Cancellation when moving (and unable to migrate service)

[#1]

I suspect the answer to this will be "tough luck", but I thought I'd check if anyone has any experience with this

In the next couple of months I'll be moving house. I was expecting to take my broadband package with me to the new property, but as it happens our new house won't be available until well into next year and so we'll be moving in with family for at least 6 months. The family member has their own fixed-term broadband package in place, so obviously there's no option to move my own to their house and cancel their broadband for a while.

Is there any exception or other option (eg suspending the package for a while or similar?) for this kind of situation, or is it just a case of "you shouldn't have signed up to a fixed deal, sorry" and paying the early termination charge?

[#2]

Hi @audigex

We would charge termination fees for a cancellation in this instance if you're within contract but to get around this, can we install a second line at your family's address? When you then move to your own address we can cease that line, and provide a service to where you'll be living permanently?

I'd say it's best to call our house moves team on 0800 013 2632 to discuss and arrange. 

[#3]

Thanks, yeah I suspected that would be the case - at that point I think it would just be simpler to cancel entirely and pay the early termination charge, which seems like the cheaper option too

I presumed there wouldn't be an exception for cancelling under these circumstances, but I was hoping there was a way to perhaps suspend the account for 6 months and then resume it at that point at the new property

It's a shame there's no flexibility in the system - which also seems a bit short-sighted from Plusnet, because chances are I'll sign up with another provider (Plusnet don't offer FTTH yet?), whereas if there was an option to suspend I'd have stayed a customer for at least another 18 months at which point FTTH may have been available.

[#4]

Thanks for getting back to me @audigex

No problem, there's absolutely some flexibility. We can organise a house move up to 90 days in advance if you have a move in date and the address you're going to, during which time we'll put your bills on hold and not charge you for that time. 90 days though is the longest we can schedule a house move for in advance with Openreach.

Appreciate you're moving in 6 months but hope that helps make things cheaper than paying off termination fees? This of course may be subject to if there's no-one living at your new property for the last 3 months before you move in unless they'd be happy with us providing your service there before they move out. 

We don't offer FTTH/FTTP yet and if this is available at your new address, we'll be happy to waive termination fees if you move to BT or EE so it may be worth putting your full address into BT's availability checker Here and see if WBC FTTP shows as available. If so I'd call us on 0800 013 2632 to explain this and we'll cancel your account with no penalty. 

[edit]

Either way though it's definitely worth a call ^ to discuss with our cancellations team as they're the best people to help here

[#5]

Thanks, it's a new build so I doubt you'd be able to provision 3 months before we move in (although it will definitely have FTTP)

In theory, could I transfer twice? Eg a 90 day suspension to move to a family member's house, followed by a 90 day suspension on the move to the new house?

Either way I'll give the team a call and see what they can do a little closer to the time - for now I'm just trying to get an idea of what to expect

[#6]

@audigex 

You need to check with the builder as to what's being planned. If there's no copper it might not even be OpenReach who provide the FTTP and you'd have to move ISP regardless of what PlusNet could do.

Brian

[#7]

@audigex wrote:

In theory, could I transfer twice? Eg a 90 day suspension to move to a family member's house, followed by a 90 day suspension on the move to the new house?

Yep you can indeed, we'd basically start a new contract each time to waive the one-off fees (£49.99 for a new line, £65 as a house move fee). 

@audigex wrote:

Thanks, it's a new build so I doubt you'd be able to provision 3 months before we move in (although it will definitely have FTTP)

Either way I'll give the team a call and see what they can do a little closer to the time - for now I'm just trying to get an idea of what to expect

No problem, sounds like a plan.