Can't 'downgrade' my mobile contract

kezr87

I took out a mobile phone contract with T-Mobile a while ago for £35 a month. After a few months I decided that the price plan I was on did not have enough minutes and texts and asked if I could change to the next price plan up which I was told I could. At this time I also asked if I would be able to go back down and was told that I would be able to if I wanted to. I then decided that I still did not have enough minutes so I upped my price plan again to £50 per month, still told I could go back down if I wanted to. The time then came to upgrade which I did. I now don't use my phone as much as I used to and my financial circumstances have changed so I can't really afford £50 a month anymore. I just phoned up T-Mobile to change my price plan and was told because I took the upgrade, I can now not lower my price plan and I have no choice but to pay £50 a month until my contract runs out in July 2010 because T-Mobiles rules have now changed. I was not told this when I upgraded. Is there anyway at all I can get them to at least lower my price plan or cancel my contract?

DarkConvict

T-Mobile seem to change there T&Cs on the fly, even when you are in a contract (which is odd, been they are the ones you signed up to).
Someone else on here this week i believe asked a similar question, he went up and down every couple of months and then he got stuck at £50 as well

...Searching for topic.

Found - http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1953521&highlight=mobile+terms

Potential you say you were renewing the contract, a contract on which you were told you could reduce your price plan as required. As such this new contract should allow me to go down. I don't know how renewals work in terms of the terms and conditions coming across. It might be the same price plan, but different terms. And if it is different terms you could bring that up that new terms and conditions were not mentioned during the renewal. See if you can get them to give up.

Another thing i have seen work on these forums, is ask to speak to the manager, try and get as far up the management chain as possible. Worked with me against BT once.

lawbunny

With T-Mobile you can increase your tarriff at any time and always lower it as far down as the tarriff you originally began the contract on at any time during the lifetime of THAT contract. When you upgrade you are effectively starting a new contract, so the starting tarriff is the one you are on at the date of upgrade, as that is the one your upgrade offer is based on.

chattychappy

lawbunny wrote: »

With T-Mobile you can increase your tarriff at any time and always lower it as far down as the tarriff you originally began the contract on at any time during the lifetime of THAT contract

Their printed T+Cs (at least my version) suggest ANY tariff change is now at their discretion. Haven't got it in front of me, but it says something like "we do not have to let you change your tariff". One of the operators I spoke to told me that their policy was as you describe - though another operator wouldn't let me reduce at all, despite being on a higher tariff than what I was on when I renewed.

Because of this I would never go up a tariff unless you are prepared to stick there until the end of the contract. EVEN IF they tell you on the phone you can go back down again.

lawbunny wrote: »

When you upgrade you are effectively starting a new contract, so the starting tarriff is the one you are on at the date of upgrade, as that is the one your upgrade offer is based on.

Yep, that's what they say when you attempt to go down, and disbelieved I could have been promised anything to the contrary. It became an issue of my word against theirs.

In future I will record any such telephone conversations if I intend to rely on anything verbal - and let them know the call is being recorded. Having said that, from the attitude of their supervisor I think even then it would be a struggle.