BT TV price increase, no longer a full right to cancel services?

[Andy111]

Surprised this has not been directly addressed any were that I can see (except merely mentioned in an article elsewhere) but is BT (and assumingly other providers now) trying to circumnavigate what has previously been a right to walk away from mid contract services when they rise prices?.  

 

Because I had the email a couple of days ago telling me about a £4 price rise for the TV part of our package (TV, broadband & phone line).  Great I thought, the right to walk away from contract penalty free or negotiate a better deal.  The email even mentions about being able to leave penalty free and in the past, as its a package this has meant being able to walk away from the entire package penalty free.  But now I've seen mentioned that as BT have only increased the TV service this time (by £4per month) instead of everything that people can only cancel the TV element and are still liable for the other elements for the contract duration despite everything being a package in a single contract!.

 

If this is true surely this is wrong and a blatant attempt to circumnavigate the right to leave mid contract clause by putting the entire rise onto a single element?.  

[AndyOrch]

Do you have 3 separate contracts within the bundle or just one ......I doubt it.....the one contract covers all the services. 

 

https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/bills/article-6007065/How-leave-broadband-TV-phone-mobile-provider-WITHOUT-paying-penalty.html

 

Andy

[Andy111]

That's what I thought, but the wording of the email and from what's been mentioned in an article in an email from money saving expert, is suggesting because BT is only increasing the TV element of the 3 element package (which is within a single contract) this time that BT can still keep customers tied to the other 2 elements (broadband & phone line) as the prices for those have not been touched.  Meaning they would let's customers cancel the TV part penalty free but not the rest.

 

Surely this can be right, because said a single contract for all 3.

 

[AndyOrch]

Your monthly bill shows one amount as total for the months services...you cant single out one element of the bundle.The total package increases and therefore the terms and conditions of the total package has changed mid contract ...this is BT surely you dont expect them to get anything correct.

[Andy111]

1 hour ago, Andyorch said:

Your monthly bill shows one amount as total for the months services...you cant single out one element of the bundle.The total package increases and therefore the terms and conditions of the total package has changed mid contract ...this is BT surely you dont expect them to get anything correct.

Nope, they are all as bad as each other trying to give false information & impressions when they want to rise prices.  Though the small print of the email states "separate contracts apply".  Think I aught to ask BT for those 3 separate contracts & bills then lol.

 

[AndyOrch]

Yes ask them to explain and provide details of the three separate contracts...and if there are three separate contracts...why do they accept one payment to cover the three? 

 

Also if you were to default on payment...which contract would you be in default of and which service would they terminate ?

[Andy111]

Hmm, BT look to to indicating the broadband and phone line is the main contracted service and the TV package is more an add-on!.  Well that's the feeling I'm getting from there response, and thus altering the price of the add-on does not affect the main core contract.  Though they still insist that each service is covered by an individual agreement.  

 

Even if this was the case, begs the question why are providers only trying this trick now when previously its been a 100% service right to walk penalty free, and what happens to the remaining elements (broadband & phone line) that are priced at a discounted fee due to being part of a package?.  Hence why surely BT's explanation is contradictive as remove the add-on that causes a single multi service package discount and the remainder will likely cause a price rise due to lack of multi service?. 

[AndyOrch]

I can only advise from my experience with Virgin Media Bundles..if you try to take away an element of the bundle the total package increases because you have reduced the supposedly discounted package.Still as far as VM are concerned its one contract and one price increase for the package.

 

I suppose its how you entered the contract...did you sign for a bundle and if so what did that bundle contain or did you add the TV later.....if so then its not really a bundle deal.

It all really needs reviewing by the  Ombudsman as I also detect unfair trading and confusing billing.

 

https://www.ombudsman-services.org/sectors/communications

[Andy111]

1 hour ago, Andyorch said:

I can only advise from my experience with Virgin Media Bundles..if you try to take away an element of the bundle the total package increases because you have reduced the supposedly discounted package.Still as far as VM are concerned its one contract and one price increase for the package.

 

I suppose its how you entered the contract...did you sign for a bundle and if so what did that bundle contain or did you add the TV later.....if so then its not really a bundle deal.

It all really needs reviewing by the  Ombudsman as I also detect unfair trading and confusing billing.

 

https://www.ombudsman-services.org/sectors/communications

 

As I recall at the time of sign up (90% certain) it was a single multi service offer (which also included the pre paid credit card) covered by a single price & single contract.  At no point did we ever sign for just broadband and phone line and then add the TV as an extra service during sign up.  6 months in (June 2018) the usual price rise notification and confirmation we could quit our entire contract penalty free due to said price rise period.  We called, BT reduced the cost by £0.50 in return for resetting the minimum term, all content and conditions remained the same.

 

This is about principle & rights than anything & not being told I signed up for or each element is covered by individual contracts like seems to be the blanket BT response when asked about and challenged over cancellation rights than allowing the total cancellation as has always been the norm with price rises.

 

Edited June 21, 2019 by Andy111

[ericsbrother]

they are trying to misdirect you to make it less appealing to leave.