BT can't provide same level of service at new address. Can I leave?

wedge69

We're currently contracted to BT fibre 2, with a speed guarantee of 60Mbps. We are about to move house, and at the new place BT can only provide fibre 1, with a maximum speed of 37Mbps.

In my eyes, they can no longer provide the service we are contracted to, so we should be able to cancel without charge. 

I've read through the T&Cs, but find it hard to find something that matches this specific case. 

Any advice or thoughts welcome. 

The_Fat_Controller

Your contract is for your current address, so your eyes are not looking in the right place.
Either ask for a free home move and downgrade to Fibre 1 or pay any cancellation fees and go with another ISP at the new address.
However, no other ISP that provides FTTC will be able to offer you anything faster, it's the distance from the house to the fibre cabinet that will be limiting the speed.

wedge69

Thanks for the reply. The new place can get Virgin Media via cable, which is much faster than bt can offer.

matelodave

wedge69 said:

Thanks for the reply. The new place can get Virgin Media via cable, which is much faster than bt can offer.

Yes, but they dont use the BT infrastructure so you still have to cancel your existing contract and pay the ETC when you move out.

BT will usually allow you to transfer to a new contract in your new residence without incurring the ETC. However if you change suppliers when you move to a new address then BT will be entitled to charge you the ETC for ending the contract.

iniltous

Quite simple really, want to avoid ETC, remain with BT ( at whatever speed the new address is capable of getting from Openreach ) , but if you don’t want to use BT , especially as a ‘faster’ service is available from a competitor, you pay ETC for the termination of your ‘BT’ service earlier than you agreed to.
Although in your eyes you may think you have a reason not to be held to the terms of your contract you don’t, but you have a choice, pay ETC or continue albeit at a slower speed.

BT don’t have to excuse you of your contractual obligation at your old address , just because the service may be slower at the new address, because they never  made you move, that was something you decided to do, if you don’t want continue to be a BT customer at the new address ( because the speed is insufficient ) you still have to ‘settle’ the contract at the old address with ETC’s

wedge69

Thanks all for the input.  You are right, I never really saw it that way. 

littleboo

Depending on your usage, 38 Mbps may be absolutely fine. VM play on their high speeds,its good marketing, but most people don't need anything like the speeds they offer. 

Chino

wedge69 said:

I've read through the T&Cs, but find it hard to find something that matches this specific case.

Clause 13c of the BT Home Phone and BT Broadband terms and conditions is what you're looking for:

You won't have to pay the fees and charges referred to in clause 13a if:

• ...
• you move home and we cannot provide a service at your new UK address.

and:

service – the BT Phone service or BT Broadband service (or both) that we are providing you with under the agreement, as shown in your order confirmation, on your bill and on your My BT account (if you have one).

wedge69

That's interesting. I had interpreted service as "a" service rather than "the current service". Certainly from the above it looks like we could cancel. 

JJ_Egan

Work out the costs ,

Take BT contract forward to new house will start a new 12 month contract .

Pay balance of current contract off and move to VM .

How many months would you need to pay to cancel ?

matelodave

You'd have to be quick if you want a 12 month contract with BT - https://broadbandinternetuk.com/blog/4350/bt-com12months-shorter-bt-broadband-contract. Most of theirs are for 24 months (unless you are a student where you can get a 9 or 12 month if you signup using your uni e-mail address)