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3: It's £25 to downgrade!! |
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#1 |
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Inactive Member
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Glasgow
Posts: 10,276
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3: It's £25 to downgrade!!
3 has taken another step to curb the poor-quality business that has harmed it in its dash for connections, by charging downgraders a £25 administration fee.
Downgrading customers can only avoid the fee by extending their contract by six months instead. The move comes six weeks after 3 introduced strict downgrading rules, as it tries to stamp out the active encouragement of downgrading as part of the sales pitch of many dealers and retailers. Customers who are willing to pay the fee to downgrade will still have to wait 12 months before they can downgrade on an 18-month contract. Some dealers have expressed concern that the move is retroactive and could cause big problems for dealers whose existing customers who have bought with the expressed intent of downgrading, often by several tiers. One dealer said: 'We aren't worried about the new business. But it's going to cause a massive wave of complaints from existing customers who want to downgrade. They are going to say, “You told me I could drop my tariff to £20 and now you are telling me its going to cost £50 to do that”.' Others have welcomed the change. Another dealer told Mobile: 'It's a good thing to have been introduced as it will stop people from encouraging customers to downgrade, which in turn loses the network money and gives dealers a bad name.' A 3 spokesman said: 'We've been consistently competitive in the market this year and we are committed to partners who give us good-quality business. 'This step is not a significant change and is in line with other steps we've taken this year to deliver quality business. It means there is clarity and consistency for customers.' From Mobile Today Website http://www.mobiletoday.co.uk/content...sp?men=0&sub=1 |
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#2 |
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Banned User
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Bristol
Posts: 4,837
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This is great! Surely this detrimental change in T&C's means you can cancel your 3 contract? Like when they put the prices up and people got out of their 18 month contracts...?
You can't be bound to a changed contract that you didn't agree to in the first place. They agreed when you signed up that you could downgrade if you wanted after 6 months and 1 step at a time. http://www.tescophones.com/help/medi...Conditions.pdf Ignore the tesco link it's the only place I could find Three's full T&C's Section 4.1 (II) Last edited by intheknow : 20-12-2006 at 16:06. |
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#3 |
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Banned User
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Bristol
Posts: 4,837
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Sorry 10.1 D
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#4 |
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Posts: n/a
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Only if you request to cancel within 1 month of being advised of the change (so the clock's ticking!)...and then they'll probably just allow the downgrade for free rather than allow you to terminate the contract.
The contract (4.3) also states that any changes that could be detrimental to your terms require 1 months notice from them anyway. |
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#5 |
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Inactive Member
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Glasgow
Posts: 10,276
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Hopefully the 'detrimental clause' will apply as many will be caught out by this change.
3 are not the only ones tightning up as Orange have also introduced limits on when customers can downgarde (details at www.mobiletoday.co.uk). Many customers have been mis-sold contracts by sales staff deliberately in major outlets. I have been told by staff in national chains to buy a deal and simply reduce to a lower one after 6 months when I have been shopping around. Dealers get big commissions on 3's VTT 1100 tarriff and can offer better quality phones free whilst making very big margins. This is a £45 a month deal and if one buys that now on an 18 month contract it would be 12 months before you could downgrade and even then you could only move to VTT 700 at £35 a month and you would have to pay £25 for the privilage. 3 should have made this new administration charge or contract extension apply to new customers only as it is not fair on the retailers or customers who bought deals to be subjected to additional punitive charges that did'nt apply when they enetered into the deal. A very poorly thought out move by 3 that shafts their own customers rather than stopping the mis-selling that they and their dealers have benefitted from. Another reason to beware of 3 when considering a mobile and many will have good reason not to trust or recommend them after being affected by this. Last edited by wavejockglw : 20-12-2006 at 18:19. |
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#6 |
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Banned User
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Bristol
Posts: 4,837
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Well I tried to cancel on the phone today and they refused on the grounds that those terms don't apply, I asked for a supervisor and spoke to them who agreed that this was a change to the Terms and Conditions rather than a price change, I then asked to speak to somebody higher and got the same reply.
I've written to the customer services in glasgow with the following: Thee Customer Services PO Box 333 Glasgow GL2 9AG Dear Sir / Madam, I would like to give 30 days notice to terminate my contract as I feel the new £ 25 charge being introduced to change down price plan is likely to be detrimental to me. The original agreement with three stated that I could lower my price plan free after 6 months and then change up or down in steps. The Terms and Conditions state that I may cancel: (d) Within one month of a detrimental variation to your agreement. You can end the agreement within one month of us telling you about a variation to your agreement (which includes your Price Plan) which is likely to be of detriment to you. You must give written notice to 3 Customer Services within that month and your agreement will finish at the end of the month, once we receive your notice. (A Cancellation Fee will not be charged.) Note that the 'agreement' refers to the my complete agreement with Three, not just the price plan I have chosen: About your agreement: 2.1 Your agreement is made up of these Terms for 3 Services and your Price Plan, along with any other terms laid down in the3 Services on the Handset, and in documents we have produced, including the list of Services, User Guide and documents we may produce in the future. Additional terms may apply to any promotional or special offers. As these are not the original Terms I agreed to and a new charge will be of detriment to me I would like to give notice to terminate my contract at no charge. |
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#7 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Plymouth, Devon
Posts: 340
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It will be very interesting to see what reply you get from 3, if that is what is written in the T&Cs then they have little to stand on.
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#8 |
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Posts: n/a
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Well Three didn't exactly roll over when people initially tried to cancel their contracts because of price rises either.
Ultimately, you may need to pursue the matter through the courts for alleged breach of contract to force them to comply - it really depends how far you wish to press the matter and that is no doubt what Three are going to try and establish. |
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#9 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: London
Posts: 1,825
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Quote:
Originally Posted by intheknow
Well I tried to cancel on the phone today and they refused on the grounds that those terms don't apply, I asked for a supervisor and spoke to them who agreed that this was a change to the Terms and Conditions rather than a price change, I then asked to speak to somebody higher and got the same reply.
I've written to the customer services in glasgow with the following: Thee Customer Services PO Box 333 Glasgow GL2 9AG Dear Sir / Madam, I would like to give 30 days notice to terminate my contract as I feel the new £ 25 charge being introduced to change down price plan is likely to be detrimental to me. The original agreement with three stated that I could lower my price plan free after 6 months and then change up or down in steps. The Terms and Conditions state that I may cancel: (d) Within one month of a detrimental variation to your agreement. You can end the agreement within one month of us telling you about a variation to your agreement (which includes your Price Plan) which is likely to be of detriment to you. You must give written notice to 3 Customer Services within that month and your agreement will finish at the end of the month, once we receive your notice. (A Cancellation Fee will not be charged.) Note that the 'agreement' refers to the my complete agreement with Three, not just the price plan I have chosen: About your agreement: 2.1 Your agreement is made up of these Terms for 3 Services and your Price Plan, along with any other terms laid down in the3 Services on the Handset, and in documents we have produced, including the list of Services, User Guide and documents we may produce in the future. Additional terms may apply to any promotional or special offers. As these are not the original Terms I agreed to and a new charge will be of detriment to me I would like to give notice to terminate my contract at no charge. Please do post the result of your exchange with three. I very much want to get out of my three contract too. Cheers. |
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#10 |
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Inactive Member
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Glasgow
Posts: 10,276
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This policy is a disgrace..... it is detrimental and should count and you should be able to cancel.
Rumour has it that 3 will increase prices in January so that is a definate detrimental change but we shall have to wait and see. 3 have been pretty poor in terms of customer care lately. |
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#11 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 21
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£25 to downgrade
Im with three myself and my half price 6 month is due to end soon i might get a letter sent myself if you have much luck ....why my actual service has been no trouble i dont like fact that they are not sticking to there own t&c that i signed too and i couldnt downgrade at a later date without paying £25 is a rip off tbh .
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#12 |
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Banned User
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Bristol
Posts: 4,837
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I'm still waiting to hear, they haven't relied yet!
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#13 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 2,836
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if you don't get anywhere with three , may i also suggest speaking with your local trading standards authority and/or the citizens advice bureau, as the company are practically forcving you to stay in a contract you didnt sign upto!!! If you take the connection paperwork you signed when taking the contract out, they should be able to give you some assistance. If all fails, it may be necessary to take legal advice and legal action.
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#14 |
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Posts: n/a
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Quote:
Originally Posted by intheknow
I'm still waiting to hear, they haven't relied yet!
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#15 |
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Banned User
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Bristol
Posts: 4,837
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*bump* still waiting for a reply from three anyone else heard anything?
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#16 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Kent
Posts: 9,781
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Quote:
Originally Posted by intheknow
*bump* still waiting for a reply from three anyone else heard anything?
http://www.3g.co.uk/3GForum/showthre...t=49294&page=6 From the old t+c's: Quote:
"you can ask to change to the next lower available Price Plan than the one you originally joined us on (on such terms as specified by 3)."
As someone else said:Quote:
it is a problem with the dealers promising one thing, rather than anything 3 have done technicaly wrong.
Last edited by zounds : 05-01-2007 at 08:50. |
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#17 |
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Banned User
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Bristol
Posts: 4,837
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Well they sent me a standard letter like they hadn't even read mine saying if I wanted to cancel I would have to pay the remaining line rental and giving me the 3 indian call centre number, it's like banging your head against a brick wall. I'm amazed the letter got here at all considering they didn't even seal the envelope at all.
I'm tempted to cancel the direct debit until they respond to my concerns and reply appropriately to my request, and to write a letter explaining why I have cancelled it. |
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#18 |
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Posts: n/a
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Still waiting for a reply but have spoken to Consumer Direct and have a case number, I intend to pursue it through them. They did tell me to allow them 14 days to reply. If I get the same letter, I will refer back to Consumer Direct and post updates as they happen.
I think the Sunday Times has a consumer page, might consider using that too. |
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#19 |
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Posts: n/a
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Quote:
Originally Posted by intheknow
I'm tempted to cancel the direct debit until they respond to my concerns and reply appropriately to my request, and to write a letter explaining why I have cancelled it.
There is a green sign on the door which says "HELL" in curly black letters. Dude. Do not open the door. |
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#20 |
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Posts: n/a
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Still no response to my letter. Second one goes tomorrow, recorded delivery this time.
Last edited by epsomsalts : 17-01-2007 at 18:26. Reason: spelling |
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#21 |
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Inactive Member
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Dundee, Scotland ♂
Posts: 9,026
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Any word back yet?
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Im with three myself and my half price 6 month is due to end soon i might get a letter sent myself if you have much luck ....why my actual service has been no trouble i dont like fact that they are not sticking to there own t&c that i signed too and i couldnt downgrade at a later date without paying £25 is a rip off tbh
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