UPC cancellation charge - ridiculous

My housemate has been with UPC for over three years (even longer as it was under a different name at same address before her), and has had various problems with speed and connection over the years. Last year when it got to the point where they actually listened to the many complaints about the internet connection, the customer service agent told her the only way to improve the internet access was to get a new contract, which she did.

This summer we were in the process of moving to another area of the city and asked UPC to change the names on the contract to one of the new housemates coming into the house... a process that she went through previously, when she became a tenant over 3 years ago. The names and bank details were switched no problem then. This time UPC said that due to "data protection" that this is no longer possible. This change in policy was never communicated to her, something the terms and conditions states should be communicated to all customers!

So, she requested to move UPC to the new address. UPC agent told her that only the television service is available in this rural area. The internet is not available in this area at all.

On consulting the terms and conditions, it states on p.19 under condition 11.7 " if you terminate this Agreement before the end of the Minimum Period other than in the circumstances outlined in Paragraph 12 you must pay us a cancellation charge as per Paragraph 3".

In paragraph 12 (ii) it states "if we significantly reduce the content of the Services you may terminate this Agreement by giving us one month's notice within 30 days of such change".


UPC contend that because we choose to move house that we still have to fulfill the contractual obligations, despite not providing us with the service that we actually require - the internet. In the new house, there is no television hence we do not require a television service. They demanded we pay 200e cancellation fee. She outlined the circumstances in an email (which I'm taking most of this info from right now) and was sent an automatic email back which acknowledged the cancellation.

She followed this up a week later with a phone call to an agent who said the account was still live... she demanded it be cancelled and was told that the billing department will be expecting the 200e cancellation fee. She went straight to the bank and filled out a deauthorisation slip to make sure that her bank account will not be debited any further bills. The equipment is still in the previous apartment as we have moved since then, and an email was sent to collections to pick it up. The new tenants in our old place could easily have just used this equipment but had to set up entirely new contracts with UPC.

The past few weeks have been ridiculous and I've told my housemate to pay no further heed to UPC, but she is obviously very angry with UPC over the treatment that she has received from their customer service agents. She's also expecting a bill for 200e to be sent to the old address which she no longer lives at.

I know that she was still under contract to them, but surely when they cannot provide the most vital service then they are not keeping up with their contractual obligations as a provider of a service. They charge enough for what has been a pretty unreliable service in the past. Also, if a customer needs to move house, they are suddenly penalised??

TL;DR
Has anybody else been chased for this 200e cancellation fee for moving house to an area where UPC doesn't even provide a service to?

And has anybody actually paid the 200e cancellation fee? If it was in my name, I certainly would not.