New OFCOM broadband migration rules a sham

wakeupalarm

The new broadband migration rules intruduced by OFCOM are a sham.

I initiated a transfer to BT from EE on 21 June. My transfer was processed on 21 July. EE have said they were notified on 22 July that the transfer was completed. They have then charged me a full months rental at full price due to the end of my 1 year minimum period and discount. This forced me to go overdrawn on my bank account as I was not expecting any charge. They have then refunded the additional month less 14 days notification charge from 22 July. I queried this with them and they say they were not notified in time.

Under the new OFCOM rules I do not have to notifiy them it is supposed to be for my new provider to notify them. But if they take there time then I am still charged by my old provider even though its beyond my control when BT notify them. This is a sham.

JJ_Egan

When did your old EE contract end ??

wakeupalarm

EE minimum 12months contract ended 20th July

Yorkshire_Pud

EE T&C state that if a subscriber leaves before the end of the contract you will be charged about £12 per month remaining and the account will be charged up to the actual day of switch to new provider.

If you leave after the end of the contract which you have then EE will charge 14 days service AFTER the switchover day!

I am switching from EE also but my switch is in two weeks time.

I don't know why EE can charge 14 days when they aren't providing the service anymore so I will contest the charge BUT it IS in their T&C.:(

My final Broadband bill explained on EE Shop Help.

wakeupalarm

This is the latest response they have come back with. Can someone provide me with the link to the specific cancellation condition. It just doesn't make sense to me. How can you avoid being charged when you have no control of when you new provider informs them of the switch completion? They have agreed to refund the additional broadband charges but won't refund my bank charges.

EE_Broadband_Team_ wrote:

Thanks for your email. If you were to have cancelled your account within the minimum contract period, the cancellation would have been with immediate effect. As you were out of the contract period, your account was subject to a 14 days cancellation notice as per our Terms of Use. Therefore, the information provided in our last email was correct. As you followed the Notification of Transfer process, you didn't need to contact us to advise of your transfer. Instead, we awaited confirmation from your new provider confirming the successful migration. We're unable to receive confirmation of your successful migration on the date when you migrated, as orders can take up to midnight to complete. However, this is sent and received as soon as possible following the completion.

wakeupalarm

Well I was initially charged £25.70 by EE and then paritally refunded leaving a charge of £12.44 for the 14 days notice period.

I initiated the switch 31 days before hand in June so presumably BT and EE communicate before the switch happens and not as EE seem to suggest 1 day after its happened.

Yorkshire_Pud wrote: »

EE T&C state that if a subscriber leaves before the end of the contract you will be charged about £12 per month remaining and the account will be charged up to the actual day of switch to new provider.

If you leave after the end of the contract which you have then EE will charge 14 days service AFTER the switchover day!

I am switching from EE also but my switch is in two weeks time.

I don't know why EE can charge 14 days when they aren't providing the service anymore so I will contest the charge BUT it IS in their T&C.:(

My final Broadband bill explained on EE Shop Help.

Yorkshire_Pud

Google EE My final home broadband bill explained

In my case I let the contract lapse then signed up to Sky. There's a 14 day mandatory cooling off period during which i could cancel so Sky wouldnt inform EE until after that time, then the line is taken over by Sky.

I don't know if the subsequent 14 day charge by EE is industry wide with the new switch procedure or just EE implementing an imaginary 14 day notice period that begins AFTER the changeover as a way of getting money for nothing:eek:

Worth challenging and getting further advice:cool:

MataNui

Switching under the new scheme is expected to take 2 weeks. Typically if you were to give notice that you were leaving most providers would expect a months notice. So in reality what is happening is pretty much the same (or would be for most people if there are no delays etc).

Its not industry wide though. BT want a months notice if you cancel but 2 weeks for a migration to another provider. So i would say its just EE being typical money grabbing EE. Either way its worth challenging but i would guess they will just quote the one month notice thing to you.

Yorkshire_Pud

I can understand people renting a house needing to give a months notice of moving out but I can't understand a phone provider needing 30 days notice as its just a termination of service and then a final bill is produced.

Unless they need 14 to 30 days to get over the shock of someone choosing another provider;) and require compensation for it. Especially when out of contract!

I would view this as an unfair charge as you get NOTHING FOR IT and the provider loses NOTHING except a customer.

onomatopoeia99

Yorkshire_Pud wrote: »

. Especially when out of contract!

I think you will find you aren't/weren't out of contract, you were out of the minimum term and so the contractual notice period becomes 30 days.

Jabba_flabba

onomatopoeia99 wrote: »

I think you will find you aren't/weren't out of contract, you were out of the minimum term and so the contractual notice period becomes 30 days.

EE refer to it as a contract in some places and minimum term in others. I think most will understand what the OP means.

I was only informed of the 14 day notice period after speaking to EE on the phone. The T&Cs quote 30 days notice (see section 9.1) and given by phone only. Not sure how that's supposed to work with the gaining provider led process! Mind you, those T&Cs were written in Jan 2013, way before this new migration process.

This thread has been very interesting reading for me as I will be facing a similar situation soon; my 12 month contract finishes in October. I wish to switch for a number of reasons, but I'm unclear as to how to optimize the timing in order to avoid unnecessary charges.

It sounds like the OP has done everything right but will just have to suck up the EE charge. Look on the positive side - according to the T&Cs they could have stung you for the full 30 days!

Reading over the T&Cs there simply doesn't seem to be a way to have a 12 month contract end without paying the out-of-contract notice period charge i.e. you can't let EE know 14 days before end of 12 month contract that you no longer wish to continue on after the contract lapses; they can only accept that notice AFTER the 12 month contract has lapsed.