Telus → [BC] Telus Cancellation Policy

My girlfriend and I both have Telus OptikTV and signed a 3 year contract starting Dec 2011. Now we are moving in together and seems that there is no way out of one of the contracts but to pay the cancellation fee or find someone who will take over one of the contracts. I even offered to add on the remaining terms from one contract to the existing contract but seems it is not possible. Any recommendation or advice!

Seems odd you can't stack years. But in cause you didn't know, if you didn't get a gift when you signed up, only Optik TV is under contract. If you did get a gift then it is internet+tv.

just say that one of u are moving to an area that they do not support telus tv..ie use a relatives address in a small town.. they will try to sell u satellite tv.. tell em satellite dishes are not allowed on the property due to restrictions by the land lord. they will then cancel it free of charge and u just ship back the set top boxes and modem.. works every time!

If you received a gift you would be billed for it during this situation.

I'm reasonably certain that they told me there wouldnt be any fees in that situation.

Do you have any suggestions about how to protect yourself when getting into these 'verbal contracts' with Telus?

Yeah.. Just don't do it.

Easy, ask for it in writing. But tell them your internet is down and you can download the pdf version. As well state to them you really really really need your internet to work and see what happens. lol

not much else you can do when dealing with "mono" type businesses.

Though, I guess if you had the time and $'s you could always get a lawyer to handle things for you, but I think thats more than most would do. It would come down to precedence.

spelling error, was to read "CAN'T download the pdf version" not can. lol but I dont think it matters ether way.

Verbal contracts are supposed to have safety criteria so a customer is not screwed by what was verbally offered and what was actually delivered.
Some criteria is pointing the customer to a website for the exact contract terms or sending an email of contract terms for approval or signing.

'Arbitration' is not a fair practice when a customer disputes a service.
An Arbitrator must never be an employee of the company and should always be a disinterested third party.
The monetary cost or bias of an Arbitrator can dis-wade people from challenging an unfair practice by the company.
You can not be denied access to the courts for resolving issues(via a lawsuit). But corporations keeps writing 'arbitration' in contracts and hope people will be dumb enough to believe it.

On the Rogers and Bell side of this forum, people sign up for services via a door to door salesman who bullshits his way into your life to get you to sign a 'not a chance in hell service terms' for his nice commission. The Telco/Cableco will then deny anything the salesman said when it comes to the exact terms of the service. You then can cancel the contract without penalty for reasons of fraud by the salesman.

All 'gifts' that were given as a bonus to sign up for a contract are to be pro-rated per month for remaining time of legitimate contract terms. Gift would be deemed as $20(based on pre-disclosed monetary value) per month times time remaining of two year contract. Otherwise companies were charging generically a $300 fee for two months of remaining contract, instead of $40.

A contract can never be automatically renewed/extended without permission of the customer at the time of renewal or extension.

»consumerprotectionbc.ca/ ··· r-rights

Placing a phone call which places you in a contract or service criteria.
contract:::
Distance sales contract: "means a contract for the supply of goods or services between a supplier and a consumer that is not entered into in person and, with respect to goods, for which the consumer does not have the opportunity to inspect the goods that are the subject of the contract before the contract is entered into, ...."

»www.bclaws.ca/EPLibrarie ··· ivision4
Copy of distance sales contract

48 (1) A supplier must give a consumer who enters into a distance sales contract a copy of the contract within 15 days after the contract is entered into.

(2) The copy of the distance sales contract given under subsection (1) must contain

(a) the information described in section 46 [disclosure of information],

(b) the consumer's name, and

(c) the date the contract was entered into.

(3) In addition to section 183 (2) [how to give or serve documents generally], the supplier may give a copy of the distance sales contract to the consumer

(a) by sending the copy by electronic mail to the electronic mail address provided by the consumer to the supplier for the provision of information related to the contract, or

(b) by giving the copy by any other manner that enables the supplier to prove that the consumer has received and retained the copy.

(4) A copy of the distance sales contract given in accordance with subsection (3) (a) is deemed to be received on the 3rd day after it is sent.

* * *

Disclosure of information

46 (1) A supplier must disclose the following information to a consumer before the consumer enters into a distance sales contract:

(a) the information referred to in sections 19 (a) to (c), (f) to (j) and (n) [required contents of contract] and 23 (2) [required contents of future performance contract];

(b) if available, the supplier's electronic mail address;

(c) a detailed description of the goods or services to be supplied under the contract, including any relevant technical or system specifications;

(d) the currency in which amounts owing under the contract are payable;

(e) the supplier's delivery arrangements, including the identity of the shipper, the mode of transportation and the place of delivery to the consumer;

(f) the supplier's cancellation, return, exchange and refund policies, if any;

(g) any other prescribed information.

(2) The supplier must disclose the information required under subsection (1) in a clear and comprehensible manner.

Interesting, I guess its different in Alberta. I have never received a copy of a contract from anyone (tel,cell,tv,utilities). It make sense to send a copy. But, maybe mailing a copy of a contract it just to expensive.

I agree. I'm situated in Alberta, and I didn't receive a copy of a contract from anyone either.

An interesting thing about getting a 'copy of the contract' is some companies will have some legalize somewhere about the customer waiving getting a copy of the contract, and of course forgetting to mention that part to the customer.

The importance of getting a copy of the contract or service agreement at signup is when 6 months down the road and having a dispute and the company says that part you are disputing is not in the contract. Of course the contract or service agreement changed shortly after you signed up and without a signup copy, it makes it that much more a pain to get things disputed.

The biggest problem in contracts/service agreements is when they are 90%-100% in favor of the corporation and that creates a bias where it is not a mutually agreed contract that is fair to both parties, as companies then have the bias of being able to provide a crappy service/product and disclaim it with various disclaimers to prevent the customer from easily disputing/no-cost-canceling over those issues.
Some parts of contracts being unlawful as they strip your basic Rights, with a disclaimer of 'just because these parts are unlawful, we still own your ass, as per the other parts'.

Heres links to consumer services in Alberta. Its a bit harder to find stuff on it as they have many things to look through.

»www.servicealberta.gov.a ··· ndex.cfm

consumer information:
»www.servicealberta.gov.a ··· Info.cfm

Fair trading act: PDF
»www.servicealberta.gov.a ··· _Act.pdf

consumer tips and resources: A bunch of PDF's at the link
»www.servicealberta.gov.a ··· r%20tips