Following advice on this forum I contacted the PlusNet Options Team in early July 2024. They agreed to waive early termination fees if I switched to EE. I was interested in the TV services offered by EE. I was passed on to an EE agent and I had it in writing that the fees would not be applied.
The switch went ahead but shortly after I received a final bill for some £175. This was at the beginning of August. I called Plusnet to remind them they had agreed to let me switch without penalty. They apologised and said the email was sent automatically and there was nothing they could do to stop the automatic process. I then received an email to confirm once more there would be no early termination changes.
I kept logging on to my Plusnet account, worried that the outstanding charges were still showing as unpaid and owing. I phoned Plusnet on several occasions to tell them to update their system as I didn't want the 'debt' to progress to the debt collection stage. I was assured this wouldn't happen. I was advised to cancel my direct debit in case the company tried to take the money out of my account. I did this. I received an email from Plusnet outlining what they had recommended and to say all was well and in fact they owed me money since they had taken a monthly payment just before my service was transferred.
I then received an email to complain there was no direct debit set up in favour of Plusnet. I called them again and was reassured all was well and to ignore the automated messages. They said a cheque would be issued to me to cover the monthly payment taken in error.
Then on 2 September I received an email from a debt-collection agency asking me to contact them urgently about my Plusnet account. I phoned Plusnet who told me to ignore the messages. I couldn't do that, I was getting emails and text messages so I contacted the debt-collection agency who required me to send evidence that the debt was an error. I had to send them some of the emails Plusnet had sent me to prove my innocence.
The saga is still ongoing. Plusnet has agreed to pay me £50 in compensation. I'm in my late 60s and the stress has been enormous and it's still going on. The waiver of early termination fees was agreed over two months ago.
I really don't want my pristine credit reference to be affected by this and I fear that will be the next step.
I've always rated Plusnet and have recommended their services to many friends, but their behaviour over this issue is worse than anything I have ever experienced from any other company.
I would appreciate any advice. Trustpilot will be my next step, but that will not help me - it might just make me feel better.
