Plusnet - Hidden costs to lock you in for five years?

Having been with Plusnet for 4 years, I now want to switch as the
service is continuing to slide and get back to BT or re-sold BT
broadband rather than Tiscali LLU.

However, Plusnet are asking for £47 activation to be paid, as I moved
the line from one phone line to another one 11 months ago, I didn't
get any equipment, just transferred the service.

They say:

"For every year you stay with PlusNet we'll guarantee that the
cancellation cost decreases. What does this mean? If you cancel within
the first year, then you will pay £47 for the activation. For every
year you stay we'll reduce this by £9.40."

Has anyone else come across this five year lock in?

Any views on the legality of a lock in when they can't deliver the
service they are locking you in for?

DavidC

> Having been with Plusnet for 4 years, I now want to switch as the
> service is continuing to slide and get back to BT or re-sold BT
> broadband rather than Tiscali LLU.
>
> However, Plusnet are asking for £47 activation to be paid, as I moved
> the line from one phone line to another one 11 months ago, I didn't
> get any equipment, just transferred the service.
>
> They say:
>
> "For every year you stay with PlusNet we'll guarantee that the
> cancellation cost decreases. What does this mean? If you cancel within
> the first year, then you will pay £47 for the activation. For every
> year you stay we'll reduce this by £9.40."
>
> Has anyone else come across this five year lock in?
>
> Any views on the legality of a lock in when they can't deliver the
> service they are locking you in for?

You agreed to these terms when you signed up so you are bound by them. If
you don't then Plusnet can make it difficult for you to move. In the end
they will have to do so and in theory they could sue you for the money. If
you want to speed things up pay and then sue for the money.

Peter Crosland

>Having been with Plusnet for 4 years,


>They say:

>"For every year you stay with PlusNet we'll guarantee that the
>cancellation cost decreases.




Well, play them at their own game and show them 4 years of payment and ask
for 4 year of deductions
on the activation fee.
It is their problem they have a badly worded clause.

I know exactly what they mean by it but they would have no chance in your
circumstances.

<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed) oups.com...
"For every year you stay with PlusNet we'll guarantee that the
cancellation cost decreases. What does this mean? If you cancel within
the first year, then you will pay £47 for the activation. For every
year you stay we'll reduce this by £9.40."
DavidC
------------------------------------------------------------------------

I'm sure that this was to do with those that started with PlusNet but didn't
want the upfront cost of paying for hardware. It was spread out over
several years instead.

As such a long time customer, I don't think you're affected.

AMO

<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed) oups.com...
Having been with Plusnet for 4 years, I now want to switch as the
service is continuing to slide and get back to BT or re-sold BT
broadband rather than Tiscali LLU.

However, Plusnet are asking for £47 activation to be paid, as I moved
the line from one phone line to another one 11 months ago, I didn't
get any equipment, just transferred the service.

They say:

"For every year you stay with PlusNet we'll guarantee that the
cancellation cost decreases. What does this mean? If you cancel within
the first year, then you will pay £47 for the activation. For every
year you stay we'll reduce this by £9.40."

Has anyone else come across this five year lock in?

Any views on the legality of a lock in when they can't deliver the
service they are locking you in for?

DavidC

See a solicitor or take the company to court if you have proof they are in
breach of contract. easiest way to sort it out. Why did you not read the
contract before signing up?

On Sat, 23 Sep 2006 19:10:52 UTC, "Tom" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> However, Plusnet are asking for £47 activation to be paid, as I moved
> the line from one phone line to another one 11 months ago, I didn't
> get any equipment, just transferred the service.

I would guess that moving it from one phone line to another counted as a
new activation, and they had to pay BT another 47.00. BICBW.

> "For every year you stay with PlusNet we'll guarantee that the
> cancellation cost decreases. What does this mean? If you cancel within
> the first year, then you will pay £47 for the activation. For every
> year you stay we'll reduce this by £9.40."
>
> Has anyone else come across this five year lock in?

As I said in a previous post, a lock in is quite common, although the
five year term is probably unique to Plusnet. After all, Plusnet must
have tried every possible variation on charges, terms, restrictions etc.
I doubt that they can keep up with themselves.

I'm not defending PlusNet; I think they've really gone downhill, and
I've moved everyone I know off them. But the lock-in is not
unreasonable, although the five year term is excessive IMO.

--
[ 7'ism - a condition by which the sufferer experiences an inability
to give concise answers, express reasoned argument or opinion.
Usually accompanied by silly noises and gestures - incurable, early
euthanasia recommended. ]

> Having been with Plusnet for 4 years, I now want to switch as the
> service is continuing to slide and get back to BT or re-sold BT
> broadband rather than Tiscali LLU.
>
> However, Plusnet are asking for £47 activation to be paid, as I moved
> the line from one phone line to another one 11 months ago, I didn't
> get any equipment, just transferred the service.
>
> They say:
>
> "For every year you stay with PlusNet we'll guarantee that the
> cancellation cost decreases. What does this mean? If you cancel within
> the first year, then you will pay £47 for the activation. For every
> year you stay we'll reduce this by £9.40."
>
> Has anyone else come across this five year lock in?
>
> Any views on the legality of a lock in when they can't deliver the
> service they are locking you in for?
>
> DavidC
>
> See a solicitor or take the company to court if you have proof they
> are in breach of contract. easiest way to sort it out. Why did you
> not read the contract before signing up?

Seeing a solicitor about such a trivial matter would be very stupid. The
cost would be far more than the amount in dispute and you would not be able
to recover it from Plusnet.

Peter Crosland

Thank you all for the comments, very helpful.

I'm not going to see a solicitor over this, but I am going to dig
into Plusnet's Terms and Conditions that applied when I moved the
service and fight it with Plusnet as a point of principal!

I was aware of the deferred £47 activation charge when I moved the
service and that I would have to re-pay it if I cancelled the service,
however, I assumed they were talking about 1 year not that if I
cancelled within 5 years I would still be liable for a portion of the
activation fee. No hardware was provided by Plusnet as I have always
provided my own hardware.

I'm planning to cancel on the service a year and a day after moving
the line.

I posted this note to see if anyone else had first hand experience of
this sharp practice by Plusnet and how they had dealt with them as well
as to warn others to be aware of, as far as I'm concerned, hidden
five year contracts.

David C

On 24 Sep 2006 02:12:01 -0700, (E-Mail Removed) wrote:

David,

>I was aware of the deferred £47 activation charge when I moved the
>service and that I would have to re-pay it if I cancelled the service,
>however, I assumed they were talking about 1 year not that if I
>cancelled within 5 years I would still be liable for a portion of the
>activation fee. No hardware was provided by Plusnet as I have always
>provided my own hardware.

You've used the phrase 'I assumed' and that is your problem. The
Plusnet 5 year pay off would apply to your original installation costs
when you joined four years ago. I think that to assume that an
activation charge that was incurred in the fourth year of your service
could be part of the original five year pay off arrangement is benign
somewhat optimistic and should have been clarified at the time you
incurred this additional charge.

>I posted this note to see if anyone else had first hand experience of
>this sharp practice by Plusnet.

Can you categorically state that there has been sharp practice on
PlusNet's part, or is it a cover up on your part for 'I didn't read
the contract' :-)

Jim.

Jim,

You are right, my assumption was wrong and I did not read the fine
print, but I WAS verbally lead to believe that I would have to repay
the £47 if I cancelled within 12 months, 60 months was not mentioned,
either purposely (which I consider sharp practices) or inadvertently,
which is shoddy practice.

David