EE end of contract charges

ChrisMH

I have just discovered that EE does not tell customers when they are able to reduce their contact to SIM only - about £12 per month. After complaining this is part of the reply I received - EE can confirm that at point of sale we do not inform customers verbally or in writing that their price plan will automatically change at the end of the contract commitment. As a company we are unable to make any changes to a customer’s account without their permission. The change of price plan/upgrade would only be done at the customer’s request to ensure a customer is fully aware of the plan, plan allowances and its relevant terms[/- Is this just me or is this total nonsense? I have (had) 3 devices with EE and this only came to light when I upgraded one (to O2 as EE couldn't match the deal) How is this allowed to happen? Taken to it's natural conclusion someone could continue to pay a full contract price for years with out EE informing them they could reduce the price

grumbler

Warning: Three continuing to charge for phones already paid for - the most recent one from endless similar threads here.


Why do customers not bother to read contracts they sign and make groundless assumptions instead?
However, our nanny state is going to take care of them soon - Phone, broadband and TV customers set to get alerts…

Jon_01

We seem to be getting more and more of these type of posts?

Herongull

This has long been the case with most bundled contracts and it will be clearly stated in the T&Cs.

There is a minimum term, typically two years, and after this period you can either a give a month's notice to go elsewhere or else change to a cheaper sim only contract (where you may be locked in for another minimum period, typically 12 months) but if you choose to take no action the contract continues on a rolling 1 month contract.

Most bundled phone and airtime contracts have operated on this basis since phone contracts started.

Unless you are organised enough to keep a record of when the minimum term ends, bundled contracts are best avoided. In any case if you buy your phone outright and just have a sim only contract this is usually cheaper as well as completely avoiding this problem.

This is being currently reviewed by the regulator but it may be that the only change is the people will be sent a text at the end of the minimum term so it is still the customer's responsibility to make a decision then.

I suspect that you won't get much sympathy here because it is a money saving board and money savers normally avoid paying more than they need to.

Browntoa

People rush in to get latest iPhone/Samsung and never read their terms and conditions .

A simple log on to your online account shows if you are still in contract or what the end date is ...

Then ring up and swap to SIM only

pmduk

grumbler wrote: »

However, our nanny state is going to take care of them soon - Phone, broadband and TV customers set to get alerts…

That will only work when Ofcom makes the networks wake up the [STRIKE]snowflakes[/STRIKE] customers with a nice cup of tea and some toast and physically forces them to read the texts they are sent.

sully1311

Have no sympathy for you sorry. How do people not realise that there contract minimum period is finishing soon to look around, leave or haggle for a better price?

Businesses are here to make money. If people are unable to spend 1 minute checking on their phone app or account online for when their min terms ends then more fool them IMO.

its_all_over

ChrisMH wrote: »

I have just discovered that EE does not tell customers when they are able to reduce their contact to SIM only

Hi Chris, what do you mean that EE don’t tell you? Surely when you buy a phone with a contract it’s nearly always a 24 month minimum term contract?

So 23 months after you sign up you can ring EE and give notice to move to a sim only, get a PAC and move elsewhere or do an upgrade.

I’m sure it’s always been like that and is a similar procedure for all networks.

Meerkat16

I have just found Out I have been paying £27 a month on a rolling contract since my two year contract ended in October 2015. I was not aware I had to contact them and just got rid of the aim and took a contract out with anorher provider. And before people shoot me down I am aware it's my responsibility to check the T&C's but sometimes there are things happening in people's lives around their mental health that impacts on them remembering things like this etc. When I spoke to 3 today they told me they used to contact customers to tell the their contract bead coming to an end etc but no longer do this. So basically I have been charged £27 a month for the last three years after the end of my contract in October 2015. Also I asked how much he of this £27 on a rolling contract was for the phone and how much for airtime. They told me £13 for the phone and £14 for airtime. They confirmed the phone cost was £549ish but to date I have paid nearly £800 for this phone. How can they still be charging me for the phone which technically has been already paid off? They have also confirmed that my sim has not been used since October 2015 which is probably because I destroyed the sim. I know I have to take some responsibility but I think this is shoddy practice. Can they really charge me nearly £300 over what they told me phone cost in a credit agreement?

pmduk

Yes, of course. Until you cancel a contract, the company will believe you want to continue with it.

Can you imagine how many people would complain if their service just stopped at the end of the minimum period? They'd all be claiming they wanted it to continue.

Contracts are only made with adults and as such, they are expected to understand what they are doing.

Only a couple of networks identify the amount you are paying for your handset (offhand I believe o2 and Virgin), with most you pay the monthly charge with the handset included "free".

Meerkat16

Just because someone is legally an adult does not mean they fully understand a contract and as I say sometimes a person's mental health can affect their decision making. The only reason network providers don't contact customers is because they are hoping people assume a contract terminates automatically. Remember most companies to write to or text the customer to remind them that their contract is coming to an end and even EE used to do this. So why am I paying £13 a month toward the cost of the phone which has already been paid as confirmed by 4 Phone was around £550 and to date I have paid £780 for it? The cost of the phone is in the original contract is it not? In summary it may be in the small print but network providers are not doing enough to remind users that their contract is coming to an end. You don't pay past the termination date of paying for a car load etc. You still use the car after loan has been paid. 3 got slated by Ofcom for this practice