PlusNet woes

[ChrisR]

Not directly related to email, but today Plusnet have told me I'm no longer welcome and they're shunting me off to EE!

View attachment 482237

I guess BT, who own Plusnet and recently (?) bought EE have decided to rationalise their offerings. So Plusnet will be "broadband only" while EE will be "broadband plus digital voice", while BT will simply be "expensive"?

I wouldn't mind really, except EE charged a relative for two lines after they upgraded their smart watch at an EE store, and are now refusing to give a refund. Strikes me as pretty poor customer service, so I guess I'll be looking elsewhere (even if I do decided to discontinue the home phone).

EDIT: It's ironic that detaching our Plusnet emails from Plusnet the broadband supplier will make it easier to find a competitive broadband supplier!

Since this is no longer about email, I thought a new thread would be more appropriate. I'm just off the phone with PlusNet, and I am very unhappy. I have 8 months of an existing broadband plus home phone contract to go. The lady on the phone was adamant that my options are ONLY the two described above: (a) transfer broadband and phone to EE (stay on FTTC but a new modem), or (b) start a new contract with Plusnet (FTTP and a new hub).

In other words, explicitly, if I want to transfer to a new supplier, I have to pay out the remaining 8 months of the contract!

There are reasons why a new hub in the next few months would be massively inconvenient and expensive for me. It appears that Plusnet are refusing to continue honouring their contract, so I guess I'm going to have to accept some sort of change. But I'm unhappy about moving to EE, and I'm unhappy about a new 24 month contract with Plusnet (increasing in cost by £4 each April). Since Plusnet are (AFAICS) proposing to change the terms and conditions of their contract with me, I believe they ought to accept that this terminates the contract if I don't want to accept their terms.

I have another Plusnet contract at a different property, one where the home phone is more important. No word on what's happening there yet, or when.

Does anyone know what the law is on contract changes of this kind?

 

[gramps]

Phone and broadband providers can change the terms of a contract but they must give you at least one month's notice and a right to exit the contract without penalty if the change does not benefit you....

Ofcom

 

[Brentor]

I expect that their lawyers have covered this in detail.

Their T&Cs (assuming I have found the correct version) state:

19.1. Dealing with this agreement: You accept that our agreement is just between you and us, no one else can enforce it and you can transfer it only with our consent. However, we may take instructions from a person acting with your permission. We can transfer our agreement to another company provided this does not adversely affect your rights under the agreement.

Is there anything on the Ofcom website as this must be a common issue?

 

[gramps]

provided this does not adversely affect your rights under the agreement.

Surely it does.

Is this just a case of a phone rep spouting thoughts rather than facts?

 

[Mozthecat]

Did they say how much the remaining contract buyout was? When I left Plusnet a few years back I misjudged the end date, and they only charged something like £7.50 a month to cover their lost profit.

Appreciate it’s still some cost, but may be worthwhile investigating to be free to get your own choice of provider.

 

[Box Brownie]

Since this is no longer about email, I thought a new thread would be more appropriate. I'm just off the phone with PlusNet, and I am very unhappy. I have 8 months of an existing broadband plus home phone contract to go. The lady on the phone was adamant that my options are ONLY the two described above: (a) transfer broadband and phone to EE (stay on FTTC but a new modem), or (b) start a new contract with Plusnet (FTTP and a new hub).

In other words, explicitly, if I want to transfer to a new supplier, I have to pay out the remaining 8 months of the contract!

There are reasons why a new hub in the next few months would be massively inconvenient and expensive for me. It appears that Plusnet are refusing to continue honouring their contract, so I guess I'm going to have to accept some sort of change. But I'm unhappy about moving to EE, and I'm unhappy about a new 24 month contract with Plusnet (increasing in cost by £4 each April). Since Plusnet are (AFAICS) proposing to change the terms and conditions of their contract with me, I believe they ought to accept that this terminates the contract if I don't want to accept their terms.

I have another Plusnet contract at a different property, one where the home phone is more important. No word on what's happening there yet, or when.

Does anyone know what the law is on contract changes of this kind?

Sorry to hear of your woes!

Can I ask, in case I have lost the plot, why can't you just wait out the current contract?

If they are forcing you into a change i.e. they are closing the current contract earlier than agreed.......why are they deeming you are subject to the early cancellation charge if PN are the early contract party in the agreement?

 

[JohnMcL7]

I would recommend asking on ISPreview which is a small UK site with a lot of expertise on UK ISPs and broadband which I've found very helpful:

Broadband Fixed Line

Discuss fixed land line broadband services and tech (Cable, ADSL, Fibre Optic etc.).

www.ispreview.co.uk

 

[Brentor]

Surely it does.

Is this just a case of a phone rep spouting thoughts rather than facts?

I don’t think they have actually changed the T&Cs.

 

[Eucris]

Since this is no longer about email, I thought a new thread would be more appropriate. I'm just off the phone with PlusNet, and I am very unhappy. I have 8 months of an existing broadband plus home phone contract to go. The lady on the phone was adamant that my options are ONLY the two described above: (a) transfer broadband and phone to EE (stay on FTTC but a new modem), or (b) start a new contract with Plusnet (FTTP and a new hub).

In other words, explicitly, if I want to transfer to a new supplier, I have to pay out the remaining 8 months of the contract!

There are reasons why a new hub in the next few months would be massively inconvenient and expensive for me. It appears that Plusnet are refusing to continue honouring their contract, so I guess I'm going to have to accept some sort of change. But I'm unhappy about moving to EE, and I'm unhappy about a new 24 month contract with Plusnet (increasing in cost by £4 each April). Since Plusnet are (AFAICS) proposing to change the terms and conditions of their contract with me, I believe they ought to accept that this terminates the contract if I don't want to accept their terms.

I have another Plusnet contract at a different property, one where the home phone is more important. No word on what's happening there yet, or when.

Does anyone know what the law is on contract changes of this kind?

But if you are getting exactly the same service for exactly the same price by switching to EE I don't understand what your problem is. After all EE, Plusnet and BT are all the same company, so it is in effect just a rebranding exercise. And if you do switch to EE all you have to do is plug your phone into the modem instead of the wall socket.

 

[ChrisR]

Ofcom

Thanks! I think the relevant section is this:

"Phone and broadband providers can change the terms of a contract but they must give you at least one month's notice and a right to exit the contract without penalty if the change does not benefit you. However, you won’t have the right to exit the contract if the change being made is:

1. exclusively to your benefit, for example a speed upgrade;
2. purely administrative and has no negative effect on you, for example a change in the address or bank details of your provider; or
3. directly imposed by law, for example, a change in the rate of VAT."

The only one that could apply, I think, is (b). They tried to claim on the phone that EE was "the same company", but the change requires a new hub and other details, as well as a new direct debit. So I'm working on the basis that this change is not to my benefit!

I have tried to register a complaint with Plusnet, as Ofcom says I must. I thought I had raised a ticket but I've had no confirmation, and can't find it! The only problem is that I have to give them 6 weeks to resolve the complaint, and they propose to move our connection in less than 30 days!

 

[gramps]

The only problem is that I have to give them 6 weeks to resolve the complaint, and they propose to move our connection in less than 30 days!

Surely if you register a complaint (you can/should also do it in writing to their HO) they will have to delay?

 

[Brentor]

Thanks! I think the relevant section is this:

"Phone and broadband providers can change the terms of a contract but they must give you at least one month's notice and a right to exit the contract without penalty if the change does not benefit you. However, you won’t have the right to exit the contract if the change being made is:

1. exclusively to your benefit, for example a speed upgrade;
2. purely administrative and has no negative effect on you, for example a change in the address or bank details of your provider; or
3. directly imposed by law, for example, a change in the rate of VAT."

The only one that could apply, I think, is (b). They tried to claim on the phone that EE was "the same company", but the change requires a new hub and other details, as well as a new direct debit. So I'm working on the basis that this change is not to my benefit!

I have tried to register a complaint with Plusnet, as Ofcom says I must. I thought I had raised a ticket but I've had no confirmation, and can't find it! The only problem is that I have to give them 6 weeks to resolve the complaint, and they propose to move our connection in less than 30 days!

Sorry to be negative, but have Plusnet actually changed the terms of their contract with you?

 

[Eucris]

@ChrisR What exactly does it say in the email that Plusnet sent you.

 

[ChrisR]

@ChrisR What exactly does it say in the email that Plusnet sent you.

Sorry, I thought it would come across in the quoted post that started this, but it didn't. Here's the message:

The lady on the phone was adamant that my options are ONLY the two described above: (a) transfer broadband and phone to EE (stay on FTTC but a new modem), or (b) start a new contract with Plusnet (FTTP and a new hub).

In other words, explicitly, if I want to transfer to a new supplier, I have to pay out the remaining 8 months of the contract!

As I understand it, moving to EE should be the same price and length of contract. So that doesn't sound too bad financially. The box with new modem etc would presumably be delivered here, but there'll be no-one in. Then I have to make a 700 mile round trip to install the new hub when they transfer the service. So that is not a change that will benefit me, to quote the OfCom page. This of course ignores the fact that I'm not happy with EE as a company, and there are bad stories about the transfer not going well.

I just want Plusnet to honour the remaining 8 months of their contract! And if they had said upfront, here are our two options, if neither of those work for you, you can cancel for free, that would have allowed me to make the change of supplier I would like (not EE, not Plusnet, after this).

 

[ChrisR]

Sorry to be negative, but have Plusnet actually changed the terms of their contract with you?

They agreed to supply me with FTTC broadband and home phone for 18 months ending January 2027, so, yes they have changed the terms of the contract!

 

[ChrisR]

Sorry to hear of your woes!

Can I ask, in case I have lost the plot, why can't you just wait out the current contract?

If they are forcing you into a change i.e. they are closing the current contract earlier than agreed.......why are they deeming you are subject to the early cancellation charge if PN are the early contract party in the agreement?

I'd be happy to wait out the current contract, but they say that's not possible. So I agree, they are terminating the contract early and there shouldn't be a cancelation charge. I think their argument is that transferring to EE fulfills the contract.

 

[Eucris]

Sorry, I thought it would come across in the quoted post that started this, but it didn't. Here's the message:

View attachment 483047

As I understand it, moving to EE should be the same price and length of contract. So that doesn't sound too bad financially. The box with new modem etc would presumably be delivered here, but there'll be no-one in. Then I have to make a 700 mile round trip to install the new hub when they transfer the service. So that is not a change that will benefit me, to quote the OfCom page. This of course ignores the fact that I'm not happy with EE as a company, and there are bad stories about the transfer not going well.

I just want Plusnet to honour the remaining 8 months of their contract! And if they had said upfront, here are our two options, if neither of those work for you, you can cancel for free, that would have allowed me to make the change of supplier I would like (not EE, not Plusnet, after this).

So there were no other terms and conditions written underneath that in the email.

 

[ChrisR]

There will be a new set of terms and conditions if we move to EE. Who can tell if they're significantly different? A quick scan suggests they're pretty standard.

 

[Eucris]

There will be a new set of terms and conditions if we move to EE. Who can tell if they're significantly different? A quick scan suggests they're pretty standard.

You have misunderstood what I said. Surely there must have been more to the email that just the graphic that you have posted. Was there not any small print also included in the email.

All the emails that I received from Plusnet that contained a graphic also contained small print and or links to further information.