Post Office/ She'll Merger

Avo_cado174

My daughter is moving home on the 6th of March. I put an order in to transfer her broadband to her new property (as I'm the account holder) but have received a call back today and they informed me due to the merger they are not able to do this for the next few weeks! My daughter doesn't have sky or virgin and relies on her broadband for her phone and fire stick. I just entered a new contract in January yet wasn't made aware at the time any services would be effected during this time otherwise I would have gone elsewhere. Im not willing to pay for a service I'm not receiving. My question is can I cancel this contract and go elsewhere.

flaneurs_lobster

Unless you made PO/Shell aware of the impending move when you took out the contract in January (and they agreed to a seamless transfer at that time) then you are not likely to have any redress. You either cancel and pay any early cancellation fees or go with the not unreasonable offer of a service in a couple of weeks.

Your daughter may be able to use a mobile device to supply internet access for a couple of weeks if that's required.

Thrugelmir

Avo_cado174 said:

 Im not willing to pay for a service I'm not receiving. 

Not the providers concern that someone is moving house. A few weeks isn't unreasonable. As suspect many engineers are busy dealing with storm issues currently. 

iniltous

AFAIK it’s not a merger, the PO is getting out of being a broadband supplier and basically sold off their broadband customer base to Shell….it’s ridiculous that this could result in you having no service because you happen to want to move address whilst this ‘merger’ is happening, and although you are willing to remain a customer you shouldn’t be forced into a period of no service, also , if someone moves into the old address and takes broadband it will cancel the account , if you haven’t moved it to a new address first, so you get the worst of all worlds , no service at the new address and charged for ceasing early at the old address.

You should have a strong case for being excused ETC at the old address and sign up with whoever you want at the new address.

HaroldWren5

Avo_cado174 said:

My daughter is moving home on the 6th of March. I put an order in to transfer her broadband to her new property (as I'm the account holder) but have received a call back today and they informed me due to the merger they are not able to do this for the next few weeks! My daughter doesn't have sky or virgin and relies on her broadband for her phone and fire stick. I just entered a new contract in January yet wasn't made aware at the time any services would be effected during this time otherwise I would have gone elsewhere. Im not willing to pay for a service I'm not receiving. My question is can I cancel this contract and go elsewhere.

If they are unable to meet the installation date you agreed to, then I would have thought you can cancel the process and contract in this case. You could point out that you are not receiving the service you agreed to pay for. The threat of leaving if nothing else, might make them offer you credit on your account as compensation for the delay. 

Avo_cado174

I couldn't even get an installation date! They said until the 'Merger' is complete they are not taking any more orders and to call back in a few weeks. Then it will take another few to go live. My daughter only found out she was moving yesterday so I've tried to arrange a smooth transfer over with enough notice. The lady said I would be breaching contract as I renewed last year's contract with PO in Jan yet wasn't aware there would be a freeze on orders which I believe I should have been made aware of before entering a new contract.

Neil_Jones

Avo_cado174 said:

I couldn't even get an installation date! They said until the 'Merger' is complete they are not taking any more orders and to call back in a few weeks. Then it will take another few to go live. My daughter only found out she was moving yesterday so I've tried to arrange a smooth transfer over with enough notice. The lady said I would be breaching contract as I renewed last year's contract with PO in Jan yet wasn't aware there would be a freeze on orders which I believe I should have been made aware of before entering a new contract.

Yeah that "merger" thing (which wasn't a merger it was a sale) happened last year, its not a new thing:

https://www.shellenergy.co.uk/blog/post/post-office-broadband-joins-shell-energy

The moving home thing is documented here, you have read this I presume?  "We'll need at least 14 days notice before your move in date to make sure your broadband and phone line is connected as soon as you move in"

https://help.shellenergy.co.uk/hc/en-us/articles/360001044638-What-do-I-do-if-I-m-moving-home-

Avo_cado174

Yes I do realise that which is why I tried to arrange as early as possible. 3 days without would have been no problem. To be told I had to wait a few weeks before I could even arrange the transfer then another 14 days on top is ridiculous. Why was I told it was a 'Merger' if that's not the case? I trusted customer services, as any customer should be able to.

Neil_Jones

Customer services lies.  Well blow me down, there's a surprise.   Bit like going into Tesco, finding there are no tinned peas on the shelf and being told they have none.  Which is usually not strictly true, they'll have a pallet load in the back.

Sometimes front line customer service doesn't get told everything that's going on.  Perhaps they've been told internally one thing and the external communication was the exact opposite.  Much like a company on the verge of bankruptcy  - public facing all is well, behind the scenes the rats have deserted the ship and there's a big hole in the floor taking on water.

TL;DR - not always the fault of those who answer the phone for shoddy service.  Sometimes it is, but quite a lot of the time it isn't.

flaneurs_lobster

I'm missing the point here. You wish to terminate your contract and start a new one. What would have happened if PO/Shell were unable to provide broadband at the new address? Would you not have had to pay early termination fees (probably the cost of the rest of the contract)? 

Waiting a month to resume service at the new address seems a better deal than that.

The discussion of the effect (or otherwise) of the sale/transfer/merger of the PO business is irrelevant.