Now this is the kind of news story we can really sink out teeth into!

We just hate national news stories that make our competition look like money grubbing scam artists… 

Courtesy of CBC News:

Laurel Banfield has a problem with her contract for home phone, cable TV and high-speed internet services — she didn’t even know she had one.

The company won’t give her anything in writing about it, and she is locked in for another eight months.

“It’d just be nice to have something in writing showing my obligations as a customer to Rogers,” Banfield said.

Last year, after she saw her bill go up a couple of times, Banfield called Rogers.

The agent applied some discounts to her services. That’s where the problem started.

By agreeing to those discounts, Banfield unwittingly entered into a contract. She says she’s since been told that the cancellation fees to get out of it are $60 per month. So she’s staying with Rogers until September.

“I guess I keep paying them until they tell me I don’t have to,” Banfield said.

Banfield isn’t the only person to get frustrated about tangly contract situations and unexpected fees.

Last year, the provincial government decided to take action to aid consumers.

The result, Bill 6, is aimed at making contracts easier to understand.

The law says fixed-term contract cancellation fees are capped at either $50, or the remaining portion of any discount offered on equipment. For example, a consumer signs a three-year contract for a $600 iPhone, but gets it for free. If they decide to end the contract a year early, they would be on the hook for $200 – the pro-rated portion of the phone’s value.

Under the law, the province can go to court on behalf of the consumer.

Good for them, but still, what a huge pain in the butt! Here’s an idea:

Why not sign up with a company that has no contract?

I can recommend a great one!