I have just spoken to a Client who is a Sole Practitioner. Last year for his DX renewal he negotiated a 50% reduction in his subs. (Sounds good doesn't it). For his renewal for this year they have (of course) doubled it from last year i.e. taken it back to the same level as the year before the discount. But, they have also sent him an invoice for "increased" usage last year for more than the 50% which he has already paid.
Whilst he knows they reserve the right to do so he doesn't remember them ever sending him a refund in a year when his usage was less then he had paid for!
It's bad enough having to pay up front (they don't seem to offer an instalment option), but not knowing what the eventual amount will be - it's impossible for a firm to budget.
It would seem better to pay for stamps or franking - pay as you use them and when the workload is higher (with increased fee income) cash flow will allow for greater payments on a month by month basis.
His reaction is simply to "pull the plug on the DX subscription".
Is anyone else having these problems? If you are, please let me know by email.