Imagine you have been paying N$400.00 per month for a service, and then out of nowhere you receive a N$550.00 invoice. Knowing your payment history more than anyone else, you contact your service provider and angrily ask why the sudden increase in your monthly invoice. Once you have calmed down, your service provider explains to you that the contract you signed made provision for an automatic annual tariff increase without prior notice.
Has this ever happened to you? The above scenario happens to be the best of us, we sign contracts without even reading through page one. Someone said, sometimes signing a contract with a service provider can feel like getting married on the first date; most take a leap of faith rather than an informed decision.
To be safe, you should never sign a contract unless you have read it, and understand it fully, because once you sign it, you are legally bound to do what it says. If you are unsure, you should not sign, but seek legal advice.
Before you sign a contract it is important that you understand the following:
- The duration of the contract,
- Your contractual obligations,
- The contractual obligations of the service provider,
- Termination clause, what to do if you want to cancel the contract?
- Renewal clause, what to do if you want to renew that contract?
- How much are you paying or will you be paying?
- What are you paying for?
Watch the Media for more information about CRAN’s #OWNit! Campaign and share your experiences on contracts at facebook.com/CRANamibia.
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