Some advice please!!

freekiedave

Hello all. Talk Talk recently increased my line rental without notifying me. As I don´t need the internet at my home address anymore, I want to use this to get out of my current contract which lasts another seven months. Talk Talk are refusing to disconnect me without a fee – I know I don´t have to pay this by law because they gave no notice of the price increase, but what is the name of the legislation that actually says this? Also, we are applying for a mortgage – will this affect our credit rating? Any advice is much appreciated.

McKneff

Are they saying they did inform you,you may have got something in with a bill and didnt read it, I'm guilty of that I'm afraid.

I dont think its enough to get you out of your contract, to be honest.

Mark_In_Hampshire

Is the fee for termination of broadband?

In which case, yes, you do have to pay it. Even if TT waive all the outstanding charges and early termination fees, there's usually a charge of circa £30 levied to pull out the line card at the exchange and that's noted in the Ts & Cs for pretty well all ADSL based broadband accounts. Have a look at the Ts & Cs for something called a "cease fee".

With regard to your other question, whether it's relevant in the light of the above - it's part of consumer contract law (if I remember rightly); a change to Ts & Cs which is to your material detriment entitles you to cancel without penalty. You have 30 days from the date of notification to notify the supplier that you disagree with the change to the Terms, and the supplier can then, at their option, continue to supply on the prior agreed terms, or exit the contract without penalty to you.

Which of course implies that you have to be notified. If you're not notified, you're not obliged to pay the increased amount.

Buzby

What is more relevant, is that if it is a TARIFF change, then only if it is an increase of more than 10% do you have any leeway to terminate without penalty. This is different from a Terms & Conditions change, described earlier. They are not the same. So providing the T&C's are unchanged, a tariff change is fully allowable and not a legitimate reason for a no-fee departure unless they have agreed a waiver. Nearly all TT BB accounts have a termination fee (as Mark notes) which would be paid regardless of the circumstaces of your departure.