I know I'm no longer a PlusNet customer but this seems really odd to me.

There now apears to be no way of cancelling your contract with PlusNet without occuring a penalty charge - apart from migration but then this isn't really cancelling your contract.

How would you all feel if BT turned round to you and said they're introducing a �100 cessation fee should you cancel your landline, or if your gas supplier turned round and said they're introducting a �150 cessation fee if you terminate your gas supply.

The gas supplier actually has to do something as, should a property be wothout gas supply for a period of time, they're legally obliged to ome and physically disconnect the supply at the premises for safety purposes.

I really can't believe this is actually legal - and if it is legal, then it's entirely immoral.

/me is glad I left when I did!

I understand what you are saying. However this charge is levied by BT to ALL ADSL ISP's. It is a matter for the ISP's how they deal with it. Plusnet has at least been upfront and publically said the cost is to be passed on. Others have not commented on what they are going to do.

It could be argued that the introduction of this charge is a fundamental change to the Terms and Conditions, to the detriment of the customer. Therefore PN should have given customers the opportunity to leave without penalty, however with monthly contracts that's academic.

They did - except for deferred hardware and similar costs.

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They did - except for deferred hardware and similar costs.

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As far as I'm aware there can't be any exceptions. If the Contract is altered to a customers detriment then the whole contract is void if the customer doesn't agree to the changes.

This was the response in the Plusnet forums which, AFAIK, has not been changed.

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Because we have made a change to the terms and conditions that you agreed to when you signed up we have given 30 days notice period, within which you can serve notice that you do not agree to the new terms and would like to cancel. We really don't want you to do that of course, we value your custom - but we legally have to give you that option. We would not hold you to the 12-months subscription but you would have to pay any deferred activation, housemove or hardware costs incurred at the start of your contract

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but you would have to pay any deferred activation, housemove or hardware costs incurred at the start of your contract

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I'm not sure they can insist on that as it is they who have changed the contract terms.

As I understand it they have terminated the existing contract and invited users to accept the new one. They cannot therefore hold users to the early termination clause of that contract as that represents a penalty in the circumstances.

If they were able to do so it would completely negate the point of the legal requirement to accept rejection of the new terms.

I agree.

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we have given 30 days notice period, within which you can serve notice that you do not agree to the new terms and would like to cancel.

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Cancel means the whole contract, not just the parts that PN agree to let you cancel.

Exactly. They haven't given a 30-day notice. They have unilaterally repudiated the existing contract. The law has required them to invite rejection of a new contract within 30 days. If the user rejects it he cannot be liable for any termination, delayed setup or penalty payments - though I think it likely the return of a free router within the original contract period may be enforceable as that will be still Plusnet property supplied purely to enable the service.

I'm happy with my lot.

Presumably that notice was emailed to all customers since announcing it only in the forums wouldn't be worth a light.

Simon