Reconnection fee charged following suspension of service

A complaint commonly received by the TIO is that a provider has charged a standard fee to reconnect a service, following temporary disconnection for non-payment.

If a service provider has only barred part of a customer's service for non-payment, or if it has disconnected a service by mistake or due to an administrative error, it should not charge a reconnection fee for reinstating that service. In such circumstances, the TIO would expect a provider to waive any reconnection fee.

Otherwise, the TIO generally takes the view that a provider is within its rights to charge a reconnection fee where a customer has not paid an account, if the provider has given adequate notice to its customer of its intention to disconnect the relevant service and if the provider also advises subsequent financial ramifications, e.g. the charging of a reconnection fee. For further information, see the TIO’s position statement on Notification of Suspension or Disconnection of a Service.

An exception to this position would involve situations where a complainant claims that, prior to disconnection of their service, they notified their provider of difficulty in paying their account due to hardship. For more information, see the TIO’s position statement on Hardship and Payment Difficulties.

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