Dial up charges

[hugoboss]

We had a dial up connection for our PC through a company called Supanet for about 5 months. We then got NTL phone lines fitted in the house, and suddenly the dial-up didnt work anymore. Supanet said there was nothing they could do because they cant run off NTL lines. So we then changed to NTL dial-up. Problem is that Supanet are still billing us monthly for the dial-up we cant use! can they do that? do we have a case against them not to pay? thanks

[Hippy]

I would write to them (not email) explaining that despite any contract conditions purporting to tie you to a certain number of payments or length of contract, the Company can by its own admission no longer fulfil its side of the bargain. Unless you were told specifically at the time of enering into the contract that your changing to NTL and their not being able to supply their service via that particular conduit, then there is really no argument.

 

Even if they did include that NTL provision from the start, I don't suppose any court would uphold it as it is grossly unfair.

 

Stick to your guns and point out that, as they can no longer supply the service and they have effectively broken the contract, you are no longer obliged to make any more payments. Instruct your bank not to honour any more requests for payment and ask the Company to refund the money they have taken from you since they became unable to supply the service.

 

[Elfin]

Probably not.  You no doubt signed up for 12 months with Supanet for their dial-up package, for which you had to have a BT line.  You have changed your end of the deal, so whether or not the dial-up now works doesn't really come into it as far as they are concerned.  In my experience in the past with Supanet, you have to write to them (not email) to cancel the contract.  (Just had a look and you can now cancel online too). From what I can make out though, you cannot cancel early and the contract will only be terminated after the remainder of the 12 months is up.  Worth trying to negotiate, but I wouldn't hold your breath...

[Mattk]

if you have signed up for 12 months then legally you are bound to them.contact them and put your side of the story and they may let you off early.

they havent broke any contract but nor have you,its just one of those unfortunate things