How to reduce mid contract price hikes

In April 2024 most Broadband/TV companies will increase the amount you pay for your services. See Broadband and Mobile – Prices go up again yet service level goes down. As a consumer expert I am here to help you with lots of ways to bring the price of your contract down

What can you do about price rises?

Usually, if you threaten to leave a company, you’ll be made an offer on better terms. However, you can possibly get even better deals by negotiating.

Be prepared

Do your research and work out how much your exit fee would be, should you be charged one, and see what other companies can offer. Look at comparison sites, including using cashback sites. This would allow you to tell your current provider the price, showing that even with the exit fee it is cheaper to leave.

The best-known and biggest cashback sites are Topcashback* and Quidco* as well as Kidstart* where you can save for your child. Create an account, look up the company from which you wish to buy then register and track your purchase. The time in which you get the cashback amount varies from trader to trader.

Research the deals and discounts your provider and its competitors offer as the basis for negotiation.

Check what TV you want

Look at what you are using before you haggle too as there may be other ways of saving on the actual contract and therefore changing it.

Phone and threaten to leave

You’ll be put through to the department that deals with negotiating. It might be called something quite different along the lines of ending contracts but they will try to convince you to stay.

Before you call, write down two numbers: the maximum you’re willing to pay monthly and the lowest you’re willing to pay. These numbers should guide your haggling: Stay focussed and within the limits you’ve set.

You can probably do this on an online chat too.

Build a good rapport

Be cool, calm, polite and assertive. Keep good humour. People are more open to persuasion if you make them feel good rather than trying to beat them down in price. Make them want to help you.

Write to the Executive team

Find the email address for the CEO from ceoemail.com and write to them saying that you are intending to leave and follow the advice above.  This works if you feel that you don’t want to speak to anyone by telephone or you want your evidence that a deal has been agreed.

Add in a genuine complaint

I wrote to the CEO office at VM. They gave me a price lower than I was already paying. I put in a complaint about their appalling service whilst I told them I was wanting to leave. Last year they put up my price to about £75 a month at the end of the contract. I contacted the Ombudsman and reduced it to about £30 a month. I told them that I was going to leave because of their poor customer service following problems with my email (which was shocking!) and requested £200 in redress, so got that as well.

I look after my Mother’s Sky account. She was already on the biggest discount humanly possible because I sorted that out with the executive office over a year ago. But I did manage to reduce her recent £19 per month increase down to £6. I also got her £30 lump sum as well because of their bad customer service! They were sending her emails and ringing her despite specific instructions not to do so. The previous year I complained about connectivity and requested the discount as well as redress for the issue and gained 6 months refund, a free year’s upgrade and a Wi-fi booster. So be open to agreeing alternatives to contract reductions.

 

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Change your mind if you have just agreed a contract

If you have already agreed a new contract remember that under the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013  you have 14 days cooling off period for changing your mind. So go back and say you have changed your mind and do all the above!

See How to haggle to save the most money for lots of advice and tips on how to haggle.

More help with telecoms

How to save money on and complain about telecom providers

*refer a friend links