Plusnet - deferred moving house activation fee. How much!!??

prutter

Morning All,

Hope this is the right board for this and that this hasn't been asked before.

My wife and I use Plusnet as our ISP. We signed up with them in May'05, and moved house recently in May'07. Plusnet moved our service to our new house following a ticket request on their website.

We've now decided to switch to talktalk (which, on paper at least, kicks BT and Plusnet's !!!!) - so have requested to cancel.

I've had the usual barrage of emails and phonecalls asking me not to stay etc. I've stuck firm, and Plusnet have now told me that to cancel my account I'll need to pay a deferred house move activation fee of £40 !!

Now, I presume this is because we're cancelling within 12 months of moving to our new address. However, I received no verbal/written or email notification of what this charge would be should we cancel.

I've basically replied telling them no chance, that I wasn't informed about the potential charge when we moved, and have asked them to justify the cost to me.

Anyone any ideas about what else I can do? Trading standards maybe? Is there an ombudsman for ISPs?

I'm already having to pay a £30 (I think) activation fee for talktalk, and if I have to pay the £40 fee too it'll get close to not being worth moving......

Grrrr, they make me mad!
Considering they *accidentally* leaked their entire email address database online, and recently *accidentally* deleted a whole chunk of undelivered customer email, I think they should be giving me a refund, not asking for money!!

skim

Personally I'd stay with Plusnet - Talk Talk have a poor reputation for ADSL.

The cancel fees are listed somewhere as I remember seeing them when I moved home 8 months ago.

prutter

skim wrote: »

Personally I'd stay with Plusnet - Talk Talk have a poor reputation for ADSL.

The cancel fees are listed somewhere as I remember seeing them when I moved home 8 months ago.

Stay with them? No chance, £10 a month for a 2mb line with just 1gb included. Whereas with talktalk I get up to 8mb line and 40gb included for free (ish, I no this is factored into the phone cost).

Anyway, I've just learned with a few google searches that the plusnet activation (and modem - thanfully I bought my own) costs are on a decreasing price over 5 years. So, if you cancel within 5 years you *have* to pay (at least something) for them. This is ludicrous!

Apparently OFCOM have stated that 5 years to tie people in is too long, and said not to pay the fees and to do a formal complaint through them.

Crafty sods!

cajef

prutter wrote: »

Anyway, I've just learned with a few google searches that the plusnet activation (and modem - thanfully I bought my own) costs are on a decreasing price over 5 years. So, if you cancel within 5 years you *have* to pay (at least something) for them. This is ludicrous!

That was removed for all customers earlier this year when they brought out their new BBYW packages, anyone that had been a customer for over twelve months had any outstanding deferred activation and modem fees cancelled.

When you move house your ISP has to pay the BT activation charge, you had the choice of paying it up front or deferring it for twelve months after which it would cost you nothing.

Quote from terms and conditions:-

Cancellations are subject to minimum contract periods and the payment of any outstanding and/or deferred amount. You can normally see if you are required to settle any deferred costs by checking your Account Summary.

skim

prutter wrote: »

Stay with them? No chance, £10 a month for a 2mb line with just 1gb included. Whereas with talktalk I get up to 8mb line and 40gb included for free (ish, I no this is factored into the phone cost).

Anyway, I've just learned with a few google searches that the plusnet activation (and modem - thanfully I bought my own) costs are on a decreasing price over 5 years. So, if you cancel within 5 years you *have* to pay (at least something) for them. This is ludicrous!

Apparently OFCOM have stated that 5 years to tie people in is too long, and said not to pay the fees and to do a formal complaint through them.

Crafty sods!

I must admit I've had my problems in the past with plusnet too but all been resolved.

I'd be a bit weary of the up to 8mb - you are still on the same line so I guess you will still get a similar connection speed depending on contention.

prutter

cajef wrote: »

When you move house your ISP has to pay the BT activation charge, you had the choice of paying it up front or deferring it for twelve months after which it would cost you nothing.

That actually sounds more reasonable. However, at no point during my house move process was this mentioned. I just submitted a ticket online, and that was it. In fact, I've just checked my tickets, and the confirmation I received calls it their 'Free house move contract' !

So, my problem is that as far as I'm concerned this is a completley unexpected and surprise cost. I'm leaving them because, in my opinion, they failed in the level of service I expected of them. And now to cancel my account I have to pay them? Crazy! :mad:

cajef

Well I am sorry, but I have just had a good look at the 'Moving your Broadband' on the website and nowhere does it mention FREE.

Quote:-

We can cover the cost of moving your broadband. However, if you want to pay the full amount you can still do this.

Moving your broadband costs £40.00 inc VAT
Let us cover the cost*
Pay £40.00 inc VAT now

*Stay with us for 12 months and you don't pay anything more to move your broadband. Leave within 12 months and you pay £40 (inc VAT).

It then asks for details of your new address etc.

I am not disputing your version but I am not sure where you got the free information from, the way it reads it is only free on the understanding that you stay with them for the twelve months.

After all PlusNet have forked out £40 for activation on your house move 3 months ago then you decide to leave, they are hardly going to recoup that amount from the £10 a month you have been paying them for your broadband contract since you moved.

prutter

Hi Cajef,

I was explicitly told it was free. In fact, here is a copy of the text and incident details if you're interested:

---

Question Topic: Your question | ID: 21925327 Closed
Kieran Pickles CSC Analyst 11:32am, Thursday 17th May 2007
Dear Paul Rutter,

This question is confirmation that your Free House Move contract has now started. You can view further information about this contract on the Account Summary page in the Account Details section of the portal.

---

I paid plusnet £15 a month for 2 years prior to my house move, then £10 a month for 3 months. My maths suggest that's close to £400. I'm sure there is easily £40 profit amongst that for them to cover this cost?

During my contract with them I didn't expect them to leak my personal email address online, nor delete a load of customers unread email (including possibly mine). In my opinion this is a breach of their contract (I can't be bothered to read the small print), and considering this, and the length of my contract with them I really don't expect to have to pay this fee.

We shall see.....

cajef

Fair enough!!

It will be interesting to see what the outcome will be and whether they continue to dispute it.

prutter

Indeed, I'll report back on the outcome

jon200

I moved house in May 2006 and had the same thing, i tried migrating in October 2006 and was told i had to pay £47 for the deferred house move thing. They did tell me that up front when i moved so i was happy to pay.
Decided not to migrate in the end and got it refiunded.

Asked for a new MAC yesterday and now its free.