DON'T use NTL!!!!

DragonDosh

Hi,

Sorry If I'm telling people what they already know but just felt I had to tell people about this – I’ve been stung by NTL.

In December I signed up for the 3 for 1 deal (phone, B’Band & TV), £30/month, was told it was a 12 month contract, and that 1 months notice was required for cancellation. (Previously I was with Telewest, which was also 12 months and cancel with 1 months notice.)

What WASN’T made completely clear is that you HAVE to stay with NTL for a minimum of 12 months before you can cancel the deal.

Additionally, you can’t even amend the service - you HAVE to stick with the £30/month deal for a year.

If any of that had been properly explained, I wouldn’t have signed up, but I was definitely given the impression I could cancel as I required.

If you move? You take the service with you 'til the end of the 12 months.
If there’s no NTL in your new location? You have to provide proof of residence– with a utility bill – and therefore proof that there is no service, though they’d probably wangle that to say it was your particular location that was an anomaly, and you still had to pay.

Oh, you can buy your way out of the contract … by paying the £30 per month for the remainder of the year.

My salary has just decreased so I’m trying to minimise monthly payments, and I’m not very impressed with the service as the set-top box needs re-setting from the mains plug on a regular basis (6 times in the space of 30 minutes the other day). Yes I told them all this and it made no difference whatsoever.
Plus, you can’t tape any of the movies on Front Row – what if the film you want overlaps with everything else until 2am? Tough, you sit up and watch it, because if you try to tape it - or anything else - & watch later, NTL cuts the broadcast and goes to the preview until you de-activate the recorder! ..(You could tape films with Telewest when I had it – may have changed now, don’t know).

So essentially, NTL get your money whatever you do: You get stuck with the – poor quality - service and £30 a month or you pay to get out of it - with the balance of the 12 months contract.

I think this is appalling!!! Thank god I didn’t transfer my phone from BT in Feb after their 3 months term, or no doubt I’d be stuck with NTL ‘til Feb 2006.

Un-flaming-believable…….!!!

Hopefully this will deter people using them in future if they’re thinking about it, or even better cancelling and going elsewhere.

If anyone can help me get out of this, all help gratefully received.

Grrrrrrrrrr………..

flea72

i think the term '12 month contract' should have given you some idea

JCL

DragonDosh wrote:

If anyone can help me get out of this, all help gratefully received.

Do you have a copy of the agreement that you signed?

If you signed and therefore agreed to the terms of the offer as stipulated then I'm afraid you only have yourself to blame.

If however, the terms didn't state the conditions that you have mentioned above you will have grounds for complaint.

stuartw101

i thought it said clearly that it was minimum 12 months when you sign up, sorry to hear about your problem.

soolin

stuartw101 wrote:

i thought it said clearly that it was minimum 12 months when you sign up, sorry to hear about your problem.

I agree, a 12 month contract is a 12 month contract. I can't see how else to read that?

I've just taken out a Sky contract and have signed for a 12 month contract with a 30 day notice. To me that means that I have to stay with Sky for 12 months and after that period am free to just give them a months notice to quit.

SOo

tonys_3

I assume you tried to explain your altered circumstances to see if they will allow you to carry on with a reduced service-say only retaining the tv service,until things pick up?.If you really are having probs.get Citizens Advice to mediate for you.Or cancel your direct debit and watch their response.Or take every thing back to their shop and explain that you cannot now afford the monthly charge any more and do not want to receive something from them that you cannot pay for.

Shugster

NTL is a good company, until you have to phone them up about anything. If you ever get a good person on the phone, keep their details, and ask to speak with them each time you phone, or you'll just get passed round the call centre.

Turning_into_scrooge

Been with NTl for years now,never had a problem yet but i think i've been lucky as i know others who have had service and payment problems with them.

cosmic_2

me too. no problems, and quite helpfull on the phone, guess I must be lucky after what I've just read

Scott

NTL - good product, terrible service.

I had a torrid time trying to extract some info from them about their broadband, and I was looking to transfer to them!

Needless to say, that won't be happening any time soon.

Anyway, if NTL have made any changes to the deal recently that have left you at a disadvantage (blow things out of proportion) then they should cancel the contract. Talk about how you'd be better off with other companies, etc. Then say you'll stay if you get a better deal/package/etc.

My old boy did this and he got offered a much better package for less money.

trace-j

Heres a link to an alleged complaint letter of the year. I don't know how true it is, of indeed NTL ever received it. Hope it provides some light relief and you're not the only one who hates them with a passion!:rotfl:Not for the easily offended.