Cannot Cancel

[svalentine60]

I'm really bemused and on the point of contacting the ombudsman as I've never come across this before with any company. Like a lot of other people I've been struggling and after utilities am left with only £50 per week for food etc. So I did what i thought was the sensible thing and called to cancel my broadband/landline. I am no longer under contract so should be simple. I was due as an email showed to be turned off two days ago on 6th February. I had to give a months notice. So have two monthly bills of 33 each to pay. I will do so as soon as I am able of course. However my internet and phone is still on and I am told online that it will not be turned off until i pay the bill first. No other company does this and I don't think they can do this. Certainly I will be speaking to the ombudsman today to find out. So someone trying to do the sensible thing who is struggling cannot turn off a service even though it was all arranged and i am not under contract, meaning more and more bills will be added for a service i no longer even have plugged in. Can someone tell me how they are able to do this? 

[Gemma]

@svalentine60 - Thanks for explaining your current situation and what's happened. I'm sorry to hear you've been advised you're unable to give notice to cancel. If you were looking to upgrade or renew an agreement with us, then our system wouldn't allow an order to be placed, until the over due balance is paid. 

Please follow our cancellation steps and we can get this resolved for you. 

[svalentine60]

I have no idea what your reply has to do with the situation. I cancelled my broadband and landline and gave a months notice. I was told that it would be cancelled on 6th February. It was not. I called again and after around 15 minutes on the telephone around the 8th February I was told again it was being cancelled. As of today 12th Feb it is still on. I am not under contract and have every legal right to cancel but your company response initially online was that because i owe a bill which isn't huge that i cannot cancel. Firstly you cannot do that. A person struggling who stops something because they cannot afford it is then forced to have month after month added on in bills for something they don't even use unless i pay what is owed before I do so. Also that was discussed on the telephone and they agreed with me and said it was to be cancelled that day on 8th. So what? I cannot afford your broadband/telephone but you will force me to have it month after month so the bill adds up and up and up even though by law as i am not under contract and gave the correct amount of notice which was accepted I am allowed to do so and then receive a final bill. This doesn't make sense and I'm presuming any court would agree.

Re saying if i wanted to upgrade or renew they system wouldn't let me cancel? Nowhere in my post did i say i wanted to upgrade or renew.  I am now going to the media ombudsman.

[Cynric]

@svalentine60 Have a read here too, plus their contact details are at the foot of the page.

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/phone-internet-downloads-or-tv/if-youre-struggling-to-pay...

I hope it all works out for you.