Are you out of contract? - Watch you don't get ripped off!

[#1]

I have been a loyal Plusnet customer for over 10 years now, always happy with the service and have always found my service reliable and reasonably priced. 

In the past I recall always being notified that my contract was due for renewal, this was usually a phone call. 

So I was more than suprised when I was made aware that I was indeed out of contract when I called customer services to report a fault that has now been fixed. 

My contract had actually ended in March 2025, for 18 months I had been paying £46.00 a month for broadband, a telephone line and an add on service to divert calls to my mobile. 

The price then shot up to £65.92 in March this year and continued to increase to £78.44 for a further 6 months! 

I contacted customer services to discuss the situation and was told that an email had been sent notifying me that my contract was ending and therefore it was basically my fault for not renewing my contract. 

The problem with emails is they can end up in a spam / junk folder and therefore never seen, whereas a phone call from Plusnet sales could have avoided all this misery. 

How many people receive a phone call from thier mobile phone suppler when the contract is coming to an end? - this is standard. 

I feel that down to poor communication, I have been ripped off and I am still waiting for a phone call from a customer services manager. 

[#2]

Don't you receive the monthly emails informing you how much is going to be taken by direct debit for the following months advance payment a few days prior?

[#3]

Do you not diarise such important events, @RC73 ? I always check my spam/junk folders in any case, for just this reason, although I never find anything there.

When it increased to 65.92, did you not query it?

When I was with PN, I never got a phone call, but in those 9 years, I never paid out-of-contract, or even full price, because I kept track of the end date,  as I do with energy and insurance contracts. 

[#4]

My current supplier doesn't phone when coming up to end of contract; it e mails,
detailing what I have been paying, and what I will pay going forward.
You need to regularly scan your e mail SPAM folder to check if there's anything
important there.

[#5]

So you think it's fair to increase a customers bill from £46.47 to £78.44? 

How can Plusnet justify a £31.97 increase regardless of being in or out of a contract? 

You can try take the moral high ground and argue that I should have kept a diary of when the contract was ending and I should have checked my spam folder - this is totally wrong of Plusnet and I am sure I am not the only person who has been ripped off by them. 

[#6]

On Balance I agree. Before the change of contract at the very least a warning email clearly worded should be sent.

[#7]

@spile It is.

[#8]

@spile 

I received an email titled "Important information about your Plusnet service" 30 days before my contract period ended

Hello Dan

Account username: redacted

We love having you with us and wanted to let you know about the options available for you as your current contract comes to an end.
 
Your broadband (Unlimited Fibre Extra) and line rental contract is coming to an end on 8th December 2024.

When your contract ends your monthly price will go from £29.01 to £58.69 (increases 31 March each year).
Your current package also includes Evenings & Weekends Included, charged at an additional £0.00 per month.

@RC73 

Is the email address on your account correct, as that is the addressed used for all communications. Look in your  Members Centre >Manage account

You can search recent activity on your account with a search using this link https://www.plus.net/wizard/?p=search 

A typical email would be to advise you your bill is ready and you Direct Debit is going out soon.

[#9]

@RC73 In many years with Plusnet I have always received email warning of end of contract, often offering a better deal to keep my custom. I can partly understand this biennial email going into your junk folder, but surely you noticed these hefty charges outgoing your bank account each month? And even more important, surely you check your bank account?

[#10]

Thanks for confirming that this happens. It would appear that some folk are not reading the warning.

[#11]

I have been with Plusnet for 10 years now and not once received a phone call about the contract coming to an end it's always been emails, I get that emails can be sent to spam folders or for whatever reason not sent out but there is the members centre, it clearly shows how long your contract is and when it's going to run out and what your paying, it also gives upgrade options and deals when close to ending, signing in once in a while doesn't hurt and helps keep track.