Why did Ofcom decide to look into additional charges?
Ofcom has received many complaints about these additional charges. A lot of these complaints have been about non direct debit charges. Weve had a lot of letters from MPs about this, and there have been a number of newspaper articles. However, weve also had complaints about other extra charges, in particular charges for terminating a contract early. Weve had complaints about a number of different suppliers. The increasing level of complaints has provided the opportunity to carry out a full review across a broad range of charges common in the communications industry. This doesnt necessarily mean that firms are doing anything wrong, but its our job to make sure that companies play fair, and that ordinary customers know what to look out for. Weve also heard worries that these extra charges hit people with the lowest incomes. For example, they may not have a bank account and then have to pay more because they cant set up a direct debit.
