BT Broadband Complaint - Verbal contracts and misleading information

DonnyDave · 29 December 2006 at 5:09PM

I have been on BT Broadband for a few years now and am currently being charged £24.99 per month for "BT Broadband 2Mb 20GB MPP". This is how it is described on my bill.

After receiving a letter promoting a "free upgrade", I received a telephone call about asking whether I would like to accept this offer. Usually I do not agree to anything over the phone because I prefer to decide in my own time, having read about the offer.

I asked about the download limit, as Option 2 is 6GB and mine is 20GB and was told that this would not change. I also asked about taking up the offer for BT Employees and Pensioners of Option 2 for £19.49 for 24 months. This was done by another department (naturally) and at no point did the caller say that I would be best to place my order through this other department.

I reitterated the bit about the download limit and the caller confirmed that this would not change. I agreed to the offer providing that the download limit would not change and that I could take up the reduced rate for BT People.

I then called another number to request the discount for BT People and was informed that moving to this Option would indeed mean my download limit changing to 6GB. I asked about cancelling the original upgrade and was told that nothing had been put through.

The following day I received an email confirming my order! I then telephoned again and (supposedly) cancelled the order.

Lo and behold, a BT Home Hub arrived this morning!

I know that I have a seven day "cooling off" period, but as far as I am concerned, I never agreed to this contract with a 6GB limit. I also stipulated that I would only accept if I could have the BT People rebate.

How do I stand legally on this? There is such a thing a verbal contract, is there not, and does it work both ways?

The initial letter promoting the offer has the words "Free upgrade" stamped in large type on the top. How can it be an "upgrade" when my limit is going down? Would it be worth writing to Trading Standards about this?

miniemma · 31 December 2006 at 12:08PM

I had very similar trouble with BT. I told them I was leaving and they offered me a very good deal with a 3 month contract, I double checked that it really was 3 months contract and reiterated over and over that I didn't want a 12 month contract. Two days later I received a letter thanking me for signing up for a further 12 months !!!

I rang AND emailed and complained and they investigated and cancelled my contract

I am now with Madasafish

DonnyDave · 18 January 2007 at 1:36PM

I still have no comment from BT. The Home Hub is still in its packaging. :mad:

The address given for complaints is for Mrs Jillian G Lewis, Customer Services Director. I sent a letter recorded delivery on 3 January and the Royal Mail says it was received on 5 January.

To date I have had no response, so I sent Mrs Lewis an email asking what was happening with my letter (didn't include details about the complaint) on Tuesday 16 January I have a read receipt for. Still no reply or acknowledgement.

To summarise my complaint I made in the OP:

Following a letter from BT, I received a telephone call asking if I wanted to upgrade to BT Total Broadband Option 2 at a lower price of £22.99 per month. I was paying £24.99 for what is shown on my bill as BT Broadband 2Mb 20GB MPP. Option 2 is shown on the website as 6GB, and the letter makes no mention of a download limit change. The word 'upgrade' implies that I will have no less a limit.

I agreed subject to (and I made these clear):
- The download limit remaining as it is (20GB)
- Being eligible to take up a discount for BT Employees/Pensioners
I then rang to register for the BT People discount and was told that no order had been put through. I asked about the download limit and was told that I was mislead and that 'Upgrading' to Option 2 would mean a drop in my limit.
On receipt of an email confiming the order, I phoned and cancelled it.
On 29 December I received the BT Home Hub. The order date shown on it is on 23 December, 3 days after I cancelled.
3 January: Post letter to Mrs Lewis at BT.
16 January: E-mailed Mrs Lewis.

richcook · 23 January 2007 at 10:39PM

bt calls recorded, call bt to complain ask for a manager, tell them you want the call listened to and everything reinstating

DonnyDave · 24 January 2007 at 9:10AM

I e-mailed Mrs Lewis again on Saturday evening with a full lowdown and the original letter attached. I selected the option for a read receipt for the e-mail, which I received Sunday evening. Monday I received a call from Dawn in customer services acknowledging the complaint and yesterday she called me again.

Apparently I had been mislead with regards the download limit which, on Option 2 is now 8GB (was 6GB). The letter says a "free upgrade", so I think that it is misleading and I am considering sending a copy to Trading Standards along with printouts of webpages promoting this, as follows:

https://www.btbroadband.com has a message:

Upgrade your existing package

If you are an existing BT Broadband customer, you can upgrade to BT Total Broadband for no extra cost.

I am a BT Broadband customer but to keep my download limit, I must pay more. The term "BT Broadband" is very generic and suggests all BT Broadband packages that have ever existed.

Clicking the 'Upgrade' link below that text goes here.

Sign up today and get so much more for the same great price

No indication of who this applies to. This implies that any BT Broadband customers on any package can take up this offer.

Dawn from Customer services says she will raise this with the marketing department and commented on what I was thinking which is that it won't be just me that this affects. Do you reckon it's worth writing to trading standards about this with the webpages and letter as evidence?

The Home Hub was ordered/sent out after they could cancel it, so they will let me keep it regardless at no extra cost. My download speed is now 8Mbps, and I am still on my original package. I assumed that the increase in speed was due to the order going through.

metra_2 · 7 July 2010 at 4:36AM

I had the same problem with BT I even asked them to listen to the tapes as I NEVER agreed to a 12 month phone line and 18 months Broadband as I DO NOT HAVE F/OPTICS so obviously cannot get Broadband WITHOUT A LANDLINE....they do this to keep your business as they have a roll on contract attached, my new peoviders explained this.

It's such a shame that BT have the Monopoly on Telecommunication as they certainly do not deserve it.
After reading this post I am thinking of writing to the Trading Standard's as it's unfair the way BT mislead customers and get away with it.
Thanks 2 all for the post I may not B with them but maybe I should still log my complaint with TS it may help other's .

BT Broadband Complaint - Verbal contracts and misleading information

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