Cooling off period on broadband

[#1]

If they've already used up their full allowance on Value they'd not be due any refund!
However, if you'd watched over the years as I have and seen the number of times 'simple' things like that go mammaries elevated in the Plusnet billing system you wouldn't be suggesting changes of billing date. A change of billing date has been asked for many times and almost always refused as it usually goes wrong.

[#2]

Quote from: martynsingleton

...  i am not what i call a heavy user, but when you have fibre, why not use it ? i have been streaming iplayer , watching utube, playing xbox, just normnal things, ...

Sounds pretty heavy to me.  I have 3 sons at home, playing games, streaming IPlayer, watching UTube, and working out what the shift key is for, and still manage to stay within 40Gb of usage with no problems.
Why should PlusNet be responsible for customers not knowing what it is they want? To stick with the car analogy - if I bought a Ford car with a 4Litre V12 engine, could I then blame Ford that I could only manage 8 miles to the gallon? (after all if you've a got a big fast engine, why not use it?) To answer my own question; there's no point swearing at Mr Ford is there?

[#3]

Although Plusnet can't be held responsible for a customer's downloads, they can be held responsible where they fail to respond in a reasonable manner...
To me, where a customer is going over his allowance and *wants* to upgrade for now and future months, and Plusnet *want* to let them, everyone would be happy if that then happened. The fuss only comes about from 2 situations:
1) The customer wants the upgrade *now*, but Plusnet refuse to allow it to start until the next billing period.
2) The customer is new, and didn't realise what he needed - or that Plusnet would take money to buy new allowance.
It isn't obvious if (1) is caused because that is exactly how Plusnet wants it to work, or if it only exists because of limitations with the billing system. But surely, from a "customer management" perspective, you want to be *nice* to a customer who is about to upgrade his subscription, not intransigent. If it is a limitation in the billing system, then work on some other solution that fixes the remainder of the month.
For (2), this acts as a not very nice "welcome" message, and there has to be a better way to ensure that new subscribers get a better experience in the first month.

[#4]

So all this aside im stuffed at the moment due to the fact the dept i want to talk to aren't available and coincidentally the so called customer services cant help with regards to that.. typical.. so what I would like to know is do plusnet have the std 30 days cooling off period from time of connection ? bearing in mind i joined on 21 dec, I am well inside my first 30 days and unless plusnet can offer me any sort of a deal I will be leaving and migrating back to Be Unlimited, slower speeds ( 10mb non fibre ) but unlimited usage.. and so much more friendly useful helpful customer services...

To think for 30 pounds a month I could have gone with BT infinity UNLIMITED fibre broadband and unlimited phone calls after 6 and all weekend.. I know where ill be taking my business me thinks !

[#5]

To quote  "Plusnet Fibre comes with an 18-month contract as standard."
Where do you get this 30 day cooling off period from? BT does not have a cooling off period!
Plusnet, if you did not realise, belongs to BT.
Reading OFCOMS rules "Once your broadband has been activated , you are liable for cancellation charges or the goodwill of the company."
This is from another  providers T&C "The 'Cooling Off‛ Period - If you change your mind about the service before your Services Connection Date you can cancel this Agreement without charge up to 12am on the working day before your Service Connection Date. If you change your mind about the service before the end of  the 14th day after your Service Connection Date you can cancel this Agreement, but you’ll have to pay for any calls or putting in/converting a line that you’ve incurred though."
You purchased a service, not goods. The Distance Selling Regulations are different for goods and services.
Don't blame Plusnet because you chose too low an allowance for your needs. It is your mistake.  

[#6]

Quote from: Stumpy21

To quote  "Plusnet Fibre comes with an 18-month contract as standard." Where do you get this 30 day cooling off period from? BT does not have a cooling off period! Plusnet, if you did not realise, belongs to BT. Reading OFCOMS rules "Once your broadband has been activated , you are liable for cancellation charges or the goodwill of the company." This is from another  providers T&C "The 'Cooling Off‛ Period - If you change your mind about the service before your Services Connection Date you can cancel this Agreement without charge up to 12am on the working day before your Service Connection Date. If you change your mind about the service before the end of  the 14th day after your Service Connection Date you can cancel this Agreement, but you’ll have to pay for any calls or putting in/converting a line that you’ve incurred though." You purchased a service, not goods. The Distance Selling Regulations are different for goods and services. Don't blame Plusnet because you chose too low an allowance for your needs. It is your mistake.

Wouldnt say its my mistake, read google, you will find plenty of people peeved with plusnet and they shitty terms with regards to new customers and allowances.. i mean to think this is how they treat you in the first month, hate to think what they will be like after 6 mnths..
And tell me, if plusnet is wholly owned by BT how is it that they can offer you a unlimited fibre package for 25 quid a month, where as for 25 quid with plusnet i get 50gb.. poor, very poor..
I assume from your mail your a big plusnet fan, well bully for you, i use them for business and as a std provider they are ok, but for fibre they are [Censored], to think they cant use there common sense to charge you 5 extra and allow you up to 120gb, as they offer that as a option... and the cooling off period is STANDARD across the board, all companies HAVE to agree to this as law.. so if i was hooked up on 20 dec, then i am within my cooling off period what ever it may be , 14 days, 30 days etc.. so I will be telling them to stuff it unless they can A) Refund me any charges they have made so far over my agreed ammount B) increase my usage allowance immidiatly, not at the end of my billing month..
Not rocket science is it..
[Moderator's note by Dick(Strat) Avoidance of swear filter edited as per forum rules.

[#7]

You seem to have a chip on your shoulder about your own mistake, live with it.   
There is nothing wrong with Plusnet. So there is no need to get offensive with the people that are trying to set you straight.
You are full of mis-information. Read Ofcoms rules. No provider offers a penalty free period, once you are connected.
If you are ranting, arrogant and rude, when you talk to Plusnet, I doubt they will want to help. Try a cool sensible conversation they just might! 

[#8]

The cooling period is 7 days under the distance selling regulations, but I think that is 7 days from when you placed your order.  Installing the fibre and what-not isn't free so PN tie you into a 18 month contract, some other ISP's charge you £70 to install the fibre as well as holding you to a contract, PlusNet defer that fee in that if you stick with them for 18 months you don't have to pay it, if you choose to leave then the deferred fee is chargeable to you.
It seems to me though you went for the cheapest option possible, not the option which suited your needs, you could switch to Be, but Be currently don't offer Fibre (especially Unlimited) so you'd have to switch to BT.  You are however stuck in a contract with PlusNet for 18 months, if you didn't read the "40Gb limit" part and didn't check how much you were using then it really is your fault that you're finding the "cheaper" package to be more expensive.  When you do get switched to the 120Gb package though I'd learn to use the overnight facility (you can download as much as you like) as if you go over 120Gb (and your usage suggests you will) you'll get charged.
/edit - thinking about it, you can leave after 30 days, you just have to pay 17 months worth of penalty fees 

[#9]

I totally agree with the poster, it should be made more clearer when signing up for package..
THEY should have on the start a page a choice of either 40GB usage for £16.49 pm or 120GB usage for £21.49 !

'Disclaimer'
I dont like PN cos they gave me a rubbish router , but in there defense, its clear as day what you sign up for, and for comparison, BT charge £28 for a unlimited Throttled service, where as PN give a different option of how you get your service and what you pay....  I love educated people..
jim:blue excessive smileys removed as per Forum Rules mod:end

[#10]

Just to clarify the Distance Selling Regulations position:
If you purchase goods via internet, phone, etc, then you have 7 days, starting the day after delivery, to change your mind
If you purchase a service, then your rights to cancel stop when the service starts.
So unless there is something in the terms and conditions (and I haven't looked) then you don't have any right to cancel once you are connected to the service.

[#11]

@martynsingleton,
I'm sorry you've had problems with this .

Quote

Wouldnt say its my mistake, read google, you will find plenty of people peeved with plusnet and they shitty terms with regards to new customers and allowances..

Unfortunately people only tend to post about negatives rather than positives, you'll find that relates to most companies. We'll always try to do what we can in light of any feedback with regards to issues such as this though.

Quote

Refund me any charges they have made so far over my agreed ammount

The charges won't be made until the next payment date, happy to refund them for you once taken.

Quote

increase my usage allowance immidiatly, not at the end of my billing month..

I've been able to reset your bandwidth and change the account over to extra.
dick:red Avoidance of swear filter removed from quote.

[#12]

l have had the same problem and grudge about it as the poster, having been with virgin 4yr, sky 1 yr, but like many wanting to economise was drawn to the pn ad and reducing my isp costs by half, the very reason isp,s have ad campaigns competing, so should not be used to insult later.
l admit my computer knowledge very limited, didnt know about gb useage having been on unlimited 5yr, accepting the words of my son and pn rep that 10gb would suffice for normal use, and no l didnt research it, have neither the time or patience to spend 10percent of my life researching everyday choices, also living in the hope there is still some integrity left.  So was shocked on finding ld passed the l0gb in a week and would need to spend an extra5pound for every 5gb thereafter, having 3 wks to go agreed to extra 5gb, and upping to 60gb allowance, and did expect that pn could and would up it instantly push of a button etc, as they do with other things, so ended up paying l5extra on my first month, so instead of halfing my isp bill l actually paid more, over 40pound, naturally anyone would be narked, and even thereafter on 60gb your on same rate as for sky virgin etc, with isp that isnt in my experience as reliable re disconnections and speed drops.  Then learning to cancel even when not on a contract you will be billed nr 100pound is further insult, though l guess a neccessity with pn to keep its disgruntled customers, obviously not the ones who regularly respond, who perhaps live in an area where their service is better, and were more aware upfront of terms.
Re the car analogy, think its common knowledge you dont buy a rollsroyce and expect a mini mpg, internet gb speeds useage is not common knowledge nor is the tech of it all, as with gas elec useage, kw, etc., nor should we have to be an expert on all, as with car repairs, we have to rely on the experts to be upfront and honest, sad day when we cant, might add that in 5yrs with sky and virgin l never once had to mess about with the router, or follow instructions, testing this and that, it was just set up and away it went reliable and fast enough. You can be as clever sounding or as arrogant as you like, maybe youve better knowledge, but at the end of the day pn have a problem,  needing to compete with sky virgin.
Having just read last reply from aw, charming, having paid my extra l5pound and having had to wait 3 wks for my upgrade to come into being, despite my complaints at the time,  >:(certainly helped me with future choices.

[#13]

Your car analogy misses the real point - a mini is much cheaper than a RR because it's small, economical and slower than a RR, which pretty much sums up Plusnet's raison d'etre (and the reason it fits into BT's overall business plan.)
We would all like to halve our ISP costs, but to jump in without looking at what the accompanying terms and conditions might mean is naive to say the least. Plusnet do not hide any of the material facts about their products, and getting a rough idea about how your intended use might reflect upon a given monthly allowance takes about 10 minutes on Google (not 10% of your life!)

[#14]

@twitchy14

Quote

Having just read last reply from aw, charming, having paid my extra l5pound and having had to wait 3 wks for my upgrade to come into being, despite my complaints at the time,  >:(certainly helped me with future choices.

I did that to help the OP, not to annoy you. Changing packages mid-month is not something we've been able to do until very recently and isn't something we can always do I'm afraid.
I've refunded you for the extra 15gb you paid for as a result of what happened.

[#15]

« Reply #27 on Today at 11:33 »
Your car analogy misses the real point - a mini is much cheaper than a RR because it's small, economical and slower than a RR, which pretty much sums up Plusnet's raison d'etre (and the reason it fits into BT's overall business plan.)
We would all like to halve our ISP costs, but to jump in without looking at what the accompanying terms and conditions might mean is naive to say the least. Plusnet do not hide any of the material facts about their products, and getting a rough idea about how your intended use might reflect upon a given monthly allowance takes about 10 minutes on Google (not 10% of your life!)
it is not unknown for business,s to offer more competative rates for a service equal to competitors, settling for a lower profit margin, if they dont why should a customer change suppliers, if sam cost,so presumably your stating pn service on cheaper rate is equivalent to a mini,s, so therefore the customer should make himself aware by googling what is required to get a rr or near quality, rather that accept ads and reps words, or lack of words, so to state any new customer who doesnt spend time reading all the endless terms and conditions of everything is at least naive- fool, and l believe it would take more than lominuted to read the terms along with googling, although l did mean and state every official change we make in our lives, not just pn, as plainly seen, unless too naive to interpret, could take loper cent of our time, be it due to terms and conditions for everything that could be put on one page whereas there are usually reams of them.  So l think it would benafit pn and the new customers to have a trial week to guage useage, l certainly didnt expect to use more than logb, not having foresight, and pn should be more than happy that a new customer is prepared to up to 60gb at extra and unexpected cost, then for pn not to be prepared to up it straight away is aggrevating and creating bad feeling with a new customer.  l think pn are lucky they have aw to clear up and repair the bad feeling pn create with new customers,  without resorting to being superior and sarcastic,  who are very dissapointed with terms conditions and service,