(Huge) Erroneous Early Termination Charge

[#1]

Hello,

I signed up to switch providers at the weekend as Openreach have finally built a new FTTC cabinet across the road in my little village. 

Plusnet have sent me the standard 'Leaving Plusnet' e-mail which states that because I am leaving before the end of my minimum term early termination charges have been calculated at £158.60.

I signed up to an 18 month contract in July 2017.  Plusnet did try to contact me several times in January 2019 to discuss the imminent end of my contract, but I was away a lot with work and didn't get to talk to anyone.  Also, I didn't want to take out a new contract with anyone until the new cabinet was released so I could get fibre broadband. 

I have not re-contracted with Plusnet.  Therefore, I have been out of contract since January 2019.

Please can you confirm that this early termination charge is an error and make any corrections as appropriate? 

Thank you.

[#2]

Regardless of this apparant Plusnet screw up why do you feel the need to switch providers because FTTC is now available? What's wrong with just upgrading your Plusnet account to fibre?

[#3]

Hi @little-me

Thanks for getting in touch - my apologies for the confusion on this one. I've just raised a ticket with further information for you here.

Please let me know if there's anything else you need.

Best wishes

Dave

[#4]

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@Baldrick1 wrote:

Regardless of this apparant Plusnet screw up why do you feel the need to switch providers because FTTC is now available? What's wrong with just upgrading your Plusnet account to fibre?

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Perhaps read these forums about the issues people are having with wrong billing that is particularly associated with change and upgrades. Though I am able to leave at this time, because of the Ombudsman's decision, but wonder what will happen to my billing if I do. Horrendous mess Pnet have created, parhaps they are "Proud" of it and what they are doing to us.

[#5]

I responded because you originally stated that you were leaving because FTTC had become available. Now I understand that you are leaving because Plusnet have, for some unfortunate customers of which you may be one, a totally screwed up billing system.

As you are out of contract I fail to understand where the Ombudsman fits into this picture.

Excuse me for being confused, I shall quietly retire back into my shell.

[#6]

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@Baldrick1 wrote:

As you are out of contract I fail to understand where the Ombudsman fits into this picture.

Excuse me for being confused, I shall quietly retire back into my shell.

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You might not have noticed either that the post your efer to including a reference t o Ombudsman was from myself and talking about myself and not from the starter of the thread. But hey the names are similar...... in Greek.

[#7]

Hi Dave,

You monitored my account and confirmed no early termination fees were applied.  I assumed the bill of £7.89 at the beginning of June was my final bill.  However, it appears to my account hasn't actually been closed/cancelled. 

I had another e-mail at the weekend saying that my new bill is ready to view, though I'm just getting an error message on the 'Bills' screen on my, still open, account.  I seem to have been moved to on an 'Unlimited (Contracted without Phone)' on 9th May, when actually my broadband and phone services transferred to BT on 9th May.

Could you check this out, confirm I have paid any final bill so there are no outstanding charges and close my account?

Thank you.

[#8]

Hi @little-me,

I have updated the account ticket to answer your query, please click here to view my response.

[#9]

Hello help team,

Please could you assist once again?  

You checked my account and confirmed that I had made a payment of £7.89 for my final fees in June after my service was transferred to BT in May, but my account had not been closed down. 

You then closed my account and removed the direct debit instruction.  You did warn me that the system had requested payment of £14.49 but this shouldn't be debited from my account as the payment method had been removed, but you would monitor it for 5 days.

You monitored it and confirmed no payment had been taken.  I assumed the matter was closed, but sadly not.

Yesterday I had a text and e-mail from Plusnet telling me I need to pay £0.97 within the next 2 weeks or my details will passed to a debt collection agency because you were unable to take payment.

Can you sort this out?

Thank you,

[#10]

Hi @little-me

I'm really sorry to hear this. I have escalated this to the relevant department and you should stop receiving notifications in the next 13 days. 

Your escalated ticket can be viewed here

Kind Regards