being made homeless and angry at being charged a penalty after 17 years

[Sudhindra]

I am a pensioner who is losing my rented home as my landlord is selling and as I can no longer afford to rent on my pension and I will be made homeless in a month. I have been an EE and BT broadband customer continuously since February 2008  (17 years / £4,000+). On my £750 pcm pension I am unlikely to ever be able to rent my own space again and so I will be cancelling my broadband contract with EE.

Unfortunately despite being a loyal customer for years, I have been forced to renew my contract with EE last year when I moved house and so now have been threatened with hundreds of pounds  early cancellation penalty.

I would like to think EE's ethical code would prevent EE from charging a cancellation fee in this case as it will affect my opportunity to feed myself, but I have been told by friends that companies such as EE have absolutely no ethical code and happily take money from elderly people in financial distress.

Please could you waive the financial penalty for ending my contract with you in this case? How can I go about engaging with EE as they offer no email address to address my complaint?

[Katie_B]

Hello @Sudhindra. 

Thank you for coming here. 

I'm so sorry to hear of your current situation and would really love to see how we can help. 

Please could you confirm if you have already spoke with our customer care team regarding this?

Speak soon,

Katie

[Chris_B]

@Sudhindra  There is no email address as this would get bombard with customer questions and emails are too slow to deal with customer issues. 

As for making a complaint thats right  HERE but the time served with any company doesn’t mean you should get a favourable treatment because where do any companies draw the line on who should and shouldn’t get favourable treatment.   

Before any complaint is made you need to actually speak with customer services. 

As for 

“but I have been told by friends that companies such as EE have absolutely no ethical code and happily take money from elderly people in financial distre”

you happily agreed to the contract at the point of sale so one does question your moral obligation to a contract that you agreed to that EE offered you.   It works both ways.   

I do hope you get this resolved though.  

[Sudhindra]

Chris, I did not happily agree to a new contract. I was offered no alternative but either a new 2 year contract or no service at all. It does not work both ways. That is a meaningless statement. 

I did speak with customer services a couple of weeks ago and their attitude was the same as your smug outlook. They were completely unhelpful.

[Sudhindra]

Thanks for your considerate reply Katie

I did and they point blank refused to consider not charging me the full cancellation penalty. Its particularly galling as all the broadband providers are now offering to cover peoples penalty charges if they move to them so this is a process directed to rob the poor and the dead.

I will try calling them again. They just say they are the rules. Its not like you are dealing with human beings.

[Katie_B]

Hi @Sudhindra. 

Thanks so much for getting back to me. 

I've sent you a private message for more information. 

Speak soon, 

Katie

[Chris_B]

@Sudhindra  You don’t get cut off once out of contract, it just means the minimum term is up.  You don’t have to accept a new contract you can just stay are you are but being in contract might be cheaper than out of contract as discounts are sometimes applied to being in contract.  

[XRaySpeX]

@Chris_B : The OP isn't saying he was cut off thro' being out of contract. He moved home & so had to undertake a BB House Move & thereby cease BB at old home & start a new BB contract at new home. He was unable to "stay as he was"!

[Sudhindra]

Yes Chris, I was clearly informed on the phone by the EE representative that I had NO CHOICE but to accept a new contract . I will check if I kept a recording of the call. I sometimes do. I certainly did NOT WANT to start a new contract. I understand that your operatives are trained to  pressure customers into contracts. They do it very well. It was made most clear to me that if I wanted to be connected in my new home I HAD TO SIGN A NEW CONTRACT.

Interestingly, if I were to move again right now  I KNOW that the EE rep will inform me that I have an EE LEGACY CONTRACT and that I will HAVE TO accept a new contract. SO EE will happily cancel a contract with zero cost if it is in their interest, BUT NOT IF ITS IN MINE.

That is why I will take this to the ombudsman and onwards if I am not satisfied. Its double standards all the way.