Hello,
I’ve just spent far too long on the phone with Plusnet trying to cancel my broadband because I’m moving out of my home on 31st October.
I’ve been told there’s an “early termination” charge of about £130 because my contract runs until April 2027. But here’s the problem:
1) Not a single person at Plusnet can explain how this charge is worked out.
I spoke to the person who processed the cancellation, who spoke to their manager, and then I spoke to someone in billing. Every one of them told me the same thing: “the system says it’s £130.”
Not one could tell me how that number is calculated. They could just as easily have said £230, or £330, and I’d have been none the wiser.
This is completely unacceptable. How can a company demand over a hundred pounds in “fees” without three separate representatives of the company being able to explain how they’re arrived at? And what’s more, how can a company justify a charge of £130 in the first place?
I’d understand a reasonable administrative fee or a small penalty, but £130 for what exactly? My argument to Ofcom will be that it’s unfair, unreasonable, and entirely opaque.
2) This charge shouldn’t apply anyway.
I’m not “leaving early” because I fancy switching providers, I’m moving out of the property. The service physically cannot continue because I’m vacating the home. I’m not taking broadband elsewhere, and I’m not asking Plusnet to provide anything new. Someone else will be moving in.
Charging people who are simply moving house is pure profiteering. There’s no ongoing service to deliver, no additional cost to Plusnet - just a made-up “fee” designed to trap customers in contracts they can’t possibly fulfil.
And let’s be honest, there’s no such thing as a “no-contract” broadband deal these days. You either sign a fixed term or you pay an inflated monthly rate. So punishing someone for moving out of their home is indefensible.
If I were transferring to another provider, that’s one thing. But to hit someone with a £130 penalty just for moving out, and then refuse to explain how it’s calculated, is disgraceful.
I expect a fair reconsideration of the charge. If this fee isn’t heavily reduced, I’ll be escalating the matter to Ofcom.
