Trying to leave bt due to prise rise

Rlee123_2

Hi. I recently read online and heard about bt increasing its prices. I read on this website which packages it effects and it looks like my contract was rising by £4.50 per Month. Reading on it said that Ofcom rules state if you're contract rises halfway through you can leave penalty free. I therefore rang sky and managed to haggle them down to include all tv broadband and calls for nearly £20 per Month cheaper. By then sent me a letter saying I have to pay £85 cancellation fee. I spoke to them and they were completely unaware of this Ofcom rules and completely useless. Do I have to pay this or not.
Please help.
Many thanks

London50

Do I have to pay if there’s an unexpected price rise?

If BT unexpectedly raises the price of your broadband deal while you’re mid-contract, you have a window of opportunity to cancel without penalty. BT is required to inform you of any changes made to your contract. You then have 30 days in which to leave that contract without incurring any cancellation fees.

This escape clause only applies if you’ve taken out your contract after 23 January 2014 and if there’s no notification of the price rise in your original contract.

and
What about Ofcom’s additional guidance to General Condition 9.6 about ending your contract early if prices go up?

Ofcom’s additional guidance to GC9.6 applies only to small businesses (with ten or fewer employees) who've taken out a new contract with BT Business after 23 January 2014. Ofcom said that with effect from 23 January 2014 it would see any price increase in core subscription charges (no matter how small) as being 'material detriment' for consumers and small business customers. This means that all communication providers have to give these customers 30 days’ notice of any price increases and allow them to end their contract without any early termination charges.

So reading both of those I am afraid it looks like you are stuck with any charges from BT to leave :0(

JJ_Egan

Cancellation fee ??? what have you cancelled this will be the key to the fee.
The rules are that the ISP informs you of price rise .You then have 30 days from you receiving the price rise email to leave without penalty .You phone the cancellations department and ask to cancel due to the price rise .This may be where the error is if you went down a different route .

Rlee123_2

Thanks for your response. I haven't received any letters from bt but reading online says my contract will rise. I renewed my contract in August 2015 for 12 months. Is there any way to avoid this fee. Is it worth speaking to sky to see if they will help or is it a case of I will have to pay?many thanks

onomatopoeia99

To clarify your original post, you are in minimum term with BT, the price has risen, so you rang Sky?

You should ring BT first if you want to cancel with them due to a price rise, not Sky. Unless you tell them, BT won't know you are leaving due to the price rise. The letter I received says if you want to leave and are within minimum term, you need to call them within 30 days of getting the letter to avoid paying a charge for leaving early. By the sound of things, you just went ahead and left.

JJ_Egan

0800800030
Option 1 is cancel for BT.

But my guess is OP did not cancel with BT but just swapped ISP .
That has triggered a valid BT cancellation fee .
Sky have nothing to do with this they are not BT and are not charging you a fee .

Rlee123_2

Ok many thanks for all responses. Looks as tho I will pay cancellation fee as I didn't go about it the right way. Still saving about £100 over the year including fee thanks to switch. Thank you for advice.