Post Office Internet provider moved to Shell Energy - what are my rights

kdotdotdotdot

For the past 12 months, I've had internet (and telephone line, although I don't use it) to my home provided by the Post Office.  I renewed for another 12 months on 17th Feb - just 9 days ago.  Yesterday I got an email from them stating that:

"We are writing to let you know that we have made the decision to leave the telecoms market and that your Broadband and Home Phone services will be provided by Shell Energy from 16 March 2021.  Your terms and conditions will stay the same but from this date, your agreement will be with Shell Energy Retail Limited. Also from this date, the processing of your personal data will be controlled by Shell Energy. IMPORTANT: Please note, there will be no immediate change to your package, prices or service.  You'll continue to receive a Post Office branded bill and you can continue to pay your bill in your local Post Office branch." 

Well, what if I don't want to be with Shell Energy?  What rights do I have to change provider now?  I'm more than a little concerned about the promise not to change my package or price immediately - leaving the door open to change it fairly soon, leaving me stuck in a contract where I have no control over pricing or what I'm paying for.

matelodave

Check your T&C's to see what both you and their obligations are with regards to who provides the service.  If there's no material change outside the T&C's then there's no need to assert your rights and your contract continues as if nothing had changed (because it hasn't).

I guess that somewhere in the words they have the right to reassign your account to another provider if they deem fit.

Neil_Jones

https://www.postoffice.co.uk/dam/jcr:4a2ebba9-11a1-44e6-a8b5-12ec29e0c6ca/pdf/Broadband-Phone-Terms-and-conditions-November-2020.PDF - "12.1.3 We may also cancel the Service (or any part of it) by telling you as soon as we can if an agreement between us and a wholesale supplier is terminated or expires."

If you don't want to be with Shell, move.  Subject to exit fees of course.  But Post Office was resold TalkTalk and I believe Shell is resold TalkTalk too.  So realistically the only thing that's changing here is the name of the company who your agreement is with.

Sandtree

Section 20 is what you want to look at as it covers transfer rights

20.1 If we wish to transfer our rights or obligations under this Agreement to someone else, you agree that:
20.1.1 we may do so provided that the transfer does not affect your rights or otherwise significantly disadvantage you; and
20.1.2 after we notify you of the date of the transfer, your only rights under or in connection with this Agreement will be against that other person and not us.

So you agreed to them being able to transfer the contract to others, your only argument will be if you can show significant disadvantage but as has already been pointed out, neither companies are actually ISPs are both are just white label services of the same provider and so you'll struggle to argue significant disadvantage.

[Deleted User]

kdotdotdotdot said:

I renewed for another 12 months on 17th Feb - just 9 days ago.  

Well, what if I don't want to be with Shell Energy?  

It was announced publicly on the 1st Feb that Post Office would be transferring to Shell Energy, before you renewed for 12 months so if you didn't want to be with Shell Energy you did have the opportunity not to renew.