Beware of PlusNet (PlusNet)
Bassplus
Beware of PlusNet (PlusNet)
Name: Silverbeam
Product: PlusNet
Disadvantages: Poor Customer Service
It was only when I tried to cancel my broadband service due to an
imminent move out of the UK that I got an unbelievable amount of
trouble and frustration in dealing with the company. As I no longer
required a broadband service, I sent in a written notice to terminate
my account with PlusNet in a letter dated 23rd of September 2006 which
was sent by recorded mail to ensure delivery. This was in fulfilment
of the 1-year contract I had with PlusNet and I wasn�t expecting any
difficulty in closing my broadband connection. The requested
termination date was on the 30th of October 2006 thereby providing
more than 1 month notice for the services provided by PlusNet to be
stopped. During the course of communicating with PlusNet over my
account closure, I encountered so many failures and shortcomings by
the PlusNet customer service that I felt justifiable need to raise an
official complaint.
The first thing that PlusNet did after receiving my written notice was
to impose a cancellation charge of �57.60 for my FREE modem and FREE
activation which was the equivalent of nearly 4 months subscription. I
was completely taken off guard as the description that accompanies the
offer of the Broadband Plus service on the PlusNet website openly
stated �FREE setup now available � save over �80�. It was only upon
examining the fine print on the terms and conditions which many
customers including me typically do not read that the hidden cost
became apparent. The initial description of the setup being FREE was
simply misleading and inaccurate. Both the activation cost and
optional modem provided were not FREE as there was a cancellation
charge upon termination of the services unless a customer stays with
PlusNet for the unrealistic duration of 5 years. Such a practise is
more accurately described as �Activation and Modem with deferred
payments� and it is certainly not going to be free for the vast
majority of people. I realised I had been taken in by a sales gimmick
which was nothing more than a cynical way to trap unwary customers who
do not expect to be charged at any time for goods and services as
understood by the meaning of the word FREE.
Thus I found myself obliged to pay for the activation and modem which
was described as FREE. Not wanting to default on my payments, I agreed
to pay PlusNet for the cancellation charges. I received a call from
PlusNet on the 12th of October 2006 stating that they could not deduct
the amount from my credit card. This was naturally due to my imminent
move out of the UK for which I had to close my credit card account.
One of the unbelievable features of PlusNet was that it was impossible
to remove credit card details from their online portal as there was
simply no option to do so. I had however arranged for PlusNet to be
paid by Direct Debit well in advance on the 28th of July 2006 from
which payments were always subsequently deducted on time. Due to the
failure of PlusNet to provide a means for customers to remove their
own credit card details from their online account, this resulted in
billings to out of date cards.
My misadventures with PlusNet continued.
The PlusNet code of practise clearly states that
�Your contract with PlusNet can be terminated by:
a Us giving one month's notice to you.
b You giving one month's notice to us.
c You giving us immediate notice within the 14-day notice period if we
inform you that we are increasing our charges or changing the
conditions of your Contract to your detriment.�
This was all that was needed to terminate my contract. Instead I was
further informed that more charges will be levied as PlusNet has
unilaterally decided to push the cancellation date for as long as it
takes to clear the cancellation charge which is not a condition set
out in their code of practise. I now had to pay for the additional
subscription period with PlusNet despite the 1-month notice I provided
to them in writing. As these additional charges were levied where no
such charges have been stipulated and where they have certainly not
been described as a condition for extending the termination date,
PlusNet was effectively breaching their own code of practise.
But very well, I didn�t want any trouble. So I offered 4 means by
which I would pay PlusNet for the cancellation charges and the extra
subscription charge. I offered a (i) Visa Electron card and (ii) a
Visa Debit card from which I was willing to provide the details over
the phone. I was told that both payment methods could not be processed
by PlusNet where I then offered to (iii) pay PlusNet with a cheque and
(iv) authorise PlusNet to deduct the amount from my current account in
which PlusNet was already taking payments by Direct Debit. All of
these payment methods were rejected by PlusNet as they could not
process them, again a ridiculous shortcoming on their part.
I was indeed left with no means to pay PlusNet and the only option I
was offered was to get someone else with a credit card to pay on my
behalf. I said I would attempt this and asked for a number to call
PlusNet where I can then give the credit card details. If they could
call me, then I could call them right ? Wrong. I was told this was
impossible as the company cannot provide me with a telephone number to
call them with. Another stupefying failure on the part of PlusNet. I
was told to put credit card details that were not mine on the online
portal for the amount to be deducted and this was in full knowledge
that PlusNet did not have a facility to cancel credit card details
once they were put there. The final payment method offered by PlusNet
was ludicrous as who would entrust their credit card details to be put
online by another person to pay someone else�s bills ? When I informed
PlusNet of the difficulty of such a payment method, my question was
simply closed in my online portal and left unaddressed.
I have in the end borrowed credit card details from a family member,
put it in the online portal and I am currently awaiting PlusNet to
deduct the cancellation charges and the additional subscription. As
this is a overseas credit card, there will be further costs incurred
in the exchange rate and a credit card fee that goes with overseas
transactions both of which are additional costs on my part.
I conclusion, I have found the shortcomings and failures of PlusNet to
be unacceptable which is why I lodged an official complaint. I waited
5 working days later (1 calendar week), they made absolutely no
attempt whatsoever to speak to me, tell me if the termination is going
ahead or not or if they were even looking into the complaint. Enough
was enough, hence I decided to post my experiences online publicly so
that others can be warned of the kind of company that PlusNet plc is.
Summary: Wait till you have to deal with their (lack of) customer
service
Bassplus
with my beeming four eyes, what do you think about that!