ADSL "Termination fees" when you cancel a broadbandn service

Having zero experience of ADSL service providers, I just wanted to ask if
these were normal.

My dad's currently with NewNet but has just had VM installed. When we went
to cancel the ADSL service we were informed that there would be some fees
involved. What fees, however, is a little confusing.

http://a.imageshack.us/img716/217/nn01.jpg
The first page mentions £22 + VAT

http://a.imageshack.us/img716/217/nn01.jpg
The next page mentions a - higher - BT fee.

Can anyone clear this up for me and also tell me if this is 'standard
practise' and, more importantly, is it allowed?

Thanks.


--
Carl Waring

On 01/08/10 17:21, Carl Waring wrote:
> Having zero experience of ADSL service providers, I just wanted to ask
> if these were normal.

Depends on what he signed up for, however some times companies change
the T&C on the basis that after some period from the change you're
deemed to have accepted the new T&C.

Rgds

Denis McMahon

On 01/08/2010 19:32, Peter wrote:
> On 1 Aug 2010 17:21 "Carl Waring"<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>> Having zero experience of ADSL service providers, I just wanted to ask if
>> these were normal.
>
> It is normal "now" but wasn't a charge levied by BT initially. The old cost
> for setup used to be around 40+VAT and then (perhaps Ofcom asked questions
> about justifying the cost of setup) there were charges for both setup and
> cancellation - albeit lower charges (in the 20-25 band, I think).
>
> I'm not sure whether there's a real 'need' to disconnect any wiring at the
> exchange, except for tidyness, or if the DSLAMs are all close to capacity
> so for a new customer, some engineer would need to locate a line without
> any ADSL service, just to use any connecting leads. Indeed, there may
> just be a fee paid and nothing done at the time of the cease of service,
> but it would need an engineer to say whether they do disconnect anything.

As I understand it, BT will now charge a termination fee for anyone
ceasing ADSL broadband completely or changing to another type of service
- e.g. cable/satellite/mobile.
This is passed on to customers by their (losing) ISP.
Those persons migrating to another ISP while still using BT's
infrastructure will not be charged.
And yes, it's legal!

George

Peter <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>Indeed, there may
>just be a fee paid and nothing done at the time of the cease of service,
>but it would need an engineer to say whether they do disconnect anything.

When I ceased ADSL on a line I paid a cessation fee. A week or so later
openreach disconnected the line completely. I reported it as a fault, they
agreed the automatic line testing showed a fault.

Following morning an openreach engineer turns up on the doorstep - could
have saved him the trip if he had called (on my other line) first.

"Carl Waring" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:i3484t$v5v$(E-Mail Removed)...
> Having zero experience of ADSL service providers, I just wanted to ask if
> these were normal.
>
> My dad's currently with NewNet but has just had VM installed. When we went
> to cancel the ADSL service we were informed that there would be some fees
> involved. What fees, however, is a little confusing.
>
> http://a.imageshack.us/img716/217/nn01.jpg
> The first page mentions £22 + VAT
>
> http://a.imageshack.us/img716/217/nn01.jpg
> The next page mentions a - higher - BT fee.
>
> Can anyone clear this up for me and also tell me if this is 'standard
> practise' and, more importantly, is it allowed?
>
> Thanks.

Thanks all. Did a bit of research myself and found that this BT 'fee' was
brought in a couple of years ago.

Yes, VM = Virgin Media, but cable not ADSL ;-)


--
Carl Waring

"George Weston" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> On 01/08/2010 19:32, Peter wrote:
>> On 1 Aug 2010 17:21 "Carl Waring"<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>>
>>> Having zero experience of ADSL service providers, I just wanted to ask
>>> if
>>> these were normal.
>>
>> It is normal "now" but wasn't a charge levied by BT initially. The old
>> cost
>> for setup used to be around 40+VAT and then (perhaps Ofcom asked
>> questions
>> about justifying the cost of setup) there were charges for both setup and
>> cancellation - albeit lower charges (in the 20-25 band, I think).
>>
>> I'm not sure whether there's a real 'need' to disconnect any wiring at
>> the
>> exchange, except for tidyness, or if the DSLAMs are all close to capacity
>> so for a new customer, some engineer would need to locate a line without
>> any ADSL service, just to use any connecting leads. Indeed, there may
>> just be a fee paid and nothing done at the time of the cease of service,
>> but it would need an engineer to say whether they do disconnect anything.
>
> As I understand it, BT will now charge a termination fee for anyone
> ceasing ADSL broadband completely or changing to another type of service -
> e.g. cable/satellite/mobile.
> This is passed on to customers by their (losing) ISP.
> Those persons migrating to another ISP while still using BT's
> infrastructure will not be charged.
> And yes, it's legal!

No it's not because it was a charge that was introduced after the contract
was agreed.

It may be a legal charge to make if it was in the original contact, but it
can't just be added on later

tim
>
> George

On 02/08/2010 11:12, tim.... wrote:
> "George Weston"<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>> On 01/08/2010 19:32, Peter wrote:
>>> On 1 Aug 2010 17:21 "Carl Waring"<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Having zero experience of ADSL service providers, I just wanted to ask
>>>> if
>>>> these were normal.
>>>
>>> It is normal "now" but wasn't a charge levied by BT initially. The old
>>> cost
>>> for setup used to be around 40+VAT and then (perhaps Ofcom asked
>>> questions
>>> about justifying the cost of setup) there were charges for both setup and
>>> cancellation - albeit lower charges (in the 20-25 band, I think).
>>>
>>> I'm not sure whether there's a real 'need' to disconnect any wiring at
>>> the
>>> exchange, except for tidyness, or if the DSLAMs are all close to capacity
>>> so for a new customer, some engineer would need to locate a line without
>>> any ADSL service, just to use any connecting leads. Indeed, there may
>>> just be a fee paid and nothing done at the time of the cease of service,
>>> but it would need an engineer to say whether they do disconnect anything.
>>
>> As I understand it, BT will now charge a termination fee for anyone
>> ceasing ADSL broadband completely or changing to another type of service -
>> e.g. cable/satellite/mobile.
>> This is passed on to customers by their (losing) ISP.
>> Those persons migrating to another ISP while still using BT's
>> infrastructure will not be charged.
>> And yes, it's legal!
>
> No it's not because it was a charge that was introduced after the contract
> was agreed.
>
> It may be a legal charge to make if it was in the original contact, but it
> can't just be added on later
>
> tim

OK, you go fight BT's lawyers then! ;-)

"George Weston" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> On 01/08/2010 19:32, Peter.
>
> As I understand it, BT will now charge a termination fee for anyone
> ceasing ADSL broadband completely or changing to another type of service -
> e.g. cable/satellite/mobile.
> This is passed on to customers by their (losing) ISP.
> Those persons migrating to another ISP while still using BT's
> infrastructure will not be charged.
> And yes, it's legal!
>
I do not pay BT line rental, I pay my Phone provider any different?
And my ISP is on LLU.
Regards
David

In article <kI-(E-Mail Removed)>, R. Mark Clayton
<(E-Mail Removed)> writes
>
>"tim...." <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>>
>> "George Weston" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>>> On 01/08/2010 19:32, Peter wrote:
>>>> On 1 Aug 2010 17:21 "Carl Waring"<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>>>>
>
>> It may be a legal charge to make if it was in the original contact, but it
>> can't just be added on later
>
>Yes it can if they notify you of a variation.
>
In which case (if they are honest) they will offer you the chance
to get out free *then* if you so wish. I don't know if they are
legally obliged to do so, though.
--
Bill Borland

"R. Mark Clayton" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:kI-(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> "tim...." <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>>
>> "George Weston" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>>> On 01/08/2010 19:32, Peter wrote:
>>>> On 1 Aug 2010 17:21 "Carl Waring"<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>>>>
>
>> It may be a legal charge to make if it was in the original contact, but
>> it can't just be added on later
>
> Yes it can if they notify you of a variation.

No they can't. A clause that allows then to add charges willy-nilly is an
unfair clause.

Try looking at the history of adding extra mortgages charges to see what the
legal system thuinks is fair