Legal Advise

[Retro_look]

Basically I have just had a phone call from my old ISP from around 2 years ago saying I need to pay them £400 for there services from then until now. What happen was that I normally get a letter each month saying that I need to pay them for that months use, but these letters stopped and so did my service (ie i couldn't log in), so naturally I thought the contract had run out and so I didn't renew it as I had access to another internet service in my house. I hadn't had a single monthly bill or phone call from them until now. Can they do this? as at the time I don't remember or have any record of cancelling but not renewing or continuing either, but yet again I've had no contact from them in around 2 years. I also like to state that even if the service they provided was available at the time I had no idea and never logged in to use it and cant understand why a ISP would let a running service go on this long unpaid without even billing me for 2 years or sending a account in arrears letter ect. Any advise would be great.

[The Mighty Elvi]

surely if you have another internet service at your house, then that would have cancelled the first when you switch MAC numbers. i.e switching from BT to Sky.

contracts shouldn't automatically renew if its a fixed term, say 12 months with BT for example.

Need more info. You need to speak to them. Was original contract fixed term or rolling. Why no contact for 2 years? Why no service? You'l have cause for complain to the ombudsman.

sounds like a f**k up on their end.

[Retro_look]

The company is supanet and I had been with them since I was on dial up at first then switched to broadband and cant even remember what kinda of contract I was on as it was so long ago. It went through the BT lane line, but my current internet is virgin media through the cable box. But yes I haven't had contact with them for around 2 years because I assumed I wasn't tied to them anymore as they never contacted me about a renewal or anything outstanding at the time, but just out of the blue I get the phone call with this bill. But in all honestly if the service was still running how can they charge me now after 2 years and not bill me each month or let me know I'm in arrears if this was the case. Is there someone I can contact to get advise?

[The Mighty Elvi]

Ok.

You need to get them to send you a copy of the contract you signed up with.  If you signed an on-going contract with them, then you are still liable if it hasn't been cancelled.

Once you have the contract copy and find you are tied to them because it has not been cancelled, cancel it. Explain the situation that you received no bill for 2 years and demand a substantial discount as a gesture of good will and you are reporting them to OFCOM and the ombudsman.

[Retro_look]

thank you very much