Haggling with Plusnet, switching to Sky, all absolute rubbish!

ChyEbren · 17 October 2016 at 11:32AM

I've been with Plusnet for a year, the contract runs out 15th Nov, so last week I haggled with them for a good deal renewal, and after it was all negotiated they suddenly announced that they couldn't start the new deal in November but wanted to do it right now. As I'd already paid a year's line rental upfront I wasn't going to waste a month of that, so told them I'd move to another provider. They said they really couldn't change their contract start date to suit me. I couldn't believe it.

So I negotiated with Sky and got an even better deal, told them I wanted the contract to start 15th Nov, they said fine. Five days later I still have no confirmation of the contract details, nothing online in "My Account", just a "welcome to Sky" email with no information.

On Sunday I got an email from Plusnet saying sorry to lose you, service will cease on 25th October.

Rang Sky today, guess what? They cannot change the start date to 15 Nov either. So I cancelled the contract.

What's going on?

I thought switching providers was supposed to be easy! Are the companies deliberately fouling the system in this manner to grab every penny from their customers? This is absolute rubbish.

Has anyone here found a way to deal with this sort of stupidity?

Thanks, Sharon

teddysmum · 17 October 2016 at 12:44PM

When you haggle a deal, it always starts immediately, (in my experience) probably because offers are constantly changing.

I've only ever haggles with Sky and O2, but have left the call until about two weeks to go, so any changeover is just after the minimum term's end date.

Until this time (moving to PlusNet) I have always been successful, losing a little on the present deal, if better than the new,but reducing the cost at full price for the possible few days not covered.

If you stay with PlusNet and have prepaid the line rental,I imagine that they will credit any overlap to your account. However, if you leave any line saver payment will not be refunded.

Sky don't do line saver deals, but any advance payments, made to cover days after the new agreement's start date, are refunded to the account.

ChyEbren · 17 October 2016 at 1:23PM

Thank you, Teddysmum, I suppose I should just wait a couple of weeks and then try again with Plusnet. I had assumed it was like insurance where you can arrange these things up to a month in advance but it sounds like phone and broadband need doing at the last minute.
Regards, Sharon

teddysmum · 17 October 2016 at 4:55PM

Moves are usually done within (and near) 10 working days of order. My order was on Friday 7th and migration will be on Friday 21st (9 working days).

boatman · 24 October 2016 at 10:35AM

With Sky you used to be able to go into your account and change the installation date, but it has now been removed. The only way now is to call, obviously to get you to join right away, not delay it. They can change the date, they just don't want to...
You can claim back money on phone orders, but how often they pay the full amount is unknown.
http://www.sky.com/shop/offers/broadbandswitchers/v1/

ChyEbren · 24 October 2016 at 10:46AM

Thanks, Boatman, I have cancelled both new orders (with Sky and renewal of Plusnet) and will try to reorganise a good deal within a couple of weeks of the old one running out next month.

What I wanted, and have done in the past, is to arrange for a seamfree switch in advance by telling either one of them to start the new contract immediately the old one runs out, but neither company seems to have that facility.

I thought the government was supposed to have made switching between providers more straightforward, instead of which they've made it far more complicated.

I really appreciate your comments and advice, it would appear I am not the only one finding switching now more tricky than in previous years.

Regards, Sharon

teddysmum · 24 October 2016 at 5:58PM

I booked a transfer to PlusNet on October 7th, with my phone etc minimum term with Sky due to end on 13th (hoping for a last minute offer which didn't materialise or I'd have ordered slightly earlier so migration occurred on 14th).

Allowing 10 (actually was 9)working days I migrated on October 21st, but had paid £30.90 to Sky as my billing date fell between dates.

I now notice that they will refund me £26.53, meaning the few days over minimum term cost just £6.37.

zaax · 24 October 2016 at 6:06PM

Don't forget BT Openreach have to change something at the exchange, and they need a 6 week run up or more

teddysmum · 24 October 2016 at 6:31PM

zaax wrote: »

Don't forget BT Openreach have to change something at the exchange, and they need a 6 week run up or more

6 weeks ?

BT to Sky took 10 days and Sky to PlusNet 9 for me .

ChyEbren · 24 October 2016 at 7:00PM

Hi Zaax,

I think it's when you move to or from cable that it takes a lot longer, rather than when you're changing between providers who both use BT Open Reach. That ought to be exactly as Teddysmum says, just a matter of about 10 days. What was astounding me, was that the companies wouldn't post-date the change of contract to suit the customer (me!) They only wanted to change at their own pace - ic. in about 10 days.

Regards, Sharon

teddysmum · 24 October 2016 at 8:37PM

ChyEbren wrote: »

Hi Zaax,

I think it's when you move to or from cable that it takes a lot longer, rather than when you're changing between providers who both use BT Open Reach. That ought to be exactly as Teddysmum says, just a matter of about 10 days. What was astounding me, was that the companies wouldn't post-date the change of contract to suit the customer (me!) They only wanted to change at their own pace - ic. in about 10 days.

Regards, Sharon

They do need time to contact the old supplier, allow them time to contact the customer, by letter, to confirm and give Openreach enough notice.

Haggling with Plusnet, switching to Sky, all absolute rubbish!

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