EE prices to rise after paying upfront

AndyPK

You can usually use these things as a negotiation for paying less. But this would lock you in for another 12 months.


If you love swapping for cash back you probably aren't interested though

hughie2r

I've had trouble free service from EE over the last year or so and have no axe to grind, but this is just a scam.
Like others here, I was emailed last week about the increases in price of my EE broadband and phone package. I contacted them about leaving and was told that I was free to cancel without penalty charge. However, when I asked about a refund for the unused portion of my line rental, paid up front with an 18 month line rental saver, I was told that this was non-refundable "according to the terms and conditions of the contract". I wasn't happy with this and was offered a call back from the complaints team. 20 minutes or so later, William called. We went over the same ground and whilst he couldn't refund my LRS, he could sign me up to another 18 month contract at "rates unavailable to my sales colleagues".
I'm phoning EE tomorrow to cancel - couldn't get through today, they seem rather busy! - and will continue to demand a refund, but surely this scam of "sell a LRS, increase prices, tell the customer to stay/ sign up to another contract or lose several months line rental" needs to be exposed and stopped! As this appears to be a re-run of the same thing BT tried in February, I've emailed the authors of the Guardian piece in earlier posts - consumer.champions@theguardian.com - please feel free to do the same.

I know it's not a lot of money - William told me in a rather condescending tone that it was all of £7 - and I know that for some that's not enough to bother jumping ship. But for me it's not (just) the money; I don't like being taken for a mug or (mis) sold something that turns out to be useless (PPI anyone?). And there are deals out there to be had. I won't mention who with but for £30 per month (£5 more than William's best 18 month offering), I'm getting 100MB, TV, phone, Tivo, hub, free engineer install, £50 cashback and Sky movies for 3 months. Oh, and that includes line rental.

AndyPK

Most providers put the price up at least once a year.
I know its very annoying. Even more so, if you have signed up in the last 18 months expecting some sort of fixed priced deal!

But if he is offering a good deal, don't cut your nose off to sprite your face, tempting though it is.

Is it worth your while arging about LRS refund (taking alot of your time) if they will give you an even better deal? (note deal will probably tie you in for another 12 months - which is good if its a good price, bad if you are moving)

hughie2r

AndyPK wrote: »

Most providers put the price up at least once a year.
I know its very annoying. Even more so, if you have signed up in the last 18 months expecting some sort of fixed priced deal!

But if he is offering a good deal, don't cut your nose off to sprite your face, tempting though it is.

Is it worth your while arging about LRS refund (taking alot of your time) if they will give you an even better deal? (note deal will probably tie you in for another 12 months - which is good if its a good price, bad if you are moving)

I understand that companies, if allowed, will take the opportunity to put their prices up mid contract. I don't think that's right but it's not even that that bugs me the most, it's the refusal to refund the remaining part of the LRS.
It might be a bit of effort, but I do think it's worth challenging anyone (especially big corps) about something that is simply wrong and unfair, whether it's "in the contract" or not.
I hadn't thought about changing provider until they told me about the price increase, but now I want to leave and EE's refusal to refund the unused portion of the LRS is acting as dis-incentive, which is what Ofcom have stated must not happen.

Sound advice about getting the best deal even if it is galling to stay, however, I'm getting a better value deal by switching.

stu888

I too received an email from EE yesterday,informing me of £2.00 pcm price rise. I am Only 2 months into an 18 month contract, so for me I will have to pay an extra £30 over the next 15 months. I paid in advance and stumped up £299 believing that I would not have to pay anything else for the remainder of the contract. I don't really care what is in their small print/Ts&Cs it is morally wrong to sell a service in advance and then hike the prices at a later date.

When I phoned to complain they initially told me that there was nothing that could be done, that it was in their Ts&Cs that line rental paid in advance is not refundable, after considerable wrangling I asked to speak to a manager, the operator put me on hold and then came back and said that they had "literally just changed the rules" and that they were now prepared to refund my line rental if I changed provider - she has said that she has put a note on my account to this effect, but past experience tells me that getting money back from telecoms companies is not straightforward. Also I am now caught in the trap of having to switch over Christmas if I want to.

It is worth noting that on Trustpilot EE scores only 1 star in 85% of the reviews (would you stay in a hotel that had 85% 1 star reviews on Trip Advisor?). I personally have had other issues in the short time I have been with this company and when I complained I was told that a one hour wait on the telephone was not a customer service issue!

I will move if I can get a decent deal, but whatever happens I will not be signing up for EE broadband again and they can forget ever having me as a mobile customer

boatman

hughie2r wrote: »

However, when I asked about a refund for the unused portion of my line rental, paid up front with an 18 month line rental saver, I was told that this was non-refundable "according to the terms and conditions of the contract

I'm phoning EE tomorrow to cancel - will continue to demand a refund, but surely this scam of "sell a LRS, increase prices, tell the customer to stay/ sign up to another contract or lose several months line rental" needs to be exposed and stopped! As this appears to be a re-run of the same thing BT tried in February, I've emailed the authors of the Guardian piece in earlier posts - [EMAIL="consumer.champions@theguardian.com"]consumer.champions@theguardian.com[/EMAIL] - please feel free to do the same.

I quite agree, they are wrong and the Guardian article tells them exactly that.
OFCOM General conditions:
9.3
Without prejudice to any initial commitment period, Communications Providers shall ensure that conditions or procedures for contract termination do not act as disincentives for End-Users against changing their Communications Provider.

"(A Consumer will not be in an “initial commitment period” where they are able to terminate a contract with a CP without paying a charge)."

Don't worry about the bit where it says 'initial commitment period', because while you are in your 30 day notice/cancellation period you are in effect not in contract because you have neither accepted or rejected the new proposed contract yet.

Guidance on material detriment:
A1.24 The terms and conditions or other practices CPs apply in respect of contract termination are also important considerations. Terms and/or practices which frustrate the practical effect
of GC9.6 are liable to attract suspicion of non-compliance with the relevant rules.

You 'shouldn't' have to contact your old provider at all(virgin, you will), you should just be able to join a new one, they will then tell the old one you are leaving. While you are in the 30 day notice period due to the proposed price rise, the old provider should not charge a cancellation fee and should refund any money owed automatically(e.g. advanced line rental). At least that's the theory, so all those letters saying you need to call us are just a way for them to try and stop you leaving, nothing else.

rabbitmoon

In my signup email, just last month, I had this:

Your usual monthly costs
Your plan: £19.50 per month for 18 months
(£9.00 off for 18 months)
This includes £18.50 a month for your line rental
As you've taken line rental saver there's a monthly discount of £18.50 for 18 months in addition to the above.
Total (broadband): £1.00 per month for 18 months

Now, an email saying broadband will increase by £2 per month. That's a 200% increase. I've already paid the 18 months line rental up front. How is that reasonable?

GD46

Just called them having had the "your price is going up" email. Asked about Refund of money paid upfront was told "yes" they would make a pro rata refund. They also said I would be receiving a further email explaining how this would affect me personally.
I think this is an outrageous breach of customer trust.

timmillea

My 79-year old mother is just two months into an 18 month EE contract with £299 line "non-refundable" rental paid upfront. I received the email yesterday to say the residual amount payable on her anytime call plan was increasing from £7.50 to £9.50 - a 27% increase.

I have read the difficulty that others have had getting EE to accept that they are obliged to refund the balance of the advance line rental if switching to another provider.

However, I will attempt a switch without contacting EE, as that should not be necessary under the rules, and we will see what happens. There are better deals around now and they come with generous cash back.

derrick

timmillea wrote: »

My 79-year old mother is just two months into an 18 month EE contract with £299 line "non-refundable" rental paid upfront. I received the email yesterday to say the residual amount payable on her anytime call plan was increasing from £7.50 to £9.50 - a 27% increase.

I have read the difficulty that others have had getting EE to accept that they are obliged to refund the balance of the advance line rental if switching to another provider.

However, I will attempt a switch without contacting EE, as that should not be necessary under the rules, and we will see what happens. There are better deals around now and they come with generous cash back.

I am in a similar position and am in discussion with the executives office, hopefully using "The Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations 1999", (http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1999/2083/contents/made), I think Regulation 5 is applicable, "Unfair Terms"


Anyone else want to complain to them this is the email address: - executive.office@ee.co.uk

From EE's T&C's: - http://ee.co.uk/content/dam/ee-help/Help-PDFs/ee-home-network-terms-20052015.pdf
[FONT=&quot]8. Changing Charges[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]8.1. We can lower any Charge at any time without telling You beforehand, although We will try to tell You if We can.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]8.2. We can suspend, change, increase the price of or withdraw part or all of the Additional Services on giving active users of the Additional Service a reasonable period of Written Notice. The change will then apply to You once that notice has run out.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]8.3. We can suspend, change or withdraw Your Price Plan or Allowances. We will give You Written Notice 30 days before We do so. The change will then apply to You once that notice has run out.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]8.4. We can increase any Price Plan Charge. We will give You Written Notice 30 days before We do so. The change will then apply to You once that notice has run out.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]8.5. We can increase Your Price Plan Charge if We have accepted Your request for an Upgrade or if We move you to a higher Price Plan in accordance with point 4.5.[/FONT]


Can I ask where these "better deals around now and they come with generous cash back" are?


Thanks


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