Is this legal? Chess Telecom Saga.

Lionel_Thinkbag

Not sure if this is the right place as this concerns both internet and phone connection.

Bit of background info in this thread here https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4764394

Basically, our router (which controls both the internet and landline) was damaged by a leak in the communal hallway, it took a week and a half of calls for Chess to acknowledge the problem wasn't solveable over the phone, they then said they would send us a new router but didn't. We chased up and they then insisted on talking to the LL to ensure that they would pay up (if applicable) took them 4 days to get in touch with LL (who agreed to pay any costs)

To this date they still haven't restored service. They have even had the cheek to call up and ask if the problem has resolved, even though they have been told repeatedly that water damaged the router. When told the problem still existed they couldn't do anything. So we have said we are cancelling service. Throughout all of this they have kept sending us bills,

They said we had to send an email confirming cancellation which we did and we cancelled our direct debit to them. Then we got a generic 'sorry you are thinking of leaving us' letter. This letter went on to say we would be liable for charges if we were leaving before our contract was up. Also, that until your new provider directs your service away from Chess you will be liable for monthly bills.

I have no idea about our contract as we were never sent any documentation. When we moved to the building in 2009, we were told the internet/phone provider was a company called Is Right Here (I know where do they come up with this stuff?) and were given the impression that we had to go with them otherwise there would be a great deal of faff and expense. Then about 8 months ago we had a letter saying Chess was now our provider, but nothing about contract terms or duration. During the course of this ordeal I've discovered that Is Right Here is still part of Chess, or vice versa. So presumably any minimum contract would be up by now?

Can they legally say that we'll be liable for charges until we find a new provider? They have failed to restore service! We are hoping to move soon (within the next 6 months) so we don't want to get involved with a new company/contract.

We're finding this company impossible to deal with, every time we get fobbed off or generic responses. My husband has sent them an email asking them to acknowledge that as they have failed to restore service then we should not have to pay any further bills, that was a week ago and we have heard nothing since. :mad:

I'm especially worried that they might try and mark our credit file and damage our chances of getting a mortgage.

Phew, thanks for reading.

EDIT: Where I have described a 'router' its actually more complex than that. It's actually a multi service gateway and looks like this : http://www.govgroup.com/allied-telesis-inc-at-img606bd-10-img-multi-service-gateway-2404995-prd1.htm We have our own router within the flat. So yeah its not as simple as us just buying a new router for ourselves.