Bill increase confusion!

[#1]

I usually pay £23.42 per month, however, I've been charged £26.16 on my latest bill (March-April period). I've had a look at the breakdown, and cannot seem to make sense of the data, nor why it includes figures for next month. Now I've spoken with an advisor who claimed it was due to CPI changes and that I should have received an email notifying me of these adjustments. I confirmed no such email was received, and I certainly wasn't informed of these impending price changes when I took out a contract last year! Some clarity on the matter would be appreciated, as the advisor couldn't provide any useful info.

[#2]

I think two parts to the confusion.

All the service items (rental, broadband etc) are billed in advance.  Any usage items, in arrears.

What they are working through is a mid month price increase

So... there are three lines for each item:

1. A refund on last months advance charge
2. A new charge for last month which reflects a part month increase
3. A new, full month increased charge

So, this bill is higher than your next one will be as there's a retrospective correction for March also in the bill.

D

[#3]

@MK1 

I can’t comment on emails but if you read the contract to which you agreed when you signed up, this will clearly state that there would be a CPI plus 3.9% increase on the 31st March.

As has been stated, this month’s bill is charging the new rate going forward and a back charge for the difference between the old and new rate from the end of March up to your billing date this month.

It’s causing many people confusion.

[#4]

Surely there could have been a more simpler way to highlight these price adjustments on bills.

The current bill shows an increase of almost 12%, and page 3 still doesn't clarify how these price increases were calculated. Plusnet have also failed to explain what the new monthly fee will be. Awful service!

When I initially renewed my contract over the phone, at no point was the price hike mentioned, nor did Plusnet send any acknowledgement correspondence alluding to these changes.

[#5]

@MK1 

I'm not defending the way that this has been done or the totally confusing bill breakdown.

If your billing date is part way through the month then you will be billed for anything up to nearly two months increase. Next month you can expect it to drop back to the CPI plus 3.9% (=9.3%) increase. I calculate that your next months bill will therefore be £25.60.

When you renewed you would have received an email and/or a link to your new contract with 14 days to cancel if you weren't happy with it.

[#6]

MK1 does this help?

Unless there are any further adjustments, your bill on 3 May should be £9.15 - £6.45 + £12.74 - £12.74 + £23.19 = £25.89. There may be a problem in that the Anytime discount of £6.45 has not been increased and should be £7.05 which would mean your monthly payment would be £25.29.

Plusnet Anytime 31/03/22 to 02/04/22 -£0.81 = 3/31 x £8.37 repaid for period shown
Plusnet Anytime 31/03/22 to 02/04/22  £0.89 = 3/31 x £9.15 charged for period shown
Plusnet Anytime 03/04/22 to 02/05/22  £9.15 = month’s charge at new rate for period shown
Discount                                                £6.45 = month’s discount for period shown

Unlimited Broadband 31/03/22 to 02/04/22  -£1.13 = 3/31 x £11.66 repaid for period shown
Unlimited Broadband 31/03/22 to 02/04/22   £1.23 = 3/31 x £12.74 charged for period shown
Unlimited Broadband 03/04/22 to 02/05/22   £12.74 =month’s charge at new rate for period shown

Discount 31/03/22 to 02/04/22  £1.13  = 3/31 x £11.66  removed for period shown
Discount 31/03/22 to 02/04/22 -£1.23  = 3/31 x £12.74 charged for period shown
Discount 03/04/22 to 02/05/22 -£12.74 = month’s discount for period shown (N.B. these discounts cancel Broadband charges)

Line Rental 31/03/22 to 02/04/22  -£2.05 = 3/31 x £21.22 repaid for period shown
Line Rental 31/03/22 to 02/04/22   £2.24 = 3/31 x £23.19 charged for period shown
Line Rental 03/04/22 to 02/05/22   £23.19 = month’s charge at new rate for period shown

Payment 10/03/22 to 10/03/22   £-23.14 = payment made on date shown for bill dated 03/03/22

[#7]

@Dinsdale24 

I got my bill yesterday. Still not managed to work it all out yet, as apart from the 9.3% increase, I had an upgrade as well. I managed to understand (and agreed with) all the calculations except those relating to discounts. I'll wait and see what happens next month before joining the queue if necessary 😐. Hopefully the wait times will have got shorter by then.

[#8]

2022 Billing increases

Users have found the first bill following the price changes on 31st March 2022 odd because the brief summary presented at the top of the bill is just that - a summary. It does not reflect the important details of each line as fully described on subsequent pages. The first bill after the price rise, has for each chargeable item and their associated discounts...

1. A refund for the charges already paid on the previous bill (at the old rate) for the period from 31st March to the billing date
2. A re-charge in arrears (at the new rate) for the period from 31st March to the billing date
3. The charge at the new rate for the following month (charged in advance)

Consequently comparing this months bill with last months bill can create the impression that it has gone up more than the expected 9.3%. It is also possible that the annual prise rise is coincident with the end of the discounted minimum term, making the increase appear much larger.

Note: In some cases there is a known error on the first bill run which has omitted to adjust applicable discounts.

Price rises tend to cause users to review their account - some have found that their minimum term end date on the contract appears to be wrong, or inconsistent depending on which browser or environment they use to access the information. The one which looks sensible is probably the correct one. This issue is under investigation; if you need to confirm the details, please contact COTS.

[#9]

@Townman @DelT Thank you both for these helpful posts.

As there was no interruption in service during the upgrade, I assumed the 'pro-rata' bill this month would be between my past pre-increase monthly billed rate of £25.50 and future post-increase monthly billed rate which will be £29.03.

Each entry comprised of a date range and a calculation. As I understood (and agreed) with all of the entries shown in my previous post, with the exception of the 'discount' ones, I am assuming that a further 'discount' entry adjustment will be made in next month's bill (without any intervention from me).

If my logic is mis-guided, please enlighten me 🙁.

[#10]

That is sound - as per my boiler plate response - there are some known issues where the discounts were not adjusted correctly.  It is my understanding that is being addressed.

[#11]

Dinsdale24

Looking at the figures you have given it appears that you changed from Fibre to Fibre Extra on 6/4/22.

Regarding the discounts, The pre rise discount on Fibre was £12.70, you had this applied from 27.03 t0 26/04. For the period 31/03 to 26/04, 27/31 of this (£11.06) was removed and for 31/03 to 05/04, 6/31 of £13.88 (post increase discount) -£2.69 was applied.

On the change to Fibre Extra (all at post increase rates), you were entitled to -£18.51 per month discount. For the period 06/04 to 26/04, 21/31 of -£18.51 was applied (-£12.54). For 27/04 to 26/05 you received the whole -£18.51.

In May your charges should be Line Rental £23.19 + Fibre Extra £24.35 - Discount -£18.51 = £29.03.

Had you stayed on Fibre the charges would have been Line Rental £23.19 + Fibre £18.56 - Discount -£13.88 = £27.87.