EE massively overcharging customers once contract ends.

[HamishS]

My 24 month contract with EE has just ended today, and in the run up to the end date I have had texts and emails from EE about the contract price once it ends. 
EE is telling me that unless I take action and choose a new plan they will continue to charge me the existing price of my current plan. Bear in mind that my current plan cost includes the price of the handset, so from paying off and buying my handset over the course of 24 months EE is wanting to charge me the same amount as if I was still paying off a handset. This cannot be in line with consumer rights, surely?  
For EE to say they’ll just leave things as they are for now until I choose a new plan is disgustingly parasitic. For more context, my handset is one from their “Good As New” range, so not even a brand new product that I’ve paid off during my contract. Now EE are fully aware that I own this handset but will continue to charge me the same, hugely inflating the cost of the contract just to balance it out for their sake. 
Now obviously I am not continuing with this plan and will choose a new one to reduce the cost,  but knowing that this tactic is the default for EE is disgusting. It’s set up in such a way to rinse their own customers for huge profit knowing that a lot of their customers who are likely vulnerable and may not be so vigilant in keeping up to date with their phone plan will be getting ripped off by EE who would rather let this kind of thing happen without considering the people affected. 

I have only posted this to alert others who might not realise that their service provider is acting like a parasite and unless you are able to take control they will just completely abuse your position as a customer. Really disgraceful stuff. Change you methods EE because you will likely have lawsuits about this in the future. 

[XRaySpeX]

@HamishS : A service provider will always provide their service on their own terms, not yours. It's like it or lump it.

[Chris_B]

@HamishS     And your only saying what’s been said before and you have proven like so many others that you didn’t read or understand that contract that you agreed too.      

You also haven’t asked my opinion on this and you are taking what I’m saying as my opinion that couldn’t be further from the truth but unlike you I’m aware what happens at the minimum term because I have read the T&Cs of the contract, so I upgrade to a sim only if I’m happy with my current device and I don’t just allow it to roll over to a 30 day rolling contract as some have and then complain about it. 

[BrendonH]

No one is scouring the forum looking for these sorts of posts, we reply when we see them on the font page as we are contributors (although me not so much anymore) we come on here to help others and respond where we feel like we can give our knowledge.

The tariff structure in the old way is how every network did things for years and it has always been the case, it doesn't mean they are over charging you because at the end of the contract you are free to move to a sim only tariff for far less than you currently pay.

Networks including EE now have moved to a pay structure of device plan and tariff plan so one the 2 years is up you only pay the tariff plan going forward.

[Mel1407]

Good to know.

However I will be cancelling with EE as soon as possible (Jan 2025) amd never use again.

They increased my line rental 30% March 2024 despite saying it went up 8.9% for CPI and know they're be another massive increase this march. Estimated to be close to double what I budgeted for. Even worse us I rarely ever get signal - not at home, not at work, rarely when out of about. Rely purely on WiFi & have to use husbands phone to make phone calls if no wifi.

They are scumbags in ever sense - poor service & high fees

As recommendation my husband pays £10 a month for 60gb credit and mostly reliable signal and no price increase. Much better service with smarty. I'll be switching as soon as released EE. 

[Mel1407]

I disagree.

Barely any service for 12 months. Rarely any signal since took out contract & they don't care. As long as they get your money, they font give a s*** about their customers

[Chris_B]

@Mel1407   So Wi-Fi calling doesn’t work for you ?   Do you go to more than one location that has the same signal problem?    If you do then it’s more than likely a device problem not a network problem. 

[bristolian]

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@Mel1407 wrote:

Barely any service for 12 months. Rarely any signal since

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Your phone may have a fault if you have "rarely any signal".

Perhaps start a new thread explaining your issues - if you want specific advice. An existing post mainly about price-rises not the best place for a new user to seek help with a service issue, if you want help.

[UncleJunior]

I am dealing with a similar issue for my mother in laws mobile phone - she is in her seventies and has no clue that she has been ripped off.  Her phone contract ended in September 2022 and she is still paying ~£50 per month when she could be paying £10 per month on a sim only deal.

I am surprised the regulator lets the mobile phone companies get away with these unethical practices.

[bristolian]

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@UncleJunior wrote:

Her phone contract ended in September 2022

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If your mother-in-law's contract had "ended", so would the associated network service - her phone would have stopped working. Continued service indicates an ongoing contract.

There is responsibility on both parties to be aware of T&Cs.

[UncleJunior]

Sorry - that is just not true - when buying a phone through a mobile operator your contract covers a combination of the payment plan for the mobile phone and the service costs for the network.  The length of the term allows enough time to pay down the cost of the mobile phone.  The mobile operators have back to back finance agreements that cover for the purchase of the mobile phones.

So I don't understand how you can conclude that since they do not by default cut off your service at the end of the contract that means they can still effectively take money for a phone that has been paid for in full.

I have no doubt that their T&Cs have been written to protect them, but that doesn't detract from the fact that they are taking money for phones that have been paid for in full which is at best unethical. 

I understand that OFGEM is looking into this and also having spoken with EE they now have 2 separate direct debits set up when buying new phones - one to pay for the phone that will end when the terms ends and one that covers the cost of the service.     

And finally, having spoken with EE to move her onto a SIM only plan, her bill has been reduced from £50 to around £8 per month.