Cancellation charges

Dorpend

We have come to the end of our contract of 18 mnths with Supanet Broadband. They have slapped us with a £39'99 bill for cancellation fees. They say that if you cancel within 24 months then you have to pay it is in their contract of a greement. Surely this is illegal. A contract of 18 months is not 24. Do we have to pay this and if we do can we claim our money back? Help someone please.

Quentin

When you say you have come to the end of your "contract", you mean the end of your "minimum period".

The contract you agreed to allows them to make the cancellation charge if you cancel within 24 months.

Under the terms you agreed you do have to pay the cancellation charge, and once paid there is no-one you can claim it back from.

Dorpend

Hi Quentin, thanks for your help.
I just need to clarify that I have it written in black and white that 'my contract is for 18 months', there is nothing anywhere that states minimum of anything.
The only place that the words 'minimum time' is in the terms and conditions and that states if you cancel within 24 months then you have to pay. I have a written contract sent to me by Supanet which states 18 months is my contract. No minimum or maximum time is mentioned. That is why I am concerned that I may be getting ripped off and if this is a general habit by most Broadband suppliers. :mad:

DatabaseError

Dorpend wrote: »

....
The only place that the words 'minimum time' is in the terms and conditions and that states if you cancel within 24 months then you have to pay..

Ok..you have it in writing, on a contract you agreed to....your problem is...?

(btw, I agree, it's not fair, and I also skipread contracts, potentially missing important bits )

Quentin

Dorpend wrote: »

I just need to clarify that I have it written in black and white that 'my contract is for 18 months'

You won't have that written down. You say they have written and said your minimum period is 18 months. If you want to cancel before the minimum period is up, then they will charge you for the period up to the end of the minimum period.

Your "contract" continues until it is cancelled, and if you cancel prior to being with them 24 months then you get charged this £40 cancellation charge.

Dorpend

I thank those that have replyed, but believe me when I say I have it 'Written in Black & white' 'Contract:- 18months.' Without posting a copy of it I can assure everyone who reads this that no where on my written contract does minimum term get mentioned. thank you anyway.

notbritishgas

Dorpend wrote: »

I thank those that have replyed, but believe me when I say I have it 'Written in Black & white' 'Contract:- 18months.' Without posting a copy of it I can assure everyone who reads this that no where on my written contract does minimum term get mentioned. thank you anyway.

The way I see this is that you do indeed have a contract for 18 months. This means that say you cancelled after 12 months you would have to pay the remainder of your contract (6 months) plus the cancellation fee.
After your contract ends however they have written an extra term that you pay the cancellation fee up to 24 months.
These terms appear to be in their T&C's so no underhand tactics. It would pay to scrutinise the T&C's, but how many people do.

Quentin

Somewhere in the contract ts + cs it will say how the contract can be terminated - if it were just an 18 month "contract", then on completion of month 18 they could cut you off!

If the contract you hold (ie the "18 month contract") has no mention of termination, cancellation charges etc, then ask them on what authority they are asking you for the £40. (Though this does appear in their standard ts + cs, it seems your particular "contract" is a one off).

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Quentin..

Dorpend wrote: »

....
The only place that the words 'minimum time' is in the terms and conditions and that states if you cancel within 24 months then you have to pay..

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