Another Talk Talk broken promise

[Jayca]

Took out "Fixed Price Plus" after you unilaterally changed your terms and conditions a few years back and went back on the "No Price Increase" previous promise that you originally had.

Paid the extra amount per month while in contract on the promise that after it ended it would only increase by inflation rather than a set amount.

Now get an email stating yet again you've changed your terms and you're adding £4 extra per month which in  my case just over 14% increase.

Moral of the story the word "Promise" isn't worth putting in any of your correspondence.

[Gliwmaeden2]

@Jayca, your contract was taken out well before the OFCOM ruling advised that customers should pay a fixed amount increase annually in April. This was genuinely thought to be a good idea at the time, after the uncertainty of the inflation rate since 2022.

I think we all hate it, as this "fixed amount" is way above what any of us would have paid under the previous system. Even when inflation was very high, the CPI + 3.7% rule was not hitting £4.00 for most customers as the basic contract starting point was usually <£30. Those customers on Fixed Price Plus paid a bit extra per month but were shielded from the +3.7% effect when out of contract.  It was always going to be rather a gamble as to what would work out more favourably for the customer. 

It feels terribly unfair and out of proportion, having the significant fixed increase, particularly as so-called fixed term deals are now more likely to be for 2 years rather than 12 or 18 months. No escape...

However, when Talktalk devised Fixed Price Plus, they couldn't possibly have foreseen that OFCOM would restructure the pricing rules to ignore the CPI rate altogether and, in effect, give the telecoms industry a steady cash injection year on year. 

So many people are never really going to need or want the superfast broadband speeds that are being promised by Full Fibre. Yet we are all subsidising the rollout of fibre to the premises and the switch off of copper lines.

Talktalk's hands are likely to have been tied by the OFCOM ruling, which is why ditching the association with CPI seems to override the deal Talktalk previously offered. 

You'll see from previous threads that we have asked for the issue to be escalated. It has caused distress and dismay to several customers posting on here, and the reaction on the forum is only ever the tip of the iceberg. 

It is worth waiting for a response to the escalation [it won't be before Monday] before taking it up with OFCOM. 

The usual channel, if you have a complaint, is to follow the Complaints Process, detailed in the link at the bottom of any Talktalk page, which gives you an idea of the timescale to wait before taking things to CISAS etc.

[Jayca]

Had a read of the information on Ofcom website and all information seems to refer to new contracts only.

There is nothing specific that I can find about an out of contract "fixed price plus" add on which was sold separately to shield you from mid contract price rises and more importantly only ever increase by CPI once the contract ends.

Correct me if I'm wrong but the 30 day rule only applies to getting out of an active contract penalty free if the terms are changed.

As it stands I have paid an extra amount for 24 months only to get shielded from two mid contract price rises, this makes no sense financially as it would have been far cheaper to have gone with a standard contract and accepted the said rises.

Finally I've  noticed that since yesterday the terms and conditions have been changed to read:-

"Out of contract customers who contracted before 12 August 2024, a price increase of £4 will apply. We feel that offering a fixed price increase is clearer and easier to understand than our previously communicated approach of CPI and makes it easier for you to see the price paid throughout your contract with us."

The "clearer and easier to understand" is insulting to those of us who entered into this particular contract as we wouldn't have agreed to  a CPI related contract without knowing what we were signing up to.

In my opinion it is your interpretation of the new rules causing this fixed increase for this unique type of contract taken out in 2023.

As such I've endeavoured to get clarification from Ofcom on the rules and how they affect my original contract and possibly going through the mis-sold route as a last resort.

[Philile-TT]

@Jayca, they do have some information on their website around the recent price increases.  They state that we would need to specify this in our contract which we do in section 9.2 and that we should give notice 30 days before, which we have.  They also talk about the importance of re-investing into the network to make sure we accommodate the increased capacity and data use". 

The details can be found on the Ofcom website under the Telecoms price rises – what are your rights? section.

[Jayca]

Would also be greatfull for link to where Ofcom states this rule applies to this unique product sold to me in 2023, ie where an extra amount was charged each month to receive a benefit.

Had a look myself and cannot find anything on Ofcom that directly relates to out of contract customers who paid an extra amount on the promise that prices would then only rise by CPI.

[Philile-TT]

@Jayca we have not received the feedback as yet. We are still waiting for an update from the team. 

[Jayca]

@Funky-Gibbons @Mandisa-TT 

Just noticed that you have quoted the contradictory information in regard to out of contract customers and the promised inflation only price rises in another thread.

Has this actually been clarified now?

At the very least this "fixed price plus" option has been mis-sold to a great many customers.

The promise of no mid contract price hikes wasn't the deciding factor to me purchasing this, it was the gamble that inflation would start to come down to a reasonable level. 

[Mandisa-TT]

@Jayca I have checked for you and you’re absolutely right to question it. I can see why the wording in that FAQ is reading as contradictory, especially the section highlighted in red about customers who joined before 12 August 2024 remaining on variable CPI increases once out of contract.

​​​​​​​I’m escalating this for clarification and correction. The FAQ may not be fully updated, and I want to ensure we give you an answer that is 100% I’ll come back to you as soon as I receive confirmation from the pricing and policy team.

[Mandisa-TT]

I understand, I will look into that for you.

[Jayca]

Sorry but that is not how it reads  to me, see section in red.

It States:-

"Once out of contract for those customers who joined before 12 August 2024 your broadband plan will continue subject to variable CPI increases".

The CPI plus 3.7%, £3 and £4 increases refer to standard variable plans only.

[Mandisa-TT]

no increase if you are in contract, on a fixed price plus and joined before 12.08.2024.

[Mandisa-TT]

The FAQ explains that customers who joined before 12 August 2024 and were still in contract would remain on the CPI + 3.7% annual increase model.

The same FAQ also states that once out of contract, those customers would receive a flat £4 increase, not CPI‑based.
 

So even if you joined before 12 August 2024:

• In contract: CPI + 3.7% rule applies
• Out of contract: £4 fixed increase applies

Your contract ended on 26/04/2025, which means you moved to the out‑of‑contract set of rules.

[Jayca]

https://www.talktalk.co.uk/legal/annual-price-change

Can you explain highlighted FAQ in the above?

My original "Fixed Price Plus" plan would have been taken out well before 12th August 2024 as the letter advising me of the end of the contract is dated April 2025.

This makes the line "Once out of contract for those customers who joined us before 12 August 2024, your broadband plan will be subject to the variable Customer Price Index (CPI)" relevant to my account.

Only customers who joined after 12th August 2024 appear to be subject to a fixed amount price increase.

For two years while in contract I paid the extra each month on the "promise" it would only increase by inflation at the end of it.

I took a gamble inflation would come down and make the two years of initially higher payments worth it over time and you wouldn't once again renege on your promises.

[Mandisa-TT]

@Jayca Thanks for sharing your experience — I can completely understand your frustration. You originally chose Fixed Price Plus to avoid unexpected changes, so receiving another price update naturally feels like yet another let‑down. I’m really sorry it’s come across that way.

To give a bit more clarity, Ofcom introduced new rules banning inflation‑linked mid‑contract rises, requiring providers to state any future price changes clearly in pounds and pence. Because of that ruling, most providers (including TalkTalk) moved to fixed annual increases instead. Ofcom continues to monitor these policies across the industry. TalkTalk has updated its pricing approach across all packages to bring everything in line with an annual price adjustment model. This change was introduced to make pricing more consistent across the range and to reflect increasing network and service delivery costs.

I completely appreciate that none of this makes the increase feel any less disappointing, but I hope this helps explain why these changes have happened.

If you’d prefer to avoid increases like this, the best option is to recontract. Our new contracts come with clearer pricing, new‑customer style offers, and in most cases work out cheaper than remaining on a rolling monthly plan.

[Mandisa-TT]

Hi @Jayca I will look into your thread and assist you.