Fasthosts (www.fasthosts.co.uk) are rubbish. Their salesmen are dishonest, and they take money from you without your permission and then give your details to debt collectors if you try to stop them.
Hidding a commitment to a 12 month contract in the small print of the terms & conditions is misrepresentation, and this is illegal. Moreover, any charges they make for non-payment are illegal:
Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations 1999, Schedule 2, paragraph 1, states that terms may be unfair if they have the object or effect of: (e) requiring any consumer who fails to fulfill his obligation to pay a disproportionately high sum in compensation.
The important part here is disproportionately high sum in compensation
.
The terms & conditions relating to suspending accounts is also illegal.
Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations 1999, Schedule 2, paragraph 1, states that terms may be unfair if they have the object or effect of: (c) making an agreement binding on the consumer whereas provision of services by the seller or supplier is subject to a condition whose realisation depends on his own will alone. (f) authorising the seller or supplier to dissolve the contract on a discretionary basis where the same facility is not granted to the consumer...
Clearly these both apply.
Evidence:
The theiving bastards are also on Facebook and Twitter, so if you have any complaints against them then why not make them look foolish in front of their friends?
I am pursuing my complaint with Trading Standards and the Advertising Standards Authority.
Hell hath no fury like a Yorkshireman's wallet scorned.