Contract End Date - Do I really have to give 30days notice?

[Gill58]

End of contract issue - why do I have to give 30 days notice!?!

My contract ends on 04/02/23, I no longer want to continue with the service but I've been told that I must give 30days notice!! why do I need to give 30 days notice when the contract ends?

I'm not asking for it to end early just for it not to roll over so I the contract is for 2 years and I wish to leave at the point why do I need to cancel 30 days before this date? This can't be correct and I'm sure it didn't state that in the terms and conditions when I signed up.

Whats the point in having a contract when it just carries on unless I give 30 days notice? Why can't I just ring up 15 days for example to confirm that I don't want it to roll on?

[Effie]

Hi @Gill58 Yes you do need to give us a 30 days notice to cancel your services with us. We do state this in your Terms and Conditions 

The contract length is the minimum term that you agree to stay with us, which is why you get charged an early termination fee if you leave before the contract end date. After this date, your plan moves to a rolling monthly package and you can leave free of charge or upgrade. You are still required to give a 30 days notice to cancel though. This is the same for all services we offer. Though with mobile plans, you can request a PAC to move your number to another network or a STAC to simply leave your number behind and move on. 

[Neilthedragon]

Legally you don't need to give any notice after the "Legally binding" contract has ended. After that it's just a company saying give us money because we need to charge you fir an extra 30 days for which you are not contracted to do regardless of what it states in their terms and conditions. What a company will do if you don't pay is start sending you letters to take it to court then pass it on to their solicitors to send you debt letters. Don't pay as you won't be using a contracted service. If you continue to use their service for that duration then fair enough, pay them, otherwise just ignore them. 

[Cynric]

@Gill58  I think that the 30 days only applies if you are not moving on to another ISP. If your contract is now going to roll-over then either setup a new contract with Vodafone or switch to another ISP, either way you then avoid the expensive out-of-contract fee.

[Neilthedragon]

Regardless, if the contract comes to an end, then, whether you are moving to another ISP or just because its Sunday, you don't owe any money. You were in a contract to use their services and now you're not. So many companies make extra money this way, it's insane that people actually pay.

[AnnS]

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@Neilthedragon wrote:

Regardless, if the contract comes to an end, then, whether you are moving to another ISP or just because its Sunday, you don't owe any money. You were in a contract to use their services and now you're not. So many companies make extra money this way, it's insane that people actually pay.

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That advise is wrong and would get a customer into a lot of financial trouble.  Until the account is cancelled the contract continues and Vodafone are entitled to request payment.

Unless you are moving to another provider the terms of cancellation are 30 days notice, this is same for all providers and Vodafone are explicit about this in the Terms and Conditions here: Home Phone and Broadband Terms and Conditions 

[Jayach]

@Neilthedragon 

Have you actually done what you are advising other to do?

A contract doesn't automatically terminate at the end of the minimum period, it is still a contract and has to be abided by, or there will be consequences,

[Neilthedragon]

I've done it many many times. Do you understand what a contract is? How can you say that you're still in a contract when your contract term is fulfilled? When you give me a logical answer I'll explain to you what I do for a living.

[Cynric]

@Neilthedragon  the Vodafone contract is; you agree to pay X pounds for Y months with annual springtime increase AND when the period is over move to the rolling monthly fee (i.e. an open ended contract). If it were otherwise Vodafone would disconnect you the moment the contract ended.

What part of this do you not understand?

[AnnS]

Certainly hope you don't give that incorrect advise for a living @Neilthedragon 

You should know all contracts roll over until they are cancelled.  This is the same for your Sky TV, all broadband contracts, and your electricity and gas provider.  They don't just stop service and continue to charge until the customer does something about it and cancels or moves provider.