BT Contract Changes Unfair

Vicky,_Ramsgate

Can anyone else advise??

I recently received an email from BT saying they will charge for ending their contract outside the terms of contract.

(See below) Our Option 3 broadband contract ends on 1 December and these changes are from 2 December!

However, had already made the decision to leave them for another provider and have requested a MAC code - not received this and it's more than 8 working days now (and I know they have to provide one legally within 5 days) (fed up of them so complained of them to OFCOM as been fobbed off too many times by them and another provider stalling at giving out MAC codes.

Found a forum and basically getting the MAC code out of BT is a nightmare and when you do eventually get one it seems it's usually wrong! Quoting their "new" terms below "When you end your broadband service outside your minimum period and do not request and use a migration access code to move to another service provider, you will have to pay a cease charge of £18.51 (from 2nd December 2008). " It's the "AND use it" that worries me, so yeah, I've already requested it but can't "USE" it as I haven't been provided it!

Can BT change their terms like this and what if I am NOT prepared to accept these terms as I don't agree with them and this is NOT what I signed up for with BT & would never have done if this is the case - can I refuse to accept these terms, and if so how?

In my view

"Unless we have made a change to the prices or terms and conditions that is to your material disadvantage or paragraphs 10 and 11 of the BT Total Broadband service terms apply you must pay a charge for ending BT Total Broadband within the minimum period by way of compensation to us"

This is to my 'material disadvantage' as I refuse to pay for my legal entitlement to change provider! How can they get away with this and What can "little me" do about it??

BT Terms...
Ending the service

1. When you end your broadband service outside your minimum period and do not request and use a migration access code to move to another service provider, you will have to pay a cease charge of £18.51 (from 2nd December 2008). You will not have to pay this charge in the event you are moving home and we are unable to provide the service at the new address.
2. Unless we have made a change to the prices or terms and conditions that is to your material disadvantage or paragraphs 10 and 11 of the BT Total Broadband service terms apply you must pay a charge for ending BT Total Broadband within the minimum period by way of compensation to us. This charge will be equal to the total of the monthly rental charges left in the minimum period. This charge will not be subject to VAT. If you end your broadband service within the minimum period, we may also charge you up to £45 for the home hub and £150 for the mobile phone(s) we have provided to you as part of the service.

AGMSIX

It is an increase to the existing cease charge from £6 to £18.51. Only applies if you do not migrate to another provider and just cease your broadband ie. if you want to move to cable or just stop having broadband over landline.

billsavings

Already a thread on this here: http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1274799&highlight=bt+mac+code