# Meteor Contract - how do I end the contract?



## guessaname (26 Jun 2009)

Hi,

I'm finishing up my 1 year Meteor Talk60 price plan contract in August. I don't want to continue it, how do I end the contract? Do I need to tell them in written? If yes, can I do it now or wait until August? If I don't tell them, will they again put me in another year contract automatically?

Sorry for so many questions.

Cheers
G


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## jack2009 (26 Jun 2009)

your contract expires and that is the end of it.  They will still provide you with service but you can then leave at any stage.


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## Tinker Bell (26 Jun 2009)

I finished up with bill pay after five years with them. No problem - just making too few calls to warrant DD. Go to their web page and ring the number. After a wait you get through but do it before the start of July or they may charge you for an extra month.


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## Tinker Bell (26 Jun 2009)

jack2009 said:


> your contract expires and that is the end of it.  They will still provide you with service but you can then leave at any stage.


 I was charged for an extra month because I didn't give them 28 days notice - in March. My minimum contract had expired on February 2006


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## Smashbox (26 Jun 2009)

Email them. info@meteor.ie


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## schmile (28 Jun 2009)

Emailing doesn't work I tried that. I ended my 1 year old last year. You have to give 28 days notice and cannot give that notice until your year is up. So say your billing period is 25 July to 25 august and so your year is up on 25 august you will then have to pay for the  25 aug - 25 september month. Giving them a call is the best way. Be sure to check that you are disconnected after that time though (you will go back to payg and need credit) because I was told I would be but never was and they expected an extra 28 days notice so I had to pay two extra months for their mistake.


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## Ash 22 (28 Jun 2009)

I got rid of landline and went with Meteor contract for a year. I'm a bit sorry I did this and considering going back with landline again. Do any of you know if I could get out of contract or what penalty would have to be paid?


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## Smashbox (28 Jun 2009)

I emailed and cancelled no problem, schmile


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## bond-007 (28 Jun 2009)

Port the number to vodafone or o2 pre pay and that will end your meteor contract without you needing to contact them.


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## JoeB (28 Jun 2009)

schmile said:


> You have to give 28 days notice and cannot give that notice until your year is up. So say your billing period is 25 July to 25 august and so your year is up on 25 august you will then have to pay for the  25 aug - 25 september month.



I wondered about that... I am on Meteor and that is the way the wording goes in the contract.. the one months notice cannot be given until after the year is up.. so the one year minimum contract actually becomes a thirteen month contract.

I had to clarify several points with Meteor and didn't raise that one during my cooling off period even though I understood the contract did in fact seem to say that thirteen months was the minimum...

I will now confirm this with Meteor and if the 'one year contract' is effectively a thirteen month contract I will complain to Comreg... and do everything I can to prevent Meteor refusing to take notice after eleven months.. this is a dishonest practice by Meteor. The contract is verbally stated to be for a year, not thirteen months, regardless of the wording of the written contract. I will be forceful in my complaint and will repeatedly state that the shop staff are lying when they say the contract is for twelve months, if indeed there is no way to bring the contract to an end after 12 months. 

Meteor will likely agree to end my contract after twelve months as I can be very persistent... however that will not do me... I will seek that they change the contract for everybody... if anyone has been 'stung' by this please email me and I will also act on your behalf, it will strengthen my position also if I can demonstate that Meteor do in fact force people to pay for thirteen months.


OP, give notice in writing now.. email should be sufficient but request confirmation.. and keep doing so until you receive it.. log all dates and times of your contacts with Meteor, and record phone calls if possible.

Cheers 
Joe


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## bond-007 (28 Jun 2009)

The way around it is to give notice at the end of the 11th month. Or port your number at the end of the 11th month.


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## JoeB (29 Jun 2009)

Yes, but Schmile says that Meteor won't accept notice until the twelve months are up.. and you have to give a months notice which means the minimum period is thirteen months. Seems very unfair and is unfair in my view.. after all the sales staff in the shops say it is a twelve month contract...

Quote from Meteor website.. 
(at [broken link removed])
_The Term of this Agreement shall be for a Minimum Period of 12 months from the date of connection to the Network. This Term and Minimum Period will be extended for a further period of 12 months following any upgrade of your Equipment, which will include the re-execution or new execution of terms, or your acceptance in writing of any new terms and conditions. *On expiry of the Term, either party may terminate this Agreement on the giving of 30 days written notice *and, in the absence of such notice this Agreement shall be deemed to continue on from month to month based on the Terms and Conditions herein._
end quote

a close reading of that will confirm what Schmile said...

Now while I read the contract closely and did see what it said, and was going to question it I didn't.. for several reasons... one of which is that I'm unlikely to want to quit after exactly 12 months and am happy enough with 13..

However it is totally unfair, the product and term was falsely stated to be twelve months.. as I say Meteor will likely accept notice after twelve months if you're persistent enough.. however it shouldn't be up to the customer to shout loudly to get a 12 month contract... it is sold as a 12 month contract... but there is no mechanism to end after 12 months.. you can only give a months notice after 12  giving 13 in total.

I will ask Meteor if there is any way the twelve month contract can be ended in twelve months... it is a simple question which can be answered with a yes or a no.. I will demand either a yes or a no... if I get a no I will write to Comreg and the Consumer Association and demand that the contract be changed, and that all custumers that have been so affected be offered a refund.. 

I will keep people posted as to my progress.. maybe Meteor will accept notice after 11 months but that hasn't been Schmiles experience...


Schmile.. can you confirm if you attempted to give notice after eleven months and it was refused? Can I mention your case in my communications with Comreg and the Consumer Association?

I am disgusted at how little protection Comreg offer the consumer, and how little Minister Eamon Ryan seems to care, please see my other thread about a two year long battle I have had with Comreg and more recently with Minister Eamon Ryan about illegally formed contracts in use by all broadband providers today... 
(see thread http://www.askaboutmoney.com/showthread.php?t=110422)

Cheers
Joe


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## bond-007 (29 Jun 2009)

Comreg are worse than useless in these situations. You might get somewhere with the CAI but I would not hold my breath. I doubt that the 13 months can be enforced in court as it is sold as a 12 month contract. 

If you were to port your number to say o2 or vodafone prepay at the end of the 11th month all meteor could do is charge you for the 12th month and that would be the end of it. I would threaten to do that and see if they change their tact. 


> _*On expiry of the Term, either party may terminate this Agreement on the giving of 30 days written notice*_


Nothing there saying that the notice cannot be given 30 days before the end of the year. All it says is it cannot be terminated until the term is up but nothing prohibiting notice being given within the minimum term.


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## JoeB (29 Jun 2009)

To be honest I disagree... I think the wording is that you cannot give notice during the term, you can only give notice after the term has expired...

It'd be great if Schmile could confirm her story.. she more-or-less said that Meteor refused to take notice during the term, resulting in a minimum 13 month contract period. I would expect Meteor to take notice after 11 months but I'm not so sure... I wouldn't be surprised if they attempted to force the 13th month upon people..

If they've attempted to force the 13th month on anybody, even a single person, (possibly Schmile?) then it's unfair and means they were lying when they said a 12 month minimum contract at point of sale...


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## JoeB (20 Jul 2009)

I have since rang Meteor about this and they did say on the phone that they will take notice after eleven months.. but I don't have it in writing so the info may not be accurate.

The first month is  a pro-rata month and not a full month.. so that may cause a little confusion too...


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## JoeB (20 Jul 2009)

I have since rang Meteor about this and they did say on the phone that they will take notice after eleven months.. but I don't have it in writing so the info may not be accurate.

The first month is  a pro-rata month and not a full month.. so that may cause a little confusion too...


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## bond-007 (20 Jul 2009)

Well, they have no choice really. They cannot make a 12 month contract into a 13 month contract by sleight of hand. It would never stand up in court if it was ever pushed that far.


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