Price increase on EE, 1 week after starting contract

shosho85

Afternoon all,

So I just agreed to a new 24-month contract with EE and a new handset as part of the deal. I have just taken delivery of the phone a week ago, and have now received a text message saying my bill is going up by 14% or so. Where do I stand here? I would have thought if a bill was going up by that much so soon, they would have a duty of care to at least mention it at some point.

I've been told by EE after speaking with them today that my two options are, to return the phone (as I am still within 14 days) and then my phone will revert to my old sim-only plan while I decide what to do, or, I can keep my contract and they can write me a letter to say that we have reached deadlock on our dispute and I can go to the ombudsman. Neither option is really appealing, I'd just like to pay the amount that was agreed with them, but I will go to the ombudsman if necessary. Do I have a case or are the ombudsman likely to shoo me away and tell me I should have read the small print (like EE did)?

Any help is greatly appreciated!

p.s. I know there are lots of threads on the price increases at the moment but did think that mine differed from those I found when searching, owing to the timeframe between signing the contract and receiving the price increase text

SaverRate

shosho85 said:

Afternoon all,

So I just agreed to a new 24-month contract with EE and a new handset as part of the deal. I have just taken delivery of the phone a week ago, and have now received a text message saying my bill is going up by 14% or so. Where do I stand here? I would have thought if a bill was going up by that much so soon, they would have a duty of care to at least mention it at some point.

I've been told by EE after speaking with them today that my two options are, to return the phone (as I am still within 14 days) and then my phone will revert to my old sim-only plan while I decide what to do, or, I can keep my contract and they can write me a letter to say that we have reached deadlock on our dispute and I can go to the ombudsman. Neither option is really appealing, I'd just like to pay the amount that was agreed with them, but I will go to the ombudsman if necessary. Do I have a case or are the ombudsman likely to shoo me away and tell me I should have read the small print (like EE did)?

Any help is greatly appreciated!

p.s. I know there are lots of threads on the price increases at the moment but did think that mine differed from those I found when searching, owing to the timeframe between signing the contract and receiving the price increase text

I would think the ombudsman would side with EE as its written in the contract.

Personally I would return the phone then use https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/cheap-mobile-finder/ to find you the best deal and go for that. But check with the provider you go with out this years price increase before taking out a deal. 

molerat

The bottom of all the EE web pages has the "Prices will increase blah blah blah"  Did you not read "The legal bit" ?

savergrant

When you say "just signed" what do you mean? If you mean last Wednesday or later I think you might have a case, as it was already March. If you signed it before 1st March and it said something like "prices will rise every march" then I can't see you having a leg to stand on.

flaneurs_lobster

savergrant said:

When you say "just signed" what do you mean? If you mean last Wednesday or later I think you might have a case, as it was already March. If you signed it before 1st March and it said something like "prices will rise every march" then I can't see you having a leg to stand on.

EE's price increase applies from 31 March. If you sign a contract that commences before this date then the increase will be applied.

Unless there is a cut-off date that hasn't been disclosed or an exemption has been agreed.

razord

flaneurs_lobster said:

savergrant said:

When you say "just signed" what do you mean? If you mean last Wednesday or later I think you might have a case, as it was already March. If you signed it before 1st March and it said something like "prices will rise every march" then I can't see you having a leg to stand on.

EE's price increase applies from 31 March. If you sign a contract that commences before this date then the increase will be applied.

Unless there is a cut-off date that hasn't been disclosed or an exemption has been agreed.

New or upgraded contracts from 1st March 2023 won't have their first increase until 2024... so I'd imagine OP signed up on the last day or two of Feb.

At least this is what EE tell me via DMs (and was the case in previous years too)

flaneurs_lobster

razord said:

flaneurs_lobster said:

savergrant said:

When you say "just signed" what do you mean? If you mean last Wednesday or later I think you might have a case, as it was already March. If you signed it before 1st March and it said something like "prices will rise every march" then I can't see you having a leg to stand on.

EE's price increase applies from 31 March. If you sign a contract that commences before this date then the increase will be applied.

Unless there is a cut-off date that hasn't been disclosed or an exemption has been agreed.

New or upgraded contracts from 1st March 2023 won't have their first increase until 2024... so I'd imagine OP signed up on the last day or two of Feb.

What's your source please?

razord

flaneurs_lobster said:

razord said:

flaneurs_lobster said:

savergrant said:

When you say "just signed" what do you mean? If you mean last Wednesday or later I think you might have a case, as it was already March. If you signed it before 1st March and it said something like "prices will rise every march" then I can't see you having a leg to stand on.

EE's price increase applies from 31 March. If you sign a contract that commences before this date then the increase will be applied.

Unless there is a cut-off date that hasn't been disclosed or an exemption has been agreed.

New or upgraded contracts from 1st March 2023 won't have their first increase until 2024... so I'd imagine OP signed up on the last day or two of Feb.

What's your source please?

Twitter DMs from EE staff. This was the case in 2022 as well according to their community forum.

That said, someone on their community forum (who isn't staff) suggests otherwise... so I'm not sure who to believe!

flaneurs_lobster

Wouldn't it be great if EE (and every other mobile & broadband supplier) were to simply publish this information on their website and perhaps even write it into their T&Cs, next to the really prominent bit where it says "we will increase your bill each year by a shedload".

Cisco001

Did you sign it up online?
Are you still in cooling off period?

liggerz87

I agree I upgraded last march on 25th I didn't get last year's increase but I did this year and next year