EE Disconnection Charge??!

ts1234

Just called EE to cancel our phone/broadband and been told I'll have to pay a £29.xx disconnection fee. REALLY?!

Appears this is something to do with a MAC code and BT line, but I don't really get it.

We're well over our 12 month contract, so no fees in that respect. We're moving abroad so can't transfer broadband to new address. Is there any way I can avoid paying this?! Would never have taken out EE plan if I'd realised this charge was in place. Can't seem to find it in T&Cs anywhere.

Inner_Zone

It's a standard BT OR charge if you don't use a MAC code.

Buzby

Yup - it is stated in the T&C's and the cost is paid to the owner of the line (BTO) to release the equipment you used at the exchange. You probably overlooked this when signing up originally.

lollol

i spoke to BT today as i want to move. i was told that if i cancel they will charge me but if i sign up with a new provider they dont charge you. the line is taken over by the new provider

Nada666

ts1234 wrote: »

Would never have taken out EE plan if I'd realised this charge was in place.

You would never have taken out a contract with anyone if this factor is a deal breaker. It is a universal charge.

mije1983

ts1234 wrote: »

Is there any way I can avoid paying this?!

Yes of course there is. Just cancel the direct debit and go to your new life abroad. They will probably trash your credit rating for not paying it though, which if you ever return to the UK and need credit for anything will come back to haunt you.

However, as said above it's a standard Openreach charge, not an EE charge. So whether you had chosen BT/Sky/EE/TalkTalk etc, you would have been faced with the same problem.


Just to add, I'm not recommending this course of action (both for practical and moral reasons), especially not for £30. But it is a way to not pay if you feel that strongly about it.

bylromarha

Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but we have just had the same charge.

We went from EE to Sky last month (and got our M+S vouchers ;-) )

EE were very clear there were no charges to transfer as we were out of contract.

We would have used our MAC to transfer had EE said - "when we said no fees, you will be charged £29 as you aren't using the MAC"

When did this get introduced? We didn't use a MAC when we moved out of our house in Aug 2013. When did this charge become standard for broadband swaps/cancellations?

iniltous

bylromarha wrote: »

Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but we have just had the same charge.

We went from EE to Sky last month (and got our M+S vouchers ;-) )

EE were very clear there were no charges to transfer as we were out of contract.

We would have used our MAC to transfer had EE said - "when we said no fees, you will be charged £29 as you aren't using the MAC"

When did this get introduced? We didn't use a MAC when we moved out of our house in Aug 2013. When did this charge become standard for broadband swaps/cancellations?

This charge has been around for quite a while, certainly before Aug 2013, if you moved from EE to Sky , and it's Sky LLU MPF, you can check by calling 17070 from your landline, if you get a Hi I'm Zoe, you are on Sky MPF, a MAC probably wouldn't have stopped a cease charge being raised, Sky don't ask for MAC's because it isn't a migration between WLR3 providers, but WLR to LLU
If you were not charged last time you ceased broadband, perhaps that provider absorbed the charge, have you checked your final bill from that address to see what you were charged for ?
If you just cease your broadband OR have to visit the exchange and disconnect the line from the broadband equipment and update system records etc, OR are entitled to charge the ISP for this work, the ISP normally pass the charge onto the customer, and as it's normally a customer they are losing they can afford to hack you off, after all you are moving from them usually to someone else
OFCOM set the rate OR can charge, £30