GOING TO TRAVEL? YOU CAN STOP CHARGING MONTHLY FEES LIKE INTERNET AND CABLE TV!
by Denise Pinheiro
If you're going to be away from home for a long time, why not stop charging for contracted services? After all, you won't enjoy them. You can thus save and, at the same time, make up for the extra expenses you will have with your trip. As a consumer of services, you have the right to request the temporary interruption of some services such as pay TV and landline, mobile phone, internet, electricity and water for the period when you are not at home, as well as the right to then request the restart.
It is only necessary to evaluate, first, if it compensates, since some companies charge fees for suspension and/or reconnection of services. First of all, find out the time required for you to request the interruption of the service. If the trip is last minute, you may not be able to request a break from day one. Let's look at some important details regarding some services:
1) The non-defaulting consumer has the right to request the interruption of internet, pay TV, landline and mobile telephone services every 12 months. And the interruption must respect the minimum period of 30 days and the maximum of 120 days. During this period, the consumer does not need to pay for the suspended services.
How is the order placed?
Just contact the SAC of the company providing the service.
It is worth it?
You can't ask on long holidays, if you're going to be away from home for more than 30 days it's worth it.
Will there be fees charged?
In this case no, neither for the interruption nor for the reclosure.
Care:
To prove the period in which the services were inoperative, ask for the protocol number of your application/service.
Deadline for fulfilling your request:
the company has 24 hours to fulfill your order.
Reconnection deadline:
When requesting the end of the block, the consumer must have the service restarted by the provider within 24 hours.
This right is restricted to consumers who are up to date with the payment of their bills.
Source: Resolutions 426/2005; 477/2007, 488/2007. as amended by Resolution 528/2009 and 614/2013, all issued by ANATEL.
2) Interruption of water supply: The water supply can also be interrupted for a trip, at the request of the non-defaulting consumer. In this case, an indefinite interruption of the water supply may be requested. This interruption period must be negotiated with the concessionaire. Depending on the concessionaire, a final consumption invoice may be issued, which must be paid, and, depending on the concessionaire, the service cannot be requested either 3 days before or 3 days after the date of the water meter reading. Importantly, the company may charge a fee both for the interruption and for the supply to be resumed.
Legal Basis: Regulation of each concessionaire
3) Interruption of electric energy supply: In the case of electric energy, to check the conditions of supply interruption, it is necessary to contact the company that serves the region. Each dealership has its own rules. It is advisable to keep electrical appliances disconnected, especially those that pose risks (for example: iron, grill, curling iron, flat iron, etc.). In all cases, to request the suspension of the service, the customer must have the accounts up to date.
Legal Basis: Regulation of each concessionaire
4) As for gyms, courses, subscriptions to magazines and newspapers, it is necessary to analyze the contract signed with the supplier of these services, to see if it is possible to request their temporary interruption, as well as to know what procedures to follow.