Awful Plusnet Experience - You get what you pay for

[#1]

When I spoke to Plusnet initially they told me that they would know the MAC had been used and when the service switches and I would then be issued with a final bill when my service migrated. They made it clear that I did not have to do anything more to cancel.  Maybe I shouldn't have trusted what I was told on the phone.
I received a ticket to state that the service had been cancelled.
However I was still being billed and am still awaiting a refund for the overbilling.
It appears that Plusnet are incompetent. You can try and blame BT for not letting Plusnet know what is going on. But they appeared to clearly know. For goodness sakes, you think and ISP doesn't know when traffic ceases from the end user?
This is a billing issue. Same as the issue was us being overbilled from the start of our time with Plusnet.
More saliently maybe Plusnet should look at the hostility of their moderators.

[#2]

Quote from: endlessnameless

For goodness sakes, you think and ISP doesn't know when traffic ceases from the end user?

I get annoyed with Plusnet and apply for my MAC, but after reflecting decide not to use it.
A week later I go away on a fortnights holiday and (as I always do) power everything including the router off.
When I return from holiday I have no internet and when I ring up I find that because I'd applied for a MAC and shortly afterwards all traffic ceased they'd assumed I left and cancelled my account. BT will have charged Plusnet £25 to cancel the broadband (because it was actually a migration) and Plusnet will have passed the change on to me.
Then, to really cheer me up, I'm told it will take up to 10 days to reactivate the broadband and will cost me another £25.
You really do have some stupid ideas!

[#3]

I've just been doing some research on this and had a look at the Cancellation policy. If you look at the Moving to a New provider section, paragraph 4 says

Quote

4. To ensure no loss of service for the customer, when we issue a MAC Key, we do not schedule the account for cancellation. Any due subscription payments will continue to be taken. The account will only be closed (or downgraded) when we receive confirmation from either the customer (or from our network supplier) that the service has moved to the new provider.

and paragraph 8 says

Quote

8. Our suppliers do normally inform us when a customer uses a MAC Key, but this doesn't always happen. If a customer does not receive confirmation of the account closure, once their migration has completed, they are advised to call our Customer Options Team on 0845 140 6002 to inform us that the migration has completed.

[#4]

Ok. I have stupid ideas do I. Well you are just getting insulting now. isn't that in breach of forum conduct my friend?
Firstly you quoting me the policy is irrelevant because I did receive confirmation the account was closed. I stated this in my post. I got a ticket to state it. Furthermore, a Plusnet agent told me that they would be informed that the account had migrated and there was no need for me to do anything more.
One absolyute doozer you are missing is that I had told Plusnet I wanted to cancel my account on the phone. There was no maybe. I was cancelling. Because I was not tied into a contract the MAC key is irrelevant whether I used it or not. I was told that if I wanted to use it and transfer over before my notice period expired then I could, otherwise the account would just stop. MAC this and MAC that. Not relevant. I told them it was to cancel on the phone in absolute terms. So all your hoo ha about telling them about my MAC going over is nonsense.
Secondly, stupid ideas? I don't think so. Plusnet know every detail of web traffic. So why is it stupid to assume that when the line is changed to a different provider they can't know this?
Stop ignoring all the mess ups by Plusnet and try to make me look silly, because you just look like a baby.

[#5]

Oh dear, oh dear, you really need to understand the difference between cancellation and migration out.
If you cancel, Plusnet will cancel the broadband on the line and as BT charge them for doing so they will pass the £25 cancellation charge on to you. Cancelling is an order on the BT systems and while that is in progress no new orders can be placed on the line by your new ISP. In fact it can be a day or so worse than that because it sometimes takes BT that long for all their systems to update. Once that has happened your new ISP can place an order and around 7 working days later (if you are lucky) your broadband will be up again. Your new ISP may charge you for the activation.
Migration using a MAC is seamless, you are switched directly from one ISP to another, you do not incur the cancellation charge, you do not have around two weeks without any broadband.
Now, did you migrate using a MAC or did you cancel?

[#6]

I think you are missing the point and getting lost.
Whatever you say, the chap I spoke to on the phone clearly didn't make it clear what the MAC/cancellation process entails. Not my fault and classic Plusnet misinformation. In fact the ticket that followed the call did not state that we needed to call or ring them after using the MAC. I understood that if we used the MAC the process would be automatic. Or we could just let the account get cancelled after the notice period.
Regardless. We got the cancellation email (after we used the MAC which stated our service was being stopped). The chap on the phone said that if we use the MAC it would all be dealt with at their end. Nothing led me to believe we would still be billed. Yet we are still being billed for a service we are not using.
Hey I even got an apology from Plusnet about all this and guess what. They are now writing to say our direct debit has been declined for our latest bill (because we cancelled it at our end to stop this madness).
I expect we will be getting letters from the bailiffs next.
You can go on all you like about how I should have called them and changed their nappies.But a professional company makes sure that matters are dealt with, and they make sure that customers are clear on what they should or should not do to avoid being stolen from.
They can go fly some kites can't they. .

[#7]

For the system to work properly it relies on BT Wholesale notifying the losing ISP; I personally wouldn't rely on BT for anything. It's been my understanding for a long time that notifying Plusnet when the migration completed was a smart move and I've always given that advice when appropriate.
I'm equally as unimpressed by the glib assurances you were given and have already flagged this issue up to someone within Plusnet that I can contact directly.

[#8]

Truthfully, if  as a lawyer the OP is as sure, as he seems to be that he is right about PN and its contracts, I wait excitedly for news he is taking action with the hearing date. OTOH there are the options that Jelv  fairly listed.

[#9]

Quote from: jelv

For the system to work properly it relies on BT Wholesale notifying the losing ISP; I personally wouldn't rely on BT for anything. It's been my understanding for a long time that notifying Plusnet when the migration completed was a smart move and I've always given that advice when appropriate. I'm equally as unimpressed by the glib assurances you were given and have already flagged this issue up to someone within Plusnet that I can contact directly.

Jelv I understand your point and your post is perfectly reasonable and free of insults directed at me (although BT are always the whipping boy it seems). I honestly can't believe how poor PN have been overall for us. I was with them many year ago when things were good, then things went downhill after rapid expansion and I left. I thought a few years would make a difference and price tempted me back. But appalling speeds, incorrect billing and inconsistent telephone advice from the start have let us down. Billing for services not rendered is unforgivable in my opinion. This happened from the start of our service.
The post office are superb and i regretted ever leaving them.

[#10]

Quote from: lucerne

Truthfully, if  as a lawyer the OP is as sure, as he seems to be that he is right about PN and its contracts, I wait excitedly for news he is taking action with the hearing date. OTOH there are the options that Jelv  fairly listed.

Are you being sarcastic? Trust me if a company steal from me when I legitimately cancel a service with them I would sue them for the money through the small claims court, anyone can do it, not just lawyers. It shouldn't come to that but sometimes it does.
In any scenario I always think of poor old grandma who is getting ripped off. Because when you get old, you will hope there are people keeping companies like Plusnet, who incorrectly bill, on their toes.  Granny doesn't check her bills that often you see.

[#11]

endlessnameless,
I'm sorry that I've not been able to give this thread some attention until today, Just to clarify we're just waiting for your final payment to clear from your direct debit. As soon as it has we'll process your refund, that will take 7 to 10 days for it for the funds to reach your account.
Let me know if you have any other issues with us that have yet to be addressed.

Adam.

[#12]

Adam did you see this in reply #20

Quote

Hey I even got an apology from Plusnet about all this and guess what. They are now writing to say our direct debit has been declined for our latest bill (because we cancelled it at our end to stop this madness

[#13]

Quote from: endlessnameless

Are you being sarcastic?

No! That's why the first word was what it was, namely "truthfully". May be cynical, as in my near 3/4 century both at work (finamce allied) and privatelly, i have  heard enough bombast and claims of status. Let someone say, "I am a company director", and I'll think, "local chippy, or small factory".

[#14]

Quote from: _Adam_Walker_

endlessnameless, I'm sorry that I've not been able to give this thread some attention until today, Just to clarify we're just waiting for your final payment to clear from your direct debit. As soon as it has we'll process your refund, that will take 7 to 10 days for it for the funds to reach your account. Let me know if you have any other issues with us that have yet to be addressed. Adam.

Adam the refund I am talking about is for those DDs that had already gone through prior to this latest one which was stopped by us.
I would appreciate it if we are not going to receive demands for payment please. I can see where this is going when the text and email notification came through that the DD had been declined. Can  you confirm please?