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As a few of you know, i used to work for 02 in the disconnections department, and thought it might be helpful if I gave you a quick guide to the terms used in your contracts... especially when disconnecting.
If you have a contract and are finding the payments hard, and you have had your contract more than 9 months, you can call the company and ask to downgrade your tarrif, this is done normally in £5 stages, so from say £30 to £25 and you can do this every month until you reach the lowest available tarrif (this is for normal personal contracts only, i dont know about business contracts but i will ask for you)
If you find you still cannot manage the payments you may look in to disconnection. If you are still in contract, you will be charged termination fees, this is normally your full line rental until the end of your contract, they normally will not allow you to pay at your "discounted" rate. This is not normally asked for at the time of the call.
When you disconnect, you are asked for 30 days notice of disconnection, some companies accept verbal disconnections, others require written. It is worth noting that a 3rd party cannot disconnect an account unless they are power of attorney or the executor of a will. Also in these circumstances you will not be told if you are entitled to any monies back, this is a breach of data protection (I know its insane!!)
If you are in the last 30 days of your contract, you can disconnect free of charge but must still provide a 30 days notice unless you request a PAC code. (Port Authorisation Code)
This is where it can become confusing.
When you request a PAC code, it gives your new provider permission to take over the line, and therefore cancels your contract, this takes about 3 days normally so is the quickest way to cancel, but.. and this is where a lot of people end up remaining in contract, you MUST give this PAC code to a new supplier within 30days or the PAC cancels itself and your contract continues! you can use a PAC code to transfer from contract to Pay As You Go with the same supplier, infact most companies will gladly send you a free sim card to keep your custom!
If you do not request disconnection at the end of your contract, the contract continues, and the company are not legally required to inform you of the end of your contract, that is your responsibilty. You also still need to give the 30 days notice to cancel, unless you take a PAC code and go elsewhere.
They are also not legally required to refund any line rental accrued after this date as you have not requested disconnection, any refund is a good will gesture only, even if you haven't used the phone!
Broadband is simliar, normally its a set charge to cancel early, and you need to give 30days notice to do so, at the end of your contract you need to ask for a MAC code to transfer. If you are told you are on an LUL contract, i suggest you make a formal request to disconnect and give your new providers name, even if your new provider says they will disconnect the other side.
This is due the the Anti Slamming Objectives some companies have.
Slamming is the act of taking over a customers phone/broadband service without their consent.
Companies are trying to stop this happening, so they often refuse to allow a company to take over the line without the account holder requesting disconnection, and they are legally allowed to do this!
MAC codes give authority to the new provider to take the service over, but I would still advise you formally request disconnection as occasionally the MAC doesnt work as well as it should.
Hope this helps you, if you need anything else please dont hesistate to PM me, if i know the answer i will gladly share it
P
If you have a contract and are finding the payments hard, and you have had your contract more than 9 months, you can call the company and ask to downgrade your tarrif, this is done normally in £5 stages, so from say £30 to £25 and you can do this every month until you reach the lowest available tarrif (this is for normal personal contracts only, i dont know about business contracts but i will ask for you)
If you find you still cannot manage the payments you may look in to disconnection. If you are still in contract, you will be charged termination fees, this is normally your full line rental until the end of your contract, they normally will not allow you to pay at your "discounted" rate. This is not normally asked for at the time of the call.
When you disconnect, you are asked for 30 days notice of disconnection, some companies accept verbal disconnections, others require written. It is worth noting that a 3rd party cannot disconnect an account unless they are power of attorney or the executor of a will. Also in these circumstances you will not be told if you are entitled to any monies back, this is a breach of data protection (I know its insane!!)
If you are in the last 30 days of your contract, you can disconnect free of charge but must still provide a 30 days notice unless you request a PAC code. (Port Authorisation Code)
This is where it can become confusing.
When you request a PAC code, it gives your new provider permission to take over the line, and therefore cancels your contract, this takes about 3 days normally so is the quickest way to cancel, but.. and this is where a lot of people end up remaining in contract, you MUST give this PAC code to a new supplier within 30days or the PAC cancels itself and your contract continues! you can use a PAC code to transfer from contract to Pay As You Go with the same supplier, infact most companies will gladly send you a free sim card to keep your custom!
If you do not request disconnection at the end of your contract, the contract continues, and the company are not legally required to inform you of the end of your contract, that is your responsibilty. You also still need to give the 30 days notice to cancel, unless you take a PAC code and go elsewhere.
They are also not legally required to refund any line rental accrued after this date as you have not requested disconnection, any refund is a good will gesture only, even if you haven't used the phone!
Broadband is simliar, normally its a set charge to cancel early, and you need to give 30days notice to do so, at the end of your contract you need to ask for a MAC code to transfer. If you are told you are on an LUL contract, i suggest you make a formal request to disconnect and give your new providers name, even if your new provider says they will disconnect the other side.
This is due the the Anti Slamming Objectives some companies have.
Slamming is the act of taking over a customers phone/broadband service without their consent.
Companies are trying to stop this happening, so they often refuse to allow a company to take over the line without the account holder requesting disconnection, and they are legally allowed to do this!
MAC codes give authority to the new provider to take the service over, but I would still advise you formally request disconnection as occasionally the MAC doesnt work as well as it should.
Hope this helps you, if you need anything else please dont hesistate to PM me, if i know the answer i will gladly share it
P
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