If your broadband contract is coming to an end then it’s vital that you renegotiate your terms or switch to a new supplier.
That’s the latest advice from Which? who say consumers face huge price hikes if they don’t keep check of their monthly bills.
Worst hit by these end of contract rises appears to be Virgin Media with Which? stating that customers signing up to the VIVID 50 tariff are at risk of the biggest monetary hike at the end of their initial 12-month contract.
In fact, bills can go up by an extra £16 a month or a whopping £192 over a year.
But it’s not just Virgin Media users that can find less money in their bank accounts with those who sign up to TalkTalk’s Faster Fibre Broadband package seeing a 60 per cent rise from £22.45 to £36 a month or £162 over the course of the year.
Other suppliers are also guilty of increasing things once the initial contract has ended with the Post Office, EE, SSE, BT, Vodafone and Sky all mentioned in the report.
For example, BT’s Superfast Fibre Essential package is currently available for £31.99 a month, but after that, it goes up 19 per cent to £37.99 a month and customers could face a hike of 25 per cent from £29.50 to £37 after 18 months.
In fact, the consumer champion found that only Utility Warehouse and Zen internet keep their prices the same for new customers and customers who stay put, with no hike after the minimum term.
There is some good news for consumers as all suppliers must now notify customers when their contract is coming to an end and inform them of their best deals available.
However, Which? says that providers often only show their own deals and customers will still need to shop around to get a good view of the whole market.
Speaking about the report, Natalie Hitchins, Which? Head of Home Products and Services, said: “These findings continue to show it is imperative that broadband customers who are out of contract either contact their supplier to secure a good deal or shop around and look to switch elsewhere.
“While there is nothing wrong with staying with your supplier if you are happy with your service, it is worth noting that without doing anything at the end of the minimum term you could end up paying over the odds. You might save yourself a lot of money by haggling.”
In response a Virgin Media spokesperson said: “Through heavy investment in our network and services, we continue to give our customers more – whether that’s faster speeds of up to 516Mbps, our best TV boxes and routers or new features like Intelligent WiFi which improves in-home connectivity.
“The price and length of any Virgin Media contract is made absolutely clear to our customers when they sign up and the time remaining on a contract is outlined within the monthly bill customers receive. In a similar way to Which?’s own subscription model, once a customer comes to the end of their minimum term (which is 12 months) there is a price change – this is also made clear to customers when they sign up.
“At this point customers are able to contact us and, as always, we’ll help to find the best available deal for them.”
All of the UK’s biggest providers have signed-up to the new commitments including: BT; EE; Giffgaff; O2; Plusnet; Post Office; Sky; TalkTalk; Tesco Mobile; Three; Virgin Media and Vodafone.
This covers the vast majority of broadband, mobile, pay-TV and home phone customers.
Sharon White, Ofcom Chief Executive, said: “I welcome the commitments the providers have made, and the action they’re taking to ensure customers are treated fairly every step of the way.
“Great service cannot be optional. It has to be the norm. That hasn’t always happened in the past in broadband and mobile services, but there is now a growing belief from providers that putting customers first is paramount.”