Plusnet cancellation fee rip off

Plusnet_company_representative

Hi there,

I'm afraid it's an Ofcom regulation - we're not allowed to charge for a connection if we're not providing one, no ISP is. I'm sorry about the situation you're in and realise it's very close to the end of your contract but with that regulation in place it's not something we can do.

Regards,

Matt Taylor
Customer Support

macman

tkwhitehouse wrote: »

The point that I didn't read the T&Cs is certainly true it puts me at blame but at the same time who does and who can? I think I'm going to start reading them soon though if I can find them from 11 months ago.

My next direct debit is due to go out next week. I suspect they are going to end up taking a months worth and putting me past the end of August and 12 months.

Cajef - I didn't need the router because I have loads of them lying around.

Fwor - I don't believe there are any legal implications in paying them for a service they are not providing. Even if there was the fact that I am receiving some service during the month should count and I expect if I did cancel normally they wouldn't refund the remaining days of the month.

So why when signing up didn't you click the button that says' no router required'?
You can probably recoup a tenner by selling the router on ebay.

cajef

tkwhitehouse wrote: »

Cajef - I didn't need the router because I have loads of them lying around.

The point that I didn't read the T&Cs is certainly true it puts me at blame but at the same time who does and who can? I think I'm going to start reading them soon though if I can find them from 11 months ago.

As I stated in post #9,

cajef wrote: »

if you did not want it there was no need to have it, you could have provided your own router.

In which case you would not be being charged for it now.

So do you really think people don't bother or are incapable of reading the T&C, well I have news for you I would think most sensible people do read them before tying themselves into any contract especially when signing up online and Plusnet's have not changed now apart from Fibre connections for a few years.

tkwhitehouse

Plusnet_company_representative wrote: »

Hi there,

I'm afraid it's an Ofcom regulation - we're not allowed to charge for a connection if we're not providing one, no ISP is. I'm sorry about the situation you're in and realise it's very close to the end of your contract but with that regulation in place it's not something we can do.

Regards,

Matt Taylor
Customer Support

Matt - Thanks for responding to this it helps clarify the situation (I haven't received a follow up from my formal complaint 3/4 days on).

Unfortunately it doesn't alleviate my frustrations at all. Okay you can't charge me for providing internet but you surely could say, 'okay we'll only charge you £3.50 not £40 for the router so we end up at the same cost as 12 months of subscriptions' rather than the equivalent of charging me about 17 months because I moved out my house 15 days early.

It feels like you are using Ofcom to take advantage there.


---

cajef - I think it's very nice you have such a high opinion about the average consumer's fastidiousness. I can only assume you regularly spend a day reading the iTunes T&Cs everytime there is an update. Well done.

---

I've now read the T&Cs ...

A charge for broadband set up and a separate charge for any hardware taken will be payable if you leave Plusnet within 12 months of the start of your agreement. If you keep the hardware and remain with Plusnet for at least 12 months any payment for the broadband set-up and/or hardware will be waived, this is only available if you choose to take the Plusnet Homephone service. You will also have the option to pay for the broadband set-up and hardware up-front. The standard full price of set-up and hardware is listed in the price guide.

I paid something up front. On the invoice it said for setup (hardware wasn't mentioned). I've no idea where this leaves me.

cajef

tkwhitehouse wrote: »

cajef - I think it's very nice you have such a high opinion about the average consumer's fastidiousness. I can only assume you regularly spend a day reading the iTunes T&Cs everytime there is an update. Well done.


I paid something up front. On the invoice it said for setup (hardware wasn't mentioned). I've no idea where this leaves me.

No I do not use iTunes, on the other hand I am not stupid enough to take a contract out without reading the T&C and any cancellation fees and then try to wriggle out because I didn't.

You paid your initial activation fee and postage for the router, but then you would not know that because you cannot be bothered to check what you have agreed to.

tkwhitehouse

cajef wrote: »

No I do not use iTunes, on the other hand I am not stupid enough to take a contract out without reading the T&C and any cancellation fees and then try to wriggle out because I didn't.

You paid your initial activation fee and postage for the router, but then you would not know that because you cannot be bothered to check what you have agreed to.

I'm not sure why I'm arguing with you other this but ...... I'm not trying to wiggle out of paying for the router. I'm trying to pay 12 months of subscription for my 11.5 months of usage rather than 17 months. It doesn't seem unreasonable to me at all.

Iconic

Plusnet_company_representative wrote: »

Hi there,

I'm afraid it's an Ofcom regulation - we're not allowed to charge for a connection if we're not providing one, no ISP is. I'm sorry about the situation you're in and realise it's very close to the end of your contract but with that regulation in place it's not something we can do.

Regards,

Matt Taylor
Customer Support

I can understand your position if it's an Ofcom regulation but why don't you press Ofcom to sort out the 'Market' problem?

You want to charge me full price because I am in Market 1! I have
been in Market 2 for over a year but you still want to charge me a higher price saying that it's an Ofcom problem.

I now find out Ofcom have not upgraded the Market list for over three years!!

I thought Ofcom was there to help the consumer not hinder them! When you ring them up they make you think it's your fault they have not done their job properly!

oldagetraveller

"I now find out Ofcom have not upgraded the Market list for over three years!!"

I wonder if that would explain why my exchange is still indicated as Market 1 when in reality it should be Market 2?
Providers still seem to want to charge as though it's Market 1 until it's pointed out that there is competition to BT at the exchange - then it all changes!

Iconic

oldagetraveller wrote: »

I wonder if that would explain why my exchange is still indicated as Market 1 when in reality it should be Market 2?
Providers still seem to want to charge as though it's Market 1 until it's pointed out that there is competition to BT at the exchange - then it all changes!

It certainly does explain it.

It is Ofcom's responsibly to update the list and they haven't done it for three years. Providers hide behind this and charge the customer more.

What is Ofcom? Have a read what they say on their website...

'We make sure that people in the UK get the best from their communications services'

http://www.ofcom.org.uk/about/what-is-ofcom/

No they don't!!

Sorry to move in on the OP's thread but I feel strongly about this!

Perhaps Martin can sort it out for us!!!

oldagetraveller

"Sorry to move in on the OP's thread but I feel strongly about this"

Likewise.:o