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View Full Version : Can they renege on a contract?


Palm_tree
17-01-2006, 17:24
I recently decided to switch from BT Broadband and BT phone to Telewest Broadband TV, phone and internet package as, with their offers, it would be cheaper. I signed and returned contract and the installation man arrived at 1pm on the agreed day to install. He successfully connected both TV and broadbad modem but after 8 hours (yes, eight) he failed to install the phone service. Apparently the phone requires a separate cable, the conduit is alread 'full' with no more room for an extra cable. According to Telewest someone is 'illegally' using their conduit. My case has now been referred to their 'planning department'. This means that unless they get permission to dig up the road to lay new conduit (unlikely) I will have no phone installed and will be spending more money instead of saving. Do I have a get out here? Telewest say 'no' as my contract does not start until the service is installed.

SMHarman
17-01-2006, 17:27
So if they have no contract with you until the phone is installed and the triple play is in operation you have no requirement to pay them money as you have no contractual obligation to them :shrug:

andygrif
18-01-2006, 12:14
Exactly. They have failed to provide the package that you have requested, therefore you are perfectly within your rights to tell them to disconnect with immidate effect any services they did manage to connect.

You should, under consumer law, give them a 'reasonable' time to resolve the problem. Personally in this case I would consider reasonable to be 7 days.

I suggest you write to them, informing them that you do not wish to have the installed services connected and activated and that unless they can resolve the phone issue within the next seven days then you do not wish to deal with them any further. Make it clear that the services you had installed are NOT to be connected, and more importantly that you are NOT to be charged until the phone line is activated.