Price increase for service of over 137%

jd_josh

I use a web hosting company to host a couple of websites. The contract I was on cost ~£45 annually. They recently migrated systems, moving from what I believe was their own bespoke platform to a 3rd party platform. Admittedly, the new platform is better, but I was happy with their old platform and was not given a choice about the migration. As a result of this migration, their packages changed, and I was migrated to the nearest matching package to my current one - this new package costs ~£107 annually, which I make to be over a 137% price increase. I'm currently in discussion with their sales team, trying to come to a compromise where I slightly downgrade my package and they offer a reasonably significant discount that gets me much closer to my original annual price.

Are there any laws/rules/precedent that are relevant here that can help me in my negotiations? Any other thoughts or advice on this matter?

Kind regards,
Josh

Jenni_D

What is the purpose of the web hosting? If it's for a business then the contract T&Cs are what matters most ... if it's for personal use then Consumer Rights are also a factor.

bris

Nothing you can do once out of contract. The remainder of the current contract must be honoured but after that you either agree, renogiate, or move elswhere.

The threat of cancelling often gets good results, sometimes you need to acually cancel to get them to negotiate.

Aylesbury_Duck

As above, we need to know the purpose.

Assuming you're a consumer, what do the terms of the contract say?  Are they adhering to them?  With many services (e.g. Virgin Media) if you're not happy with an unscheduled price rise you can exit the contract early.  When does your current contract term end?

Ergates

Only that they can't change the contract/amount without informing you first - which it sounds like they have.

mattyprice4004

Are you in any kind of contract?
If not, they can put the price up and you can choose to stay or leave. 

Jenni_D

With web hosting you're always in a "contract", as you purchase the hosting for a minimum period (usually annually). If the company is trying to charge more after the OP has already paid for their annual hosting then whether or not the OP is acting as a consumer really matters - the company can't impose a price rise in a consumer contract (outwith any fair T&Cs) without also allowing the OP to cancel the contract and receive a pro-rata refund. If it is now annual renewal time then the OP has the choice of pay it, negotiate, or go elsewhere.

If the hosting is used for a business then consumer rights protections don't apply. (Note: it can be a very blurred line between consumer and business use. e.g. if it's a personal blog but you monetise it via ads/click-throughs then it could be classed as business use as you'd be generating an income from it).

Sandtree

jd_josh said:

I use a web hosting company to host a couple of websites. The contract I was on cost ~£45 annually. They recently migrated systems, moving from what I believe was their own bespoke platform to a 3rd party platform. Admittedly, the new platform is better, but I was happy with their old platform and was not given a choice about the migration. As a result of this migration, their packages changed, and I was migrated to the nearest matching package to my current one - this new package costs ~£107 annually, which I make to be over a 137% price increase. I'm currently in discussion with their sales team, trying to come to a compromise where I slightly downgrade my package and they offer a reasonably significant discount that gets me much closer to my original annual price.

Are there any laws/rules/precedent that are relevant here that can help me in my negotiations? Any other thoughts or advice on this matter?

When is the new pricing coming into effect? At the end of this contract year?

Have had several times when web hosts have withdrawn my product (often a couple of years after the company I was with has been bought out) but the price change only takes effect from the end of the contract. Assuming your's are doing the same then there is nothing you can do/no regulations etc... you've bought a years contract, had a years service and now negotiating the following years contract. If you dont like their pricing you take your site elsewhere. 

RogerBareford

jd_josh said:

I use a web hosting company to host a couple of websites. The contract I was on cost ~£45 annually. They recently migrated systems, moving from what I believe was their own bespoke platform to a 3rd party platform. Admittedly, the new platform is better, but I was happy with their old platform and was not given a choice about the migration. As a result of this migration, their packages changed, and I was migrated to the nearest matching package to my current one - this new package costs ~£107 annually, which I make to be over a 137% price increase. I'm currently in discussion with their sales team, trying to come to a compromise where I slightly downgrade my package and they offer a reasonably significant discount that gets me much closer to my original annual price.

Are there any laws/rules/precedent that are relevant here that can help me in my negotiations? Any other thoughts or advice on this matter?

Kind regards,
Josh

Move your website to a cheaper hosting solution if they no longer offer packages at a price point you like.

diystarter7

Just move.

Hermann

This sounds like TSOHost.

They moved accounts from custom control panel to Cpanel. Multiple domains now under one Cpanel account only, new account has new user name assigned made up of random characters, a new user name that isn't communicated to the customers.

Cpanel didn't have the same permissions set so sites failed until permissions were granted. Again no communication advising of this.

Customers assigned a new package with higher price and different features with no prior notice or communication. You get the remaining period of your old package then it will auto renew at new price. 

The move changed the host IP address, new IP address was not communicated to customers. Sites stop working without correct IP address at nameservers. Customers have the option of trying to find their way into account without the new username/password to find the IP address needed or wait hours/days for a response from CS.

During the server move they changed the name of customers databases without informing them or any prior warning or permission.

I somehow doubt all they have done is legal, it certainly isn't good customer service.

To add further insult they have now also informed customers their DNS service ends in four weeks time (unless you use TSOHost as the registrar for the domain). So it will no longer be possible to simply point your domain to the TSOHost nameservers.

To the OP, it's likely they have auto set you to a package with greater limits (Ultimate) than your old package which makes it more expensive that needed. If you decide to stay then the Deluxe package at £71.88 + vat will host up to 5 websites so you can readily change to that for renewal time.

However they really seem to have taken liberties with these moves and not communicating so probably best to move to another provider at renewal time.

There many alternatives available but if you your needs are not too demanding, resource wise, and you want low cost and then Inventive Hosting are worth a look for shared hosting. https://www.inventivehosting.co.uk/