Netflix user suing streaming service on behalf of 22 million people

A customer claiming he was promised a $7.99 month subscription fee for life is suing the streaming service for price increases

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Think you're paying way too much for your Netflix account?

Some good news, then. There's someone else out there who feels exactly the same way, and they're trying to sue Netflix just for you; and the, you know, estimated 22 million other people potentially affected.

George Keritsis claims he saw an ad promising that Netflix would guarantee a $7.99 monthly subscription fee (via The Hollywood Reporter); calling the company to confirm, and reportedly being told that the fee would be "grandfathered", he subscribed. Yet in October 2012, his rate increased to $8.68 per month; followed by an e-mail the following June telling him his "special pricing" had ended and he would now have to pay $9.99.

"For a period of time, Netflix solicited persons to subscribe to Netflix's streaming service by guaranteeing that Netflix would not increase monthly subscription prices as long as the subscribers maintained the subscription service continuously," states the proposed class action lawsuit. "Netflix has broken its contract with these subscribers by unilaterally raising monthly subscription prices."

Keritsis then phoned the company's helpline, only to be reportedly told the price rise would still occur. "The Netflix representative stated that he could see Plaintiff's account was 'grandfathered in,'" it continues. "Plaintiff protested that the price increase was inconsistent with the lifetime price guarantee. The Netflix representative stated that Netflix would raise prices for all grandfathered accounts, not just Plaintiff's account."

The lawsuit would not only cover Keritsis himself, but "all persons who entered into an agreement with Netflix for a streaming plan at a subscription price that Netflix promised not to increase for as long as they continuously maintained their subscriptions." Which he estimates as, at least, 22 million people.

Netflix is yet to respond to the lawsuit.