USwitch: Compare broadband deals and cut your monthly cost
Ofcom decision to "ban" mid-contract price rises linked to inflation
Hey everyone,
I wanted to drop you a message about Ofcom's half measure in terms of the ban they've put in place. Apologies for the delay in sending this out, the creation of The Regulator guy and UK Consumer Champions Ltd has consumed my summer.
Ofcom have banned mid-contract price rises from being linked to inflation, but companies will still increase our bills each April, they just have to tell us a £/p figure for the increase prior to us signing the contract as per the image at the top of this update. This new regulation comes into force on 17 January 2025.
This is a half measure that will likely actually mean we're seeing larger increases in our bills than inflation in certain years.
We as a group on this petition now have 2 choices:
- We see this as a successful petition and part ways with a smile on our face.
- We push Ofcom for an actual ban on any prices changing during a contracted period.
I'll be honest, I'm a firm believer that option 2 is the way forward. I think this half measure is a slap in the face of consumers and it won't actually help our bills, we'll just have more clarity over how much we're being ripped off. But, this petition relies on a collective effort from all of us, it's our petition and I want this to be democratic. Therefore, please email me at Richard@TheRegulatorGuy.co.uk and let me know which option above you prefer.
One final bit from me, there are two links at the top of this update, one is for the actual Ofcom announcement and the other is for a link to Uswitch to compare broadband prices. If you're looking to save money on your bills, I'm a firm believer in price comparison, so please have a look and see how much you could cut each month.
Thanks everyone, I look forward to hearing your feedback.
Richard Winstone