"Inflation plus X percent" and other increases!

[Steamywee]

Like most of us here I am somewhat irked by these "mid contract" increases.

I'm ostensibly out of contract now and have received an email about my monthly charge (£23.95) as follows:-

In line with our terms and conditions, the price you pay for your Fibre 65 will go up by £2.51 from 25th April 2023.

I cannot disagree with the maths despite being forced to accept the increase, the date however seems rather random!

I have also received another, rather odd email advising that my March bill is ready, and the amount due is £25.53.

The email goes on to say:-

Your total amount due is different this month as:

One of your promotions is coming to an end.

True, My Unlimited UK Calls Boost will be coming to an end, but not yet.

That boost was negotiated for the Broadband contract commencing April 21st 2021 for 18 months which expired on October 21st.

As can be seen from the attached screenshot of an email from TT, the negotiated Unlimited UK Calls Boost which formed part of this contract covered a period of two years from April 21st 2021 and will not expire until April 20th 2023.

I understand that the charge raised for payment on 31st March 2023 is "billed in advance", but I fail to understand why I am effectively being billed for calls I may never make!

Especially since I have avowed not to use my landline for outgoing calls after the end of this boost.

Can a member of the TalkTalk team please explain how this error occurred preferably before the incorrect amount is drawn against my DD on March 31st?

email dated 20th April 2021

Thanks.

[Arne-TalkTalk]

Yes that's correct it will be returned.

[Steamywee]

@Arne-TalkTalk Thanks for confirming that, I've made a note to cancel it 17th April.

Will the currently advised additional £1.58 to be charged on my impending bill, be refunded when the May bill is raised at the end of April, as indicated by @fr8ys above?

Thanks

[Arne-TalkTalk]

Hi Steamywee

The extra charge is because the bill produced 25.3 goes to 24.04 the free calls boost discount ends on 21.04 so charged from 21st to 24th. 

We no longer offer the free calls boost discount, so if you remove it I would suggest you do it before the bill is prepared which is usually a few days before its produced, so around the 22nd should stop it appearing on the next advance bill. 

Regards

[Steamywee]

@fr8ys  Point taken, I'll make a note to cancel the Boost a week earlier!

---

@fr8ys wrote:

Also, don't forget that at the end of a contract, your broadband charges go up to the normal rate unless you recontract so I'd be inclined to phone the loyalty team now for a better deal unless you did you did when your deal expired in  October.

Yes, that is strange; my contract (for BB) ended as far as I understand on October 20th and at the time, "Arnie" made the following rather odd observation:-

End of contract options 

That seemed to me to be a rather silly thing to do!

Why would one seek to enter a two year contract at a price in excess of that being charged presently?

Hence why I have just continued to bask in my "Out of Contract(ness)" 😃

---

@fr8ys wrote:

It seems unusual to have a boost period longer than your contract.

---

TT seem to specialise in the unusual! 😉

I had wondered if the Calls Boost would perish along with the BB Contract but thankfully it didn't.

I know it seems superfluous to have that as well as an unlimited calls and texts Mobile phone contract, but my ears are so bad that I can barely understand calls via the mobile through the tiny little speaker, it's OK through my earbuds whilst out and about but it's a bit of a palaver if you have to find them and stick them in prior to making calls at home hence my desire to maintain the calls boost!

Not sure if pairing my Mobile phone with a decent quality BT Speaker might be the answer so that it automatically pairs when in range.

Might try that, or maybe "Alexa" could be employed?

[fr8ys]

You will be eventually. 

It depends on the date your bill is produced, not the day you receive it. You may find that they overlap so removing the boost on the last day may not produce a credit on your next bill but instead you may be charged a full month for the boost. All would be credited back on the following bill in that case.

Also, don't forget that at the end of a contract, your broadband charges go up to the normal rate unless you recontract so I'd be inclined to phone the loyalty team now for a better deal unless you did you did when your deal expired in  October.

It seems unusual to have a boost period longer than your contract.

[Steamywee]

@fr8ys Thanks for explaining that!

So, If I "remove" the Boost on the last day of the contracted period, (April 20th) I should be credited back with the currently billed excess charge on my April billing date? 🤔

If so, I'll set a reminder to do it!

[fr8ys]

As you say, you pay in advance.

With your contract ending "mid" month, you will be charged your contract rate to your last date and then the new rate from the new date , if that makes sense. So both old and new rates are pro rata.

Unless you remove the unlimited phone boost, then this will continue until you do remove it. It doesn't just end at the date of your promotion period.

Now your bill has been produced it can't be changed so you will be charged this amount.

If you remove the phone boost the pro rata period of refund will be credited to your next bill.