MSE News: Three to raise mobile prices

System

robert1980 wrote: »

Hi All, I only signed up with Three in February and got hit with this rise. I'm currently in a Trust Deed so every penny counts, do you think I could argue Material Detriment based on this as I don't have an iPhone contract?

I received my text on 28/05 May so will have to act today to stay within the months notice.

Cheers

it would be my personal opinion that you can claim material detriment if every penny counts. if you have supporting evidence that you can present to act as actual 'proof' then I believe you are safe.
the problem is that you have left it quite late, so you can't present them with the evidence and wait for confirmation that they will accept that it is material detriment. if they decide to argue, then you will have already cancelled and you will be fighting an ETC and will probably need a lawyer or something.

frazefast

Received a letter back from 3 completely disregarding my questions and legitimate concerns and sending a template instead with a demand for £350. What a company. BRING IT ON!

System

frazefast wrote: »

Received a letter back from 3 completely disregarding my questions and legitimate concerns and sending a template instead with a demand for £350. What a company. BRING IT ON!

you should definitely speak to a legal professional. if they are not taking your individual situation into account, and ignoring your communication, you need to strong arm them as they are trying to do to you.
I'd start with citizens advice bureau.

frazefast

Indeed I shall. The fact they are now ignoring my formal yet polite e-mails is further proof that they have no care for individual circumstances.

ferrit44

I've personally gone down the route of "Paying under protest" as advised by the Which article. I weighed up the pros and cons, and I can't have my credit record destroyed by these clowns as I literally have only just cleaned it up in the last month after 6 years (IVA).

I've got a proof of delivery of a letter sent to their head office advising i'm paying under protest. Probably counts for nothing, but if something does happen in the future at least they can't use the "You accepted the price change" line.

KTF

What does 'paying under protest' aim to achieve?

ferrit44

KTF wrote: »

What does 'paying under protest' aim to achieve?

According to Which;

The short term advice from our lawyers is to ‘pay under protest’. What does that mean? Register your complaint with Three (and the Communications Ombudsman and Ofcom if you’d like), but keep paying your bills. This is a way of making sure you are not in breach of contract while you challenge their action. In other words, you are ‘reserving your rights’ and will not get in trouble (you would if you stopped paying). If it later turns out that this price rise was not lawful, it will be easier for you to prove that you hadn’t accepted the price rise and therefore could apply to claim back the money.

digp

And is the Ombudsman in a position to rule whether or not something is lawful? Only the courts can do that.

adnan-2010

I tried Ombudsman service on finding out that Skype was no more free on Three without them telling me for more than a year but a person from Ombudsman office said they can't help as I have no means to prove "detrimental effect" as I had always remained within my data allowance. What a bunch of ................. I fell like I am being penalised for being prudent and not going over my allowance.

real1314

adnan-2010 wrote: »

I tried Ombudsman service on finding out that Skype was no more free on Three without them telling me for more than a year but a person from Ombudsman office said they can't help as I have no means to prove "detrimental effect" as I had always remained within my data allowance. What a bunch of ................. I fell like I am being penalised for being prudent and not going over my allowance.

if you wouldn't go over your allownace when you combine your call allowance and your skype usage, then they are quite correct.

you could carry on in your usual pattern of use and you would not pay any more for the service. hence you would suffer no material detriment.

if however they charged you 1p a month more for the service, you would suffer material detriment (you don't have to prove some sort of "suffering" as others seem to be suggesting - that would mean a milliionaire could almost never claim material detriment!) :cool: