I am unexpectedly leaving my privately-rented property, how do I get out of broadband payments?

jp13229

Hello,

My flatmates and I have been told the landlord of our house is selling in January 2023, at the end of our current contract. Our broadband contract is until June 2023. We are all unsure of our next place to live. Two of us are thinking of moving abroad and one is moving in with a partner who already has broadband, so won't need the account. After contacting Virgin Media, they said the early disconnection fee is the same as paying until June 2023. It will also be required to pay that if we change the account to someone moving into the home. This leaves me thinking there is no way out of paying for the broadband until June 2023 even though none of us will be able to use it?

What are my rights in not having to pay the remaining months as this is hundreds of pounds for a service none of us will be able to receive. And we were not expecting to be made homeless at this point.

I also assumed the early disconnection fee would be cheaper than the full price! 

Can I simply cancel my direct debit in January 2023? Is that legal?

Thanks for your help.

shiraz99

Don't cancel your DD as it will become a debt and they will chase you.

There's no way out of it, you agreed to take the service for the minimum period, if you want to break the contract then you must pay the cancellation fee.

Gavin83

You can't get out of it. As mentioned above you agreed to the minimum service. I think the only way you can get out of it is if you move somewhere that they can't service you, or you die, although the later might be a bit drastic.

It's worth mentioning you don't have to leave in January. You'll automatically go onto a periodic contract at this point with no end date. If the landlord wants you out there's a whole long winded eviction process they'll have to follow and it's extremely unlikely he'd have you out before June.

Personally in your shoes if the landlord wants you out I'd be asking them to pay it.

born_again

Might want to stress to them that this is a rented property & you are being forced out by the landlord selling up. But only the person who's name the account is in will be able to argue this point. 
So maybe as @Gavin83 they need to say they are having to move to a area not covered by Virgin. 
Other than that. Then the Landlord could be asked to cover the payment as it is their fault you are being forced out early.

StocktonFlyer

When I moved out of a rented property my broadband provider advised me to take it with me. However they didn't offer the service at my new address, so it was cancelled with no penalty as they couldn't provide me there.

If however there was a service it would have carried on at my new address until the contract end date.

Gavin83

born_again said:

So maybe as @Gavin83 they need to say they are having to move to a area not covered by Virgin. 

Only if it's true though. I strongly suspect they'll ask for proof.

400ixl

Who's name is the contract in? They are the one with the problem in reality.

Do you all want to be moving out in January? As I understand it the landlord can't just kick you out if you are up to date and continue to pay your rent on time. The landlord would have to issue you with notice and then go through the process which can take quite a few months to be completed. Has the landlord started this process, or just told you he wants you to move out?

anotheruser

Gavin83 said:

born_again said:

So maybe as @Gavin83 they need to say they are having to move to a area not covered by Virgin. 

Only if it's true though. I strongly suspect they'll ask for proof.

What proof?
What would they expect you to give?

m-holland

anotheruser said:

Gavin83 said:

born_again said:

So maybe as @Gavin83 they need to say they are having to move to a area not covered by Virgin. 

Only if it's true though. I strongly suspect they'll ask for proof.

What proof?
What would they expect you to give?

Tenancy agreement, council tax bill etc.

TELLIT01

I have read that Virgin take the view that the person with the contract is choosing to move to an area with no Virgin service, so they are still liable for payments until the end of the contract.

macman

As above, the sale of the property does not end your tenancy. Have you been actually served with an S21?