How to leave Bulldog???

spooky1_2 · 13 June 2007 at 5:58PM

Hi everyone

This is my first post, but I have been lurking for a while now. :hello:

I had a BT line, but switched to bulldog over a year ago. I now want to switch back to BT so that I can get sky broadband, as I am planning to take out a contract with Sky TV.

I called BT and they said that I would have to pay £120 to have the line switched back. That fee sounds really expensive to me and I can't afford it at the moment.

Has anyone got any ideas on what I can do, or am I stuck with Bulldog and their rubbish customer service forever??

Thanks

x_Wilco_x · 13 June 2007 at 6:45PM

BT charge £125 for installation of new line but I thought switching back via a return to donor (RTD) was free (subject to new minimum term contract etc)

I would call and ask again - website number is 0800 121 8085 to switch line and calls back to BT...

PS - good luck shafting the dog!

spooky1_2 · 13 June 2007 at 7:48PM

Thanks for your help wilco.

I phoned them again and the guy said it would be free to switch back (subject to survey). The man I spoke to previously kept insisting it was £125 even though I explained the line was working and that I had paid the BT installation charge to have the line installed last year. He said that it was because they needed to do something at the exchange..

I really hope it's the second man who's correct and not the first!

Now I can get sky!! :T

MissShal · 13 June 2007 at 7:56PM

Hi, I had a similar problem when I tried to move back to BT from Bulldog. I was told by one person at BT that if Bulldog left markers on my phoneline then I'd end up having to pay over £100 to have them removed or I couldn't get Sky BB, which was the only reason I was going back to BT!

I called BT again and this time was told that it wouldn't cost me a penny to go back, no matter what they had to do. I was convinced I'd get a hefty bill through the door, but I didn't. I just made sure I kept a note of the date I called and the name of the lady that assured me (at least 3 times lol) that it would be free incase there we're any problems.

Good luck with them anyhow!

x_Wilco_x · 13 June 2007 at 8:25PM

Just make sure you ask BT for a 'Return To Donor'. Once your phone line is back with BT also make sure your contract is properly cancelled with Bulldog etc... They have a terrible reputation of continued billing even when the return to donor should sort everything!

Good luck again... hope you have a smooth ride...

prettyflyguy · 19 June 2007 at 6:54PM

I'm also wanting to leave Bulldog too and go back to BT.
(after Two and a half years of having to phone them up ever other month to set up another Direct Debit and make a payment, Keep losing details and not taking payment)

I have a question regarding Return to donor though

Once i've phoned BT and asked for the return to donor, Will they contact Bulldog and inform them about this and should Bulldog send me a letter informing me of the cancelation of my account with them and a cease date?

Thanks

spooky1_2 · 20 June 2007 at 1:03PM

prettyflyguy wrote: »

I'm also wanting to leave Bulldog too and go back to BT.
(after Two and a half years of having to phone them up ever other month to set up another Direct Debit and make a payment, Keep losing details and not taking payment)

I have a question regarding Return to donor though Once i've phoned BT and asked for the return to donor, Will they contact Bulldog and inform them about this and should Bulldog send me a letter informing me of the cancelation of my account with them and a cease date?

Thanks

I know what you mean about the Direct Debit... I had phone them about 5 times before mine was set up.

I don't know if I'm doing this correctly, but I phoned BT - they said they would contact Bulldog to cancel. They said that if I contact bulldog myself to cancel, before phoning BT about the return to donor, they would not be able to connect me for free (Don't know how true this is, but took their word for it)
BT said the switch would take 2 weeks, so am still waiting to see if it all goes ok. Once I am back with BT I will phone bulldog to make sure they understand I'm no longer with them !

seaweasel · 20 June 2007 at 8:39PM

Same here with the Direct Debit - it took over 18 months I think to get it working properly every month (coincidentally round about the time Pipex took over billing). I'm thinking of moving as despite the service being great, they're not so cheap any more (in fact I think they might have been over charging me for the last year, shall call them tomorrow). I'm in a similar bind though, I was just speaking to Tiscali about their inclusive service however I didn't get very clear information from them. I was under the impression their 8mb service was LLU, however the woman I spoke to kept going on about BT. Is it not possible to migrate from one LLU service to another? I don't want to pay £125 to BT just to cancel the line 5 days later. I'd also like to go back to a monthly contract (Bulldog snuck me on to a 12 month last year and lied about the cooling off period), however they seem pretty rare these days, especially for LLU services.

TERMIN8TOR · 12 June 2008 at 12:45PM

Sorry to drag this up again, just wondering of anyone who migrated back from Bulldog to BT, through the "return to donor" option, was the cessation date from Bulldog for billing purposes the same as the BT re-connection date? That is, did you have to give Bulldog 30 days notice etc or were you billed for additional month by Bulldog? For what it's worth, my transfer date is 27th June. Thanks.

lanceo · 3 July 2008 at 4:47PM

x_Wilco_x wrote: »

BT charge £125 for installation of new line but I thought switching back via a return to donor (RTD) was free (subject to new minimum term contract etc)

I would call and ask again - website number is 0800 121 8085 to switch line and calls back to BT...

PS - good luck shafting the dog!

----
Here's an update that may help future dogwalkers - I have been stuck with bulldog for about 2 years now - when I got them, I didn't realize that they were cancelling the BT line and that it would cost a bundle to return to BT. So I've been stewing for about a year now, not a happy bunny.

Well, the 125 was what was quoted to me from a few other phone providers to return last year. I wasn't willing to cough up the moolah. Until today, as I'm fed up with what I feel as being decieved by Bulldog.

Earlier today, before finding this excellent post, I called Tiscali about going over and was given the most unsatisfying message: Tiscali wanted me to cancel Bulldog, then, once the line was dead, call them up to take their service! Probably a couple of weeks downtime! And Tiscali owns Pipex which owns Bulldog! AND due to the cancellation, I would not be able to keep my number! Bah!

So I googled and found this forum thread, took boyo's advice and called the 0800 121 8085 number and talked to someone who was a bit clueless, but once I mentioned 'Return to Donor' it twigged something and he transferred me immediately to another BT dept: 'Customer Options'. There I spoke to a lovely lady named Janine. She said that line rental is 11.75/mth, with a min 12mth contract. And because of the 12 mnth contract you get Free evening and weekend calling! No 125 quid reconnection fee! BT will contact Bulldog for me and arrange everything - about a two week lead time.

Notes:

Call the 0800 121 8085 number
Mention 'Return to Donor' as early in the conversation as possible.
Ask to be transferred to 'Customer Options' dept
Sign up for a min 12 mnth contract
Tell them you want to keep your number.
DON'T contact Bulldog, let BT handle it.

I hope this helps someone else.

Cheers,
Lance

eversonl · 20 October 2008 at 1:11PM

can some one confirm that this actually does the job?
If you do this how do you then cancel your bulldog billing (just cancel DD)?
does this just return the line to BT ownership or does it fully cancel everything to do with bulldog?

Thanks

Lee

How to leave Bulldog???

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