Beware Direct Debit abuse & the out of contract broadband price hikes

Martin999BRFC

I am reliably informed that it is standard practice for broadband providers to hike the price considerably once you 

are out of contract.

Furthermore, some will not even inform you as I recently found by checking the direct debit to my bank account..

Some will even threaten you with extra charges should you intend to leave them.

How do I stop this dodgy practice? I hear you cry!

Simple, as soon as your contract term is up, CANCEL THE DIRECT DEBIT. 

Then a new contract will need to be agreed or switch to another provider.

If enough of us do that, this sharp, rip-off practice will stop.

[Deleted User]

Martin999BRFC said:

Simple, as soon as your contract term is up, CANCEL THE DIRECT DEBIT. 

Then a new contract will need to be agreed or switch to another provider.

Definitely don't ever do that. The DD is just a payment method, not the contract, which will continue unless you cancel.

Avoid late payment fees and missed payment markers by continuing the DD and renegotiating.

400ixl

They do not hike the prices at all, they stop the discount that has been applied to the period you signed up to receive that discount. The direct debit is variable and they are within their rights to charge you what you have agreed to.

It would be unusual for them to have charges to leave them once you are out of the discounted contract terms and back on their standard terms.

You can at any point contact them to arrange a new discounted contract period (even if your current one hasn't finished). There is absolutely no need to cancel direct debits for this.

If anything cancelling direct debits just works against you as you get missed payment markers on your credit file.

How you stop this is by learning about the terms you have signed up to, what the contractual dates are and what happens when the discounted period ends. You can then make decisions about when to start re-negotiations or arrange to move to a new supplier on new terms in advance of the discount period ending so that they coincide and you avoid any early termination fees or standard contract fees.

JohnnyB70

Martin999BRFC said:

I am reliably informed that it is standard practice for broadband providers to hike the price considerably once you 

are out of contract.

Furthermore, some will not even inform you as I recently found by checking the direct debit to my bank account..

Some will even threaten you with extra charges should you intend to leave them.

How do I stop this dodgy practice? I hear you cry!

Simple, as soon as your contract term is up, CANCEL THE DIRECT DEBIT. 

Then a new contract will need to be agreed or switch to another provider.

If enough of us do that, this sharp, rip-off practice will stop.

That is absolutely terrible advice. If you want to cancel a contract then cancel it, don’t just stop the direct debit.

Martin999BRFC

FOR ALL THOSE RIP-OFF APOLOGISTS OUT THERE

Firstly, if the contract term is over, how the hell is it still a contract? 

What then, would be the point of the length of contract term??

1. The contract term was already passed.

2. The contract was already at an end as confirmed by new provider

3. There was NO out of contract price agreed or informed.

4. There was NO discounted price period in the original contract.

5. Unexplained increased charges had been attempted earlier during the contract which were reversed when challenged.

6. The broadband provider had ample time to adjust their invoice to reflect that they had been informed of the switch 

by the new provider. 

For those of you that are either employing similar tactics or have some other interest

GOOGLE THIS
"Common broadband switching problems and how to solve them"

JohnnyB70

You seem confused. The end of the locked-in portion is not the end of the agreement. You end that by informing the company, not by stopping your direct debit.

You seem very angry, do you have someone able to help you to deal with issues such as this?

flaneurs_lobster

Martin999BRFC said:

FOR ALL THOSE RIP-OFF APOLOGISTS OUT THERE

........ snip ......

For those of you that are either employing similar tactics or have some other interest

GOOGLE THIS
"Common broadband switching problems and how to solve them"

I did indeed GOOGLE THAT and it's a jolly useful page of advice from BroadbandChoices.

It doesn't say anywhere cancel your Direct Debit mandate if you disagree with payments taken.  

littleboo

OP, you are positing incorrect and misleading advice. There is a minimum contract term, after which the contract does not end, it just moves, typically, to a 30 day rolling contract at a non-discounted price. If the contract ended when the minimum term was reached, then the ISP would have to cease the service at the same time.

Martin999BRFC

Flaneurs .. No it doesn't say "cancel your Direct Debit " but I AM & it does say..

"If a quick call to customer service doesn't resolve it, you'll have to go through the provider's official 

complaints procedure."

Try that when they will only deal with your complaint verbally!

It also does say..

"If your bill's about to go up - that is, higher than inflation, and not just because a reduced sales price is ending - your provider will inform you in writing, usually by post or email. Once you've received that, 

you can cancel your package without penalty within 30 days of receiving it.

 

Now for all of you with more money than sense maybe it's OK to pay variable amounts for something you are

neither contracted to or have agreed with.. and then try to reclaim the money at some future date!!

JohnnyB70 -- Since when did a contract term become a "locked-in portion" ?
Anyhow, the switch was arranged & service terminated by the switching agent.

Confused ??? No wonder there are so many scammers preying on the ill-informed & vulnerable!!

shiraz99

Martin999BRFC said:

FOR ALL THOSE RIP-OFF APOLOGISTS OUT THERE

Firstly, if the contract term is over, how the hell is it still a contract? 

What then, would be the point of the length of contract term??

1. The contract term was already passed.

2. The contract was already at an end as confirmed by new provider

3. There was NO out of contract price agreed or informed.

4. There was NO discounted price period in the original contract.

5. Unexplained increased charges had been attempted earlier during the contract which were reversed when challenged.

6. The broadband provider had ample time to adjust their invoice to reflect that they had been informed of the switch 

by the new provider. 

For those of you that are either employing similar tactics or have some other interest

GOOGLE THIS
"Common broadband switching problems and how to solve them"

There are no "RIP-OFF APOLOGISTS" here and what you're posting is really bad advice. If you have issues with a contract or payments then there are legitimate ways to deal with it, throwing your toys our of the pram and cancelling your direct debit isn't one of them.

The_Fat_Controller

What a load on nonsense from the OP.

@Martin999BRFC by all means trash your own credit by cancelling a DD but it is not correct advice to do so.