Rolling Contracts

[Sean]

I've had a look through the forum list and I guess this is the best place to ask this - it's more legal advise really

One of our suppliers of particular web services is quite expensive so we were looking around for other suppliers and we found one we liked that was significantly cheaper. However, when we informed our current supplier in December that we would not be renewing our licensing and support, due at the end of January, they informed us that the terms of our contract say that we have a rolling contract and we need to inform them 90 days before the renewal date if we want to cancel and as this date has past we are now 'locked in' for at least another year

 

We checked all the small print and that is, indeed, what the Ts & Cs say, however, I have heard of cases where certain Ts & Cs have no backing from the law and are effectively not worth the paper they're printed on - does anyone know how the law applies in this case?

 

I think 'Scam' is a harsh word considering that they do provide some kind of service, albeit at a hugely inflated price compared to some of their competitors but, on the other hand, I have this nagging feeling that if we were a pensioner rather than an Academy then Ann Robinson might be interested in our story...

Thanks guys

[Steve21]

Had the exact same with some before and basically had to pay it. ("Or" pay the deferral fine which is normally a chunk of the year renewal but then you lose the whole service)

 

You could refuse but then it's hassle with legal issues if they wanted as you mentioned.

 

On a side note though, what's the exact wording of it? As some of our ones we've got out of before said 90 days notice, but nothing about renewing for a whole year so we just renewed for 90 days

 

Steve

[DanielDi]

Contracts like that are the future. One day everyone will work that way. My next member of staff will be on one.

[Seb1780]

This is an old, and perfectly legal, gotcha.

 

We fell foul of just such a thing a few years back, only in this case the supplier was our own LA!

 

I'm afraid it's pay-up and learn time. Oh, and take a good look at all your other contracts too.