Advice on paying too much trying to renew EE broadband contracts.

Bigduke2004

Hi I just want to make people aware of issues with EE when trying to renew broadband packages. I have contacted Offcom but not sure anything will ever come of that. Just in case you find yourself being pressured my adice is take your time, don't let the sales person control the narrative because they are comission based, they want to sell you that deal even sometimes if it is not the one for you.

I was on EE's top tier broadband package, I never wanted to be but they somehow in a moment of madness pressured me into it 2 years ago when I was having a lot of other life issues and i was stuck with it.  So this renewal i wanted to remove myself from it and go to a more suitable one for my needs.

Many things happened:

- They gave me incorrect information about my line speeds (admitted I was right after pressure from me)

- They told me if I went anywhere else I would not get as fast broadband, not true at all.

- They told me as i had their wifi extenders I would be stuck if I downgraded as no other extenders will connect to their router. This is simply untrue in fact one brand, I will not do adverts for them, but they have in their manual how to connect to each ISP's router, including EE ones.I know people using them with the EE routers.

- They tried to pressure sale me into a mobile phone contract despite me saying no 3 times. This continued even after me expressly saying can you please stop trying to sell me a mobile phone I am not taking a contract with you. Literal full on pressure selling.

- Then it gets worse I politely said look you sold me a package I don't need at last renewal I want to change it, I do not need the phone, i do not need the wifi extenders and i do not need the always on 5g hub (as I told them at last renewal the signal is not strong enough here to work).

What happened next astounded me, they literally told me sorry we cannot downgrade you, the system won't let us do that. I said to them I am a customer asking not to have services you are trying to give me, remove them please, sorry we can't you are a top tier customer we cannot downgrade you. Astonishing response given all interactions are on recorded calls.

Thinking perhaps this was a poor advisor as in fairness every company does have some, I phoned back a few times, every single time the same response. It appears they are force upselling even when you tell them you do not want something.  How on earth a company can force you to take things you don't want and charge you for them when they literally have packages without them beguiles me.  I suspect such behaviour is not only unethical but unlawful.

I would be curious to see if others have had similar issues and just wanted to make people aware because they sound very convincing in the sales pitch but if you don't understand what they are giving you, you may find yourself paying through the nose for things you don't want and amazingly being told at renewal we "cannot" downgrade you.

QrizB

Time to ditch and switch?

littleboo

If they cant offer you a package you are happy with, why not go elsewhere? You don't have to buy from them and they can choose what packages they offer. 

GrumpyDil

Yup, don't let it irritate or annoy you, just time to move to another provider.

hareng

If your out of contract, give them their recommended notice of leaving. ie BT 30 days notice.
Sign up to a new ISP, they should do the rest and keep you informed.
Look whats available to you (Virgin, Open Reach or CityFibre etc), not only what the 5 of 6 search engines say is available because they pay to be listed.

wongataa

hareng said:

If your out of contract, give them their recommended notice of leaving. ie BT 30 days notice.
Sign up to a new ISP, they should do the rest and keep you informed.

If you are switching ISP do not inform your current ISP.  Just sign up to the new ISP and they tell your current one and transfer the service.

If you cancel with your current ISP it will muck up the transfer process as they will start cancelling the internet connection to your property completely.

Bigduke2004

GrumpyDil said:

Yup, don't let it irritate or annoy you, just time to move to another provider.

It's not so much a matter of irritating just for me, it's more they refuse to downgrade you and then use various means to try convince you that you are better with them, nobody else can offer you the same. You will lose this and this etc when it's simply not true and scare tactics.

While I can and have made my decision not based on their pressure sales, elderly people, people with various difficulties may simply be pushed into paying more and shoehorned into contracts they don't want or need.

What's more if you live in a major city yes you can choose from so many different providers. However if you live rural where there are only so many available providers you have less of a choice pool. 

It's a shame that we have reached a stage as a society we can say meh whatever move on because it's only me. This is why they get away with it unfortuately. 

On top of that when moving, because they literally refused to downgrade a premium users account at end of contract, you are forced to pay the higher price of their package until the new provider takes over the line. Literally forcing you to pay for something you have told them you do not want nor need until you can get out.

Oh and why was I so close to the end of contract before I moved? Because they tell you they can't unlock new deals until the last couple of days. Then when those days come, they again say no sorry we can't downgrade you.

So my point is not one of annoyed for my sake it's a word of caution because this is what they are doing. I have already requested the full logs of all calls through freedom of information. Why because someone else isn't going to know what to do and end up paying £76 a month when they shouldn't be. 

Bigduke2004

hareng said:

If your out of contract, give them their recommended notice of leaving. ie BT 30 days notice.
Sign up to a new ISP, they should do the rest and keep you informed.
Look whats available to you (Virgin, Open Reach or CityFibre etc), not only what the 5 of 6 search engines say is available because they pay to be listed.

This is assuming you live in a major population area and have a choice of loads of providers. Rural Scotland doesn't have that. However that's not the point I have made my decision but they are really heavy on the pressure sales and not everyone will hold out or know better. They are also telling people things that simply are not the case to try make them think moving would not be a good move. The error here is thinking I am concerned for me. I know people who's elderly folks have been convinced to take costly contracts they didn't want or need. In this day and age this shouldn't be happening and I think people really need to speak up and share their experience for others.

I didn't post this asking for help, I posted it as pause for thought and a cautionary word. 

Bigduke2004

littleboo said:

If they cant offer you a package you are happy with, why not go elsewhere? You don't have to buy from them and they can choose what packages they offer. 

I hear you and yes that's the move to do but that wasn't the point. I have the capacity and ability to push back against pressure sales, scare tactics and know when what I am being told is simply not true and designed to push me into a renewal of something I don't need.

Not everyone has that capacity and this simply should not be happening in this day and age. The sad thing is they rely on exactly this. The ones who see through them just walk and say/do nothing while those who are vulnerable and easily convinced may end up paying for things they shouldn't be.

Its a word of caution not asking for help

Bigduke2004

QrizB said:

Time to ditch and switch?

Oh yes most definitely, however given the practices shown to also provide a word of caution because not everyone sees though what they do. 

littleboo

Bigduke2004 said:

littleboo said:

If they cant offer you a package you are happy with, why not go elsewhere? You don't have to buy from them and they can choose what packages they offer. 

Its a word of caution not asking for help

Well, to be fair the thread is a bit contradictory then. Yes, you say  "Hi, I just want to make people aware..." but the thread title is "Advice on paying too much....." which is why you have been given advice & suggestions.