BT Price Increases March 2023

RASBES13

I renewed my broadband and tv package in February fixing my contract until Feb 2025 with what was a very good deal after offering to leave and move elsewhere. Just received an email explaining I have a 14.3% increase with effect of March 2023. I have been onto BT and they have justified this based on CPI index and Ofcom guidance. Is this correct, what are other experiencing regarding increase and do I have the rights to look elsewhere and come out of the contract due to what is an excessive increase. Appreciate any thoughts and comments please. 

ladruid

If you're still in your cooling off period then you can cancel it, otherwise you need to check the contract you agreed to.

If you agreed to contract with a yearly CPI + 3.9% then you have to pay it or break the contract and all the penalties that come with that. Also you should expect another CPI + 3.9% increase in 2024.

brewerdave

RASBES13 said:

I renewed my broadband and tv package in February fixing my contract until Feb 2025 with what was a very good deal after offering to leave and move elsewhere. Just received an email explaining I have a 14.3% increase with effect of March 2023. I have been onto BT and they have justified this based on CPI index and Ofcom guidance.

Very cheeky and wrong - OFCOM are actually investigating the fairness of such mid contract increases (altho I'm not holding out much hope of them actually doing anything meaningful!!)

NJB62

I had an earlier discussion with TalkTalk as my contract is soon ending. We contracted that my new payments will not incur CPI and other increases until the contract ends in 18 months time. I was also told that they would add two months free to my TalkTalk a/c, but I regard this as a con, as surely the sum should be paid to my current a/c -  my DDs to them will still be paid, I suspect.

brewerdave

NJB62 said:

I had an earlier discussion with TalkTalk as my contract is soon ending. We contracted that my new payments will not incur CPI and other increases until the contract ends in 18 months time. I was also told that they would add two months free to my TalkTalk a/c, but I regard this as a con, as surely the sum should be paid to my current a/c -  my DDs to them will still be paid, I suspect.

Hopefully you got that in writing ? Otherwise, customer service agents speak with forked tongue -anything to keep a customer !

NJB62

Re brewerdave: No, I did not get that in writing and my assurance from them, is that the calls are recorded. 
I rang them again and spoke to a member of staff who said that my payments would continue to be paid to them and that I would receive two months free.
And then all became clear - in my TalkTalk a/c was a refund button that represents the two months payments!
So fingers crossed, the sum will be paid direct to my current a/c. in which case all's well that ends well !

warwickbears

I'm happy to be persuaded otherwise, but isn't this CPI + 3.9%, which appears to be common for all major providers, a cartel? I can't see OFCOM will get any traction with it (too many vested interests?)

400ixl

warwickbears said:

I'm happy to be persuaded otherwise, but isn't this CPI + 3.9%, which appears to be common for all major providers, a cartel? I can't see OFCOM will get any traction with it (too many vested interests?)

No it isn't a cartel. Some charge it, some don't. OFCOM have previously approved its use, they are apparently now reviewing that approval. A cartel would be doing it behind the scenes, not will the approval of the regulating body.

If they were to remove it, then the suppliers would just add it into the price anyway. Same as most of the ones who don't apply it do already by being slightly more expensive than those that do. There is just more guess work in looking forward for those who build it into the price.

mongoose2009

this is the plan 

not offer  12 mth contacts to trap people to at least 1 rise in april

i would not take on any contract for BB or a sim from now on

id say that high inflation from the money printing is here to stay for a while

Now do a 1 yr contract

Tom720

I've not had a problem with CPI+3.9% until now when this year's increase is set to add £9.71 per month to my bill. There's nothing I can do about it other than downgrade to a cheaper broadband package but why do BT use 10.5% CPI when the ONS figure is 10.1%?