seven days on either occasion. After that seven days, a reply saying "thank you for your patience arrived." To me, this is the polar opposite of the customer service spectrum in terms of how they have promoted themselves historically. If you can't at least acknowledge receipt of a complaint within seven days, then you shouldn't hang your reputation on customer service.

Anyway, my question being cancellation charges. I got a free rootey tooter in 2012 and I am 8 months into (what I thought to be) my "package change." Plusnet have asked for a £150 odd cancellation fee. From what I've read in the terms, they don't charge such a fee for cancelling services anymore?

Can somebody point me to an authoritative link that explains that I have to pay anything past the date I informed them that I wanted to leave? I know in 2009 they changed their terms to allow free exit from their 18 month contracts. Assuming their are no Sport/TV packages attached nowadays, has this policy since been retracted?

You may be confusing the early termination charge for breaking the 18 month minimum term you are 8 months into, with the broadband Cease charge for cancelling service without migration.

I can give you a link later if you want to the relevant section of the price list. Using my iPad at the moment.

If you weren't made aware of the new minimum term when you downgraded then you have grounds for challenging it. The best route is via the Community Forums, that you can get to from the Plusnet Home Page.

Wait for a price rise - that's a get out of jail free card

In reply to a post by ZenUserJP:

Wait for a price rise - that's a get out of jail free card

Indeed yep!

In reply to a post by ZenUserJP:

Wait for a price rise - that's a get out of jail free card

That could be a long wait. It has to be a price rise that affects a service that is being provided and we've just had a round of those.

In reply to a post by mrnelster:

In January I downgraded from 40/20 to 40/10 (I think) and asked to upgrade my broadband package to unlimited and my home phone package to anytime calls. I didn't realise that it would (or why it should have to) mean renewing to an 18 month contract.

Do you have the email that would have been generated at the time of the product change? That should have stated the contract terms.

In reply to a post by mrnelster:

From what I've read in the terms, they don't charge such a fee for cancelling services anymore? ... I know in 2009 they changed their terms to allow free exit from their 18 month contracts.

I have never seen any such thing.

This is from the last time I was with them.

In reference to www.plus.net/support/customer_service/using/terms_update_sept09.sht...:

Plusnet changes - 2009

Ofcom has also issued guidance to broadband providers to simplify additional charges. As a result we are making some changes to our customer notice and commitment periods.

Firstly, we're reducing the notice required to end our service to 10 days for broadband and phone. This is currently 30 days.

Previously we had 18 month contracts on our 'Value' and 'Unlimited' products which meant that if you left before the 18 month contract ended, you would have been liable to pay an early termination charge which was calculated as any outstanding subscription charges until the contract end date

We have now changed our policy so that there are no early termination charges, but if you leave Plusnet in your first 12 months after receiving a free set-up, router or house move, we'll charge you the full price for these. If you remain with Plusnet for 12 months after receiving a free set-up, router or house move these prices will be waived. You can also choose to pay for any of these up front if you want more flexibility.

Back in October last year we introduced a cessation charge which was passed onto us by our suppliers. This charge is only payable if you completely cancel your broadband service - so in most cases this doesn't need to be paid, as people tend to use a migration code (MAC) to migrate to another broadband supplier. Due to supplier price increases in May, we now need to increase this fee, so it's changing from £20 to £25.

I suggest that you check the up to date information
There are long contracts with early termination charges http://www.plus.net/info2/legal/index.html#packaged_...
http://www.plus.net/info2/legal/price_guide.html

Yes I suspected there would be. But I didn't expect changing to unlimited fibre from normal fibre would incur a new 18 month contract. I suspect it was in any email received, but I didn't check it and would have expected them to make it clear over the phone.

Swapping your Sky to HD now apoarently starts a new 18 month contract. They're all at it and it's not really on as far as I'm concerned. It's that "new customers only" malarkey that means they don't offer you the decent deals if you've been a long term customer, but still want to tie you into long contracts.

I'll happily pay the termination charge to get away from them, if they don't think offering me a decent deal is fair. Would just like to know the exact monthly compensation figure?

I do know the difference, but quoting the monthly cancellation charge for me would be useful, thanks.