Unable to cancel

[#1]

Hello,
Several years i separated from an ex partner, who moved out. At the time, she was the primary name on the plusnet account and we were advised on the phone to make me an "authorised user" and change the email address to mine because the main name associated with the account couldn't be changed.
Fast forward 3 years and I am now moving out of my property and would like to cancel my plusnet. Speaking on the phone, I am unable to cancel my account because I am not the primary account user.
Notwithstanding the fact i was advised to deal with the issue this way, it seems quite a flaw in the way plusnet works. What happens when someone dies? Are their bereaved ones locked into eternal, uncancellable contacts with plusnet?
I am attempting to contact my ex partner but it would be much easier and quicker if my name could be changed in the system.
Many thanks
Tom

[#2]

@Tom9 

Sorry, I can’t help with your problem. Hopefully a member of the help team will pick this up.

In cases of bereavement, the account is closed on submission of a copy of the death certificate.

[#3]

Hi Tom, 

As you are an authorised user on the account, to close the account we need verbal confirmation to close it from the account holder themselves (in this case your ex partner). I can understand your frustration regarding this issue but we as plusnet have to adhear to the security and data protection policies we have in place. 

To answer your other question, we do have a bereavement process set in place. If the account holder is to pass away, a member of their family or even close friend in some cases, can call to close or keep the account with all details changed. This bereavement process does include being able to give us necessary security information from the account in question so we are able to then implement the bereavement process. If security information is not able to be obtained, we would then request submission of a death certificate. 

I hope this has cleared things up for you, i know the answer i have given isn't ideal as you would still have to contact your ex partner, but this would be the only viable way the customer options team will accept to close the account. 

All the best

[#4]

Is the property going to be immediately occupied by someone else or left empty? Potentially the new owner will want internet so surely them applying for the line will cancel the account?

Mark

[#5]

Hey @Marksfish, 

Possibly but not guaranteed as if the new occupant goes to a different provider other than Openreach we wont receive the line takeover request 

[#6]

as if the new occupant goes to a different provider other than Openreach we wont receive the line takeover request 

@Marsh surely the OTS system has resolved that now ?

[#7]

@MisterW, If the new occupant placed a OTS order with the new provider, it would only inform their old provider at a different property

[#8]

@Marsh thanks for that clarification. Yes, having read the OFCOM OTS statement , it seems the process is only really applicable where a customer is changing suppliers at the same address.