Needing some advice please!!

jjamm

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Hi All, Please can someone give me some advice on canceling/moving to a new broadband provider.

Unfortunately my partner has just passed away and I'm trying to cancel his broadband contract with Supanet, who he has been with for 5years.

When I called yesterday they mentioned that the line would be ceased and a fee of £35 would be charged. It wasn't till I spoke to my daughter that she explained that if/when I do get a new provider that it wouldn't be straight forward to change provider, that they would probably have to send an engineer up to reconnect the line (which will probably take forever due to covid restrictions) and would cost more then the said fee.

I contacted Supanet again. They have managed to stop the pending action and have signed me up to a 24 month contract of £22.99pm. Tbh I would rather leave them and possibly find a cheaper deal else where.

Basically I'm asking , if I could still move to a new provider within the 14days cooling off period from Supanet and would it just be the case of moving the line over without a cease fee, making it as straight forward as possible?

Thanks in advance!!!
 
Migration is the term for moving a line between providers.

Migrating to another ISP using the same infrastructure is typically free.

If you're on the Openreach infrastructure (the ex-BT phone lines), which most people are, then Ofcom implemented a 'gaining provider led' process a few years ago, meaning you normally don't have to contact your old provider at all, your new provider will handle that.


I'm not sure how the cooling off period works for changes in contract terms, I'd would assume that if you decide to back out of the new contract you'd go back onto the old one where there's no minimum term and you can migrate away without early termination charges.

I'd write to supanet and say that the new minimum term is too long for you and you'd like the exercise your cooling off period to cancel the change and stay with your current situation.


Reactivation charges for a deactivated line are often absorbed into the monthly cost these days. There are a few ISPs that still charge it, but plenty that don't.
 
I’d make it clear to Supanet that the account holder passed away and you didn’t want to be forced to take a new account with them. Ask them clearly to cancel the account and you will decide f you want a new account with them
or somebody else.

charging a fee to close an account of somebody that has passed away is deplorable IMHO. If they won’t play nicely after a clear request - go to the ombudsman.

(I’m assuming the account was only in your husband’s name though?)
 
Thank you all for your help and time!

I have taken the risk and signed up with a new provider, hoping that Supanet will transfer the line without having to pay the ceasing fee or any other distributions.
The new provider has assured me that they will handle everything (as long as Supanet play game). I've got everything crossed that they will be kind and transfer, leaving me to move forward and in peace 🙏

If all else fails, I will take it to the ombudsman.

Thanks once again!
 
I would still be tempted to notify Supanet myself, but we'll wait and see what happens.
 
So as I thought, Supanet are being the most difficult company I have EVER had to deal with!!

I have just received a call from Now TV (new provider) to say that they cannot take over the line. As I'm not too concerned about keeping the landline number, they advised me to set up a new line with themselves and to call Supanet to cancel the new contract that I only just signed up to.

I have just came off with Supanet. They still state that the ceasing fee of £35 needs to be paid from my partner's account, even though they were willing to weaver it due to me being a new customer. When asked them to explain in more detail, they yabble on so much that I get lost in conversation.

I feel they have left me no choice to take further action and to contact the ombudsman.
 
So as I thought, Supanet are being the most difficult company I have EVER had to deal with!!

I have just received a call from Now TV (new provider) to say that they cannot take over the line. As I'm not too concerned about keeping the landline number, they advised me to set up a new line with themselves and to call Supanet to cancel the new contract that I only just signed up to.

I have just came off with Supanet. They still state that the ceasing fee of £35 needs to be paid from my partner's account, even though they were willing to weaver it due to me being a new customer.

The cease fee is ultimately derived from the one that Openreach, who own the phone line going to your house, charge Supanet for stopping the service on that line.

Of course Supanet are free to decide how they pass their costs onto the customer, but they will pay a charge if the line is disconnected.

If the line continues going and the only changes are in SupaNet's account system then they're not going to get charged a fee by Openreach, which is why they're not charging you one if you continue with them.


I'm not sure if the ombudsman would help here. What's the basis of your argument that Supanet are wrong in asking your husband's estate to pay a cost that is part of a contract he signed up for?


I would try and learn from NowTV what's preventing the migration.
 
I had to cancel a line with BT for somebody why passed away. Even though the contract was 3 months old they didn't charge any cancellation fees so I guess they absorbed it.

I would put supranet in touch with the executors and let them know it's going to be 6 to 9 months to get their cancellation fee paid.
 
Firstly condolences on your loss.

My guess would be that as you didn't cancel the new Supanet contract, that's what's stopping migration. But as @EndlessWaves says, best seek clarification from Now.

To clarify again, you don't want to cease the Supanet service, just cancel the new contract under the cooling off period. Terminology is key here. You should then be free to book another migration, either with Now or another provider. You don't need any contact with Supanet to effect a migration, just placing an order with another ISP should take care of everything.
 
Firstly condolences on your loss.

My guess would be that as you didn't cancel the new Supanet contract, that's what's stopping migration. But as @EndlessWaves says, best seek clarification from Now.

To clarify again, you don't want to cease the Supanet service, just cancel the new contract under the cooling off period. Terminology is key here. You should then be free to book another migration, either with Now or another provider. You don't need any contact with Supanet to effect a migration, just placing an order with another ISP should take care of everything.
Thank you for your time and advice!

I have just went ahead and opened a new line with Now. It was the best solution as Supanet were not transferring the line across. Supanet are now saying it was because when i contacted them (the first time) to inform of my partner's passing and to close his account, that due to me mentioning that I was not returning to my property for a couple of weeks that they ceased the line.

I am so over having to deal with them!

Thank you all for taking the time to help!!
 

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