Unicom Complaints

stevecrofts

It has made me very unhappy reading the above, I am in a similar position, I have just cancelled my business phone line as I have moved out of the office as it is an expense that I can no longer afford, I expected to pay a cancellation fee and have no problem with that however today I got the total which is £840.40, with no explanation of the breakdown of this cost I previously had a phone call from them and was informed that I would have to pay a 1/3 of my line rental for the next 20 months, a fee and they would work out my expected call charges for the next 20 months, at this point I informed the person to view my account as I have made very few calls.

I rang again today as I was shocked by the amount to be told that they had worked out my estimated call charges at 40.00 per month and that this was worked out as this was the higher figure as I havent made many calls, I think this is disgusting but I am guessing there is nothing I can do. I can't afford this bill. They said they would email me the breakdown and contract, so far I haven't received it.

I have worked out the figures below that I think I owe with 20 months remaining on my contract (and figures divided by 3):

line rental (£32.00): £214.00
Average call charges (£40.00): 267.00

which totals £481.00 - so where does the other £359.00 comes from????

Buzby

Sorry to hear this... this is simply piling on the agony as I would argue that estimating your usage and attempting to charge for this estimated usage is certainly worth a challenge/fight. They certainly have a right to their line rental and cessation costs, but not what they thought you might have used during that period. That is verging on the perverse.

To get away with this, they would have to have explained this as a consequence of the contract (and you would have to agreed to it). In which case, your right to challenge is lessened, as to get it removed you would have to take THEM to court to have the condition removed and the bill recalculated. Only you can decide whether this is worth the punt of £90 or so raise the action.

If this was never mentioned in your contract, then they're just trying it on and should be challenged on this basis, in WRITING only.

Lella

To Buzby, I stil think you have got it wrong. I gave my notice, within the anniversary date time, and Unicom accepted it. Point of fact. I gave , they accepted. No where in the contract does it state I have to ask them to 'disconnect the line'. [TEXT DELETED BY FORUM TEAM] You are wrong when you say the CAB and Consumer direct and Ombudsman are opionion based and not legal. ThaT IS EXACTLY what they are. They are there to PROTECt the comsumer from iillegal traders which is what Unicom ARE. [TEXT DELETED BY FORUM TEAM] i HAVE HAD A GLASS OR TWO OF WINE BUT i STILL kNOW MY RIGHTS.

Lella

ALso to Busby. You do seem very knowledgeable and by the most I always appreciate good advice. This is a bit of a silly one, but if a contract originally says 'verbally agreed', would this still be deemed as signing thee contract?

macman

Yes-a verbal contract is just as valid as a written one. A signature is irrelevant.
The point about verbal contracts is proving that one exists.

Lella

This is the the kind person who sent me a PM. I have replied and hope you receive the PM back. Unfortunately, I don't really know if I did this correctly. Obviously if I did, you will get it. You can let me know if you
didn't and if you tell me how to do it I will. So grateful.(and so excited. Really going to get my teeth into this!)

Lella

To Pm sender. Just sent another one as you instructed. However, my sent message still indicates no messages sent! Don't understand. If you still haven't received it, let me know.
Thanks.

Buzby

As macman, says - it is proving it that counts. Now, let's assume they've no way of providing a recording of you agreeing to the service, so you would think you were home and free (and can tell them where to stick their bills). They have a viable work-around. By showing what their T&C's were at the time you supposedly entered into the contract, they can use this to show that it was a 'standard term' agreed to by all their customers. To confirm it (your acceptance of the conditions) they would point to the payments you made earleir, pointing out that an established commercial relationship existed between the parties, and with that - they've got you. If you;ve never paid them, you're in a strongf position to repudiate the contract, but sadly, not otherwise.

I really sympathise with the situation your find yourself in, but even BT have beenb known to treat Small Business users in this way. a good way out is an IVR, but drastic if it is just for a phone contract. Any pursuit of you will initially be at their cost, and they will only pursue you if they feel there's a good chance they'll wear you down and you'll pay up, pluss all the additional fees they've build up involving debt collectors.... but if you;re made of sterner stuff, you might want to pluff it out, saying you;ll pay for what you've used, plus a token sum for their 'disappointment' of your termination - and if they refuse to accept it, IF it came to court you can show you were being reasonable, and they were not!

Lella

Well Thank you Busby! I was begining to think you didn't care!

I've come to learn quite a bit about Unicom, and on the whole they are a good providing company (WHAT? I hear some say!).

They served my husband's company well very, and actually did us a good deal in the beginning. Its when you try to leave, for whatever reason, do they become impossible, [TEXT DELETED BY FORUM TEAM]

Now let me tell you about me.

I am on home hemo dialysis, not very well, and my husband is now retired, had cancer and other health problems.

I am of a certain age, and lived a bit. Actually, you can possibly guess from my name, I am of Italian origin. My parents, both dead now, came to this country sixty years ago and ran a successful business, in a not so very nice part of London. Fought many battles and won. From them I learnt a lot.

Let me tell you, I deal with a life threatening illness, every day, and look after my husband and family exceptionally well, despite my health.

I will fight Unicom with every breath in my body, and believe you me, it takes more than a bunch of lying !!!!!!s to beat me.

Whatever I do I am like a dog. I wont let go of the bit between my teeth. The money they want from me is staying in my pocket.

Watch this space.

hugop

I would be grateful for any help or advice with this situation.

My elderly father retired as a sole trader in July. He had set up a telephone line through Unicom for his business 18 months earlier and was paying by direct debit.

In July he called and wrote to unicom giving notice and after a couple of unpleasant calls from them he was told that he would have to pay 3 months cancellation fee.

He then recieved a bill for £650 stating 'Early termination charges of your broadband account'.

I called unicom on my fathers behalf as he had never had a broadband account, didnt even have a computer on site as the business was a storage unit only.

I was informed that in Feb 2011 a sales call was made to my father and that he agreed a 3 year broadband contract. I made it clear that this was definately not the case as it was a shortterm lease on the building only and my father did not even have a computer. They were very aggresive and said they would pass the debt to a debt collecter and also called my father and texted him 3 times confirming this. I had 2 further heated conversations with them and finally they claimed they had a recording of the call and would email to me.

I recieved this, it was a short call and was not my father but a young lad who was also renting part of the same unit as my father. There was no mention of a 3 year contract but the lad did say they could use my fathers bank account.

I rang unicom in horror and they said that anyone answering the phone could agree a contract on my fathers behalf. They claim they sent the paperwork. My father did not recieve a modem or any paperwork and the broadband was never set up.

They have been taking money from his business account for 7 months. The braodband was just added to his phone bill which in error he just thought was a monthly high phone bill. he did not bother switching supplier as it was only a short rental.

I have now had several calls with these people and they are continuing to harrass my father for payment, saying they will take him to court and get the bailiffs in. They have stated that it is not their problem that the broadband was not installed and anyone can authorise the account and finally, as he has paid for 6 months it is his problem. They are aware that it has never been activated.

They will not back down and want 3 years charges paid in full.

Can anyone advise. Thanks