If you use "3 like home" read this- possible reason to cancel??

anonymousie

3 are very quietly ditching the useful "3 like home" service:

http://www.three.co.uk/Help_Support/International/3_Like_Home_Pay_Monthly

I guess if you use this quite a bit then you have grounds to cancel a contract as it is detremental to you.

I don't know how you stand about 3 "not informing you about a change"- as billing is paperless for most folk, probably small print on the website is enough??

Thanks to HDUK where I cribbed the linky from!

Postcard

Thanks for the heads up. This was the only reason I was going to sign back up with three!

robt_2

I'm happy to be corrected but as it is a promotional offer (their words) how can it be regarded as part of your contract?

rev_henry

anonymousie wrote: »

3 are very quietly ditching the useful "3 like home" service:

http://www.three.co.uk/Help_Support/International/3_Like_Home_Pay_Monthly

I guess if you use this quite a bit then you have grounds to cancel a contract as it is detremental to you.

I don't know how you stand about 3 "not informing you about a change"- as billing is paperless for most folk, probably small print on the website is enough??

Thanks to HDUK where I cribbed the linky from!

Thanks OP. Looks like the first minute billing saga all over again. Yet another reason for me not to stay with them.

rev_henry

This is obviously because of the new EU laws capping roaming data and text messaging charges coming in this Summer. Texts are to be capped at 9p I believe
So 3 must be trying to cut their losses.

parallax_20

I don't think three will allow you to cancel your contract based on the termination of "3 Like Home" as its not part of your contract terms. Its a benefit that 3 promote in order to entice new customers. It is not tied to your contract as you don't pay for the service. I imagine its the same case if they decided to scrap free skype/messenger/facebook access.

rev_henry

parallax_20 wrote: »

I don't think three will allow you to cancel your contract based on the termination of "3 Like Home" as its not part of your contract terms. Its a benefit that 3 promote in order to entice new customers. It is not tied to your contract as you don't pay for the service. I imagine its the same case if they decided to scrap free skype/messenger/facebook access.

The point is, if you have started e.g. an 18 month contract with 3 because you travel a lot in 3 like home countries, your main reason for choosing 3 is because of 3 Like Home. Now they've changed their minds so this could be argued to be a substantial change which will leave you worse off than before. And it says in the contract that if they change anything to your detriment they will tell you, then you will have 30 days to cancel because of this if you so wish.
Try telling 3 that though!

hotkee

Its a promotional offer - and no doubt anyone who has used it or has it on their contract knew that - so it probably cant be argued as being a change in contract. Three wouldnt be that stupid.

parallax_20

rev_henry - The three T&C's mentions your "Price Plan"....this by definition is what you've paid for and the inclusive minutes are to be used on landlines and UK mobile networks. It mentions nothing about including roaming as part of the "price plan", so it would be hard to argue that point.

I don't know when they posted the "3 Like Home" changes, but those who have taken out new contracts in the last few month must have surely known this was going to happen prior to purchase. Its another case of buyers beware and do your research beforehand I think. Having said that, when I first looked up "3 Like Home" 18months back it was not mentioned as a promotional offer, so I think they changed it when they decided to end the service.

drbob

UPDATE 3: There have been reports of people being allowed to cancel who haven't received a text from 3 stating they can cancel, but be prepared to persevere during a long phone call with three customer service.

UPDATE 2: Despite the small print Three are accepting cancellations due to the 3 like home change from some people who have received a text message stating they can cancel. See here (and read pages 4 & 5 of this thread).

UPDATE: Seems 3 did have small print saying they could withdraw "3 like home" before I signed up. See here.

Hello,

3 recently announced on their website (at the end of April) that the "3 like home" roaming service will be withdrawn. The website announcement tries to present 3 like home as a temporary promotion.

When I signed up for in June 08 for 18 months "3 like home" was just part of their standard offering and no mention was made either on the website or in the June 08 price guide of it being a temporary promotion. Luckily I saved a copy of the price guide. 3 like home is very attractive to me as I spend quite a lot of time in 3 like home countries..

So, as per section 10.1 d) of the 3 terms and conditions

10.1 You may end this agreement in the following ways:

...

d. Within one month of a detrimental variation to your agreement. You can end the agreement within one month of us telling you about a variation to your agreement (which includes your Price Plan) which is likely to be of detriment to you. You must give written notice to 3 Customer Services within that month and your agreement will finish at the end of that month once we receive your notice. (A Cancellation Fee will not be charged.)

I wrote to 3, giving them notice that as they had varied the terms of the contract to my detriment I wished to cancel and please would they send me a PAC code.

After I sent the letter, I got a call from customer services.

Things customer services said:

• I cannot cancel because I am still within my contract minimum term.

I asked the attendent if she had a copy of the contract. She said yes. I then asked her to read me section 10.1 d). Suddenly she no longer had the contract before her.

• The announcement on the website just means that 3 are thinking of making a change, nothing is definite yet.

I pointed out that the announcement states clearly that the "3 like home" service will end on 30th June.

• I must wait until 30th June to cancel.

I pointed out that the t&c's state I must let them know I wish to cancel within 1 month of them telling me about a change and since they told me about it when I read their website at the beginning of May, 30th June is outside the time limit.

• I can't cancel as I haven't yet been notified of the change.

I asked how I knew of the change if I hadn't been notified by three! She stated that I am only notified of the change when I receive a text message from three with details of the change. I pointed out that section 14 of the contract states that the website is a source of information for notices about the three services. This caused her to ignore my comment and loop back round to the first objection.

14. Notices
14.1 Our website is a great source of information that you may find useful when using our services - it is the most up to date source of information about 3 and its services. You may find it useful to refer to when using our services.

After going through the above points a couple of times the attendant offered to transfer me to the "disconnections" department. I accepted and was put on hold for 35 minutes. The new attendant repeated much of what the previous one had said and stated that if I end the contract early I will have to pay an early termination fee. I then asked them to put this in writing as a reply to my letter. She refused, saying that a different department sends letters and I should have asked for this to be dealt with in writing when they first called me.

My advice, if you want to cancel - only deal with 3 in writing. If they call you, say you want a response in the post and hang up. The sole point of their calling seemed to be to lie and waste time in the hope that I would give up in exasperation.

(EDIT: Since saying the above, many people on this thread have reported success with a phone call.)

I've since sent a second letter. It rejects the reasons they gave over the phone as to why I can't cancel with no fee and repeats the request for a PAC code. It says that if they don't agree, to send me a PAC code anyway but that I plan to sue them to recover any early termination fees.

I haven't got my PAC code yet, I'll update this thread when I do and if this turns into a court case.

(EDIT: They eventually offered me a £10/month discount in compensation for the change, which I accepted, then 3 went back on that offer so I've left them with no termination fee, see my other posts in this thread)

hotkee

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1652273