Early termination fee

[#1]

I was with Plusnet for several years with no issues but when my contract expired in February I was told to retain my landline I would need to migrate to EE.
From then on the whole process has been appalling.
I have now been charged over £300 for an early termination fee that should never have applied. I immediately contacted plusnet to be told incorrectly that I had signed a 24 month contract after the had initiated the transfer to EE and this was why payment had been taken. They later admitted this was an error on their part but could not issue an immediate refund as I no longer had an active account, this despite telling them it had resulted in my bank account becoming overdrawn. After nearly an hour on the phone I spoke to someone who reassured me that a cheque would be issued and apologised that this would take up to 10 working days. It never arrived!
I have called again today and after another 1hr and 15mins I was told the cheque had not been issued, again because I do not have an active account and that they have processes to following and are unable to arrange an immediate refund. I suggested bank transfer and bacs was told an emphatic NO and that I was not the only customer this has happened to.
I find it absolutely appalling that this can happen and there is no recourse other than to wait for Plusnet to resolve this as and when it suits them.
Any useful guidance would be greatly appreciated

[#2]

If Plusnet arranged the migration to EE, then there should be no ETCs.

If you arranged that yourself, then ETCs are payable.

[#3]

If the OP was out of contract there should be no ETCs regardless of how the transfer was arranged.

[#4]

The suggested re-contract muddies matters.  It does not matter where in a contract Plusnet facilities a move to EE, ETCs should be waived.  Better to focus on what should be irrefutable if the user left Plusnet to sort the transfer.

If the user initiated the transfer, the situation becomes far more complex: what were the grounds for the belief that a new contract was commenced; when relative to that date was the transfer to EE done (is the 14 day remote selling cooling off period applicable)?

I’ve escalated the query.