Annual CPI Price Increase in March 2020 - Not in contract?

[barnsbury]

I signed up to BT Phone and Broadband in December 2018 to a 18 month contract.  The contract expires in June 2020, so is 5 months away.

I today received an email that my landline call prices are going to increase with CPI in March.  I called BT to ask if I can leave BT without paying a penalty. She said No, as all customers have the annual CPI increase in their contracts.

But the BT website says only new customers who took out a contact after 11 January 2019 are affected and have this in their contracts.  I re-contracted in December 2018, so I should not have this increase in my contract? So, surely I should be able to cancel BT penalty free?

This is very confusing.  Can someone please clarify?

Many thanks

[tickhill]

The terms and conditions are perhaps a bit clearer here.

Contracting in 2019 and price increase in 2020.

Contracting between 11/1/19 and 16/1/20 first price rise in March 2020

Contracting after 17/1/20 and first price rise in March 2021

https://www.bt.com/help/broadband/annual-price-changes-and-cpi

[pottyperson]

@barnsbury   Seems to me that the agent you spoke to had it wrong. Although the automatic CPI increase does not attract the right to cancel without penalty, it applies only to minimum periods commencing on or after 11 January 2019. Having commenced before that date, yours would be subject to the previous T&C, under which there would generally be provision to terminate without penalty in the event of a price increase even if it was simply in line with CPI. I'm asking the forum moderators to have a look at your issue and they will post here in the morning.

@tickhill  That confirms the position but the line "Contracting in 2019 and price increase in 2020" is superfluous unless I'm missing something.  

[barnsbury]

Thanks PottyPerson for your helpful reply.  I will await the reply from the forum moderator

[tickhill]

@pottyperson. I should have deleted the line "Contracting in 2019 and price increase in 2020" from the draft copy before posting. My error.
Otherwise the link says it all.

[JohnC2]

Hi @barnsbury sorry that you are having difficulty cancelling without cancellation charges. I've sent you a Private Message with details on how to contact the Mod team and we will be happy to help you with this.

cheers
John

[Jimmyb983]

Hi, hopefully it's okay tagging onto this same thread.

I am in a very similar situation.

I recontracted in October 2018 and today received an email stating my prices are due to increase. 

My contract doesn't end until October 2020 and this evening was told I too cannot leave penalty free.

Has anyone had success with this as I thought it should only affect contracts from 11th January 2019 onwards.

Many thanks.

[pottyperson]

@Jimmyb983  You're right, and I've brought your post to the attention of the moderators for assistance.

[NeilO]

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for your posts, we've raised this for clarification and will post back when we have an update.

Thanks

Neil

[Jimmyb983]

Thanks all.