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EE and Virgin Media fined £13.3m for overcharging customers EE and Virgin Media fined £13.3m for overcharging customers
(35 minutes later)
Virgin Media and EE have been fined a combined £13.3m by the regulator Ofcom for overcharging nearly 500,000 phone and broadband customers who wanted to leave their contracts early.Virgin Media and EE have been fined a combined £13.3m by the regulator Ofcom for overcharging nearly 500,000 phone and broadband customers who wanted to leave their contracts early.
Ofcom said both companies broke consumer protection rules by failing to make clear the charges customers would have to pay if they ended their contract early and levying “excessive” fees to leave. Ofcom said both companies broke consumer protection rules by failing to make clear the charges customers would have to pay if they ended their contract early and by levying “excessive” fees to leave.
The watchdog’s investigation into early exit charges at the groups found about 400,000 EE customers who ended their contracts early were overbilled, which resulted in customers overpaying up to £4.3m. The watchdog’s investigation into early exit charges at the groups found about 400,000 EE customers who ended their contracts early were overbilled, which resulted in customers overpaying up to £4.3m in total.
Ofcom added that almost 82,000 Virgin Media customers were overcharged a total of just under £2.8m. Almost 82,000 Virgin Media customers were overcharged a total of just under £2.8m.
As a result, Ofcom has fined the BT-owned EE £6.3m and Liberty Global’s Virgin Media £7m.As a result, Ofcom has fined the BT-owned EE £6.3m and Liberty Global’s Virgin Media £7m.
Phone and broadband companies can charge customers who decide to leave their contracts early but under Ofcom rules those charges must be made clear to customers and must not make switching to another provider too costly. Phone and broadband companies can charge customers who decide to leave their contracts early, but under Ofcom rules those charges must be made clear to customers and must not make switching to another provider too costly.
Gaucho Rasmussen, Ofcom’s director of investigations and enforcement, said: “EE and Virgin Media broke our rules by overcharging people who ended their contracts early.Gaucho Rasmussen, Ofcom’s director of investigations and enforcement, said: “EE and Virgin Media broke our rules by overcharging people who ended their contracts early.
“Those people were left out of pocket and the charges amounted to millions of pounds.“Those people were left out of pocket and the charges amounted to millions of pounds.
“That is unacceptable. These fines send a clear message to all phone and broadband firms that they must play by the rules, in the interests of their customers.”“That is unacceptable. These fines send a clear message to all phone and broadband firms that they must play by the rules, in the interests of their customers.”
Both companies have since agreed to change their terms and reduce exit charges, Ofcom said. Both companies had since agreed to change their terms and reduce exit charges, Ofcom said.
Internet, phones & broadbandInternet, phones & broadband
EEEE
Virgin MediaVirgin Media
Consumer affairsConsumer affairs
Telecommunications industryTelecommunications industry
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