Did you sign up for a BT contract last April?

savedbythebell

shazza52 wrote: »

hi, i also went on to bt friends and family last april, i did,nt know it was on a contract, i left bt in dec, for what i thought was a better deal at talktalk, i paid my last bill, then got a cancellation bill of 80 pound something, so i rang them saying how i thought it was unfair, i spoke to a lady who told me to wait while she spoke to someone else, i was then told they would waiver the 50 51p fee, so i paid the difference, i have now received a summons for the waiver fee, i have phoned three times, they now say ,they have no record of the phone call,, i am very upset, as i do not lie,, i suffer with bipolar and it,s very upsetting, sorry to go on,, im new to this :mad:

I had to pay them for leaving early also. I didn't know i was tied in a 12 month contract with BT. Until I realized that a last year, as I set to have my tea, I had a call from BT, they asked if I was happy with BT, and if I wished to have free evening and weekend calls without any extra charge! I said yes, thinking it was a freebee. When I called to cancel my line they did not mention anything about the penalty, until i had left, and then i received a letter telling they will take out a further £50+ for leaving before the 12 months.

Heinz

daz9643 wrote: »

I got to the end of my 12 month contract and decided to switch phone and broadband to tiscali. Thought I would just phone BT on the offchance I could get a better deal and was astonished that they offered my same broadband package for £7.61 per month, was £14.99 which had already been reduced from £17.99 when I first signed up.

As a result of your post, I thought I'd give BT a call too - asking when my broadband contract was up because Talk Talk had recently LLU'd my exchange (true) and their offering was very attractive.

I was put through immediately to the Customer Options Team and it was confirmed I was out of contract. I was asked why I was considering moving - was it just price? "What else, these days?" I said - and an immediate offer of BT Total Broadband at a reduced rate of £12.99/month and £2 off my line rental for 12 months was forthcoming.

Saying I wanted to have a think about it, she offered to call me back later and, after a bit of banter, I asked her to give me a call back in a couple of weeks. Alarm bells must have sounded then because she asked me to hold while she spoke to her manager (yeah, right).

Two minutes of muzak later and the broadband price was down to £7.49/month for 12 months and the £2 line rental discount remained!

And it was a freephone call too!

shazza52

thanks for all the reply,s ive just e-mailed mr livingstone, surely if your not told it,s a contract ,then it,s illegal selling , or just plain bad practise:money:

emmylu

I had problems a couple of years ago with bt when moving home. I moved in april 07, and was not within a minimum period but was told my contract would be automatically extended for 3 months. no problem. Then I moved again in Dec 07 and although kept line with bt moved phone calls and broadband to sky. Bt tried to charge me stating I had agreed a new 12 month contract in april 07. I spoke to numerous people at bt and even sent them a copy of their own contract confirming 3 month extension when moving house. Eventually spoke to a manager who agreed I was right!

Have since noted their terms have changed and for phone lines with bt if you move house the new 'minimum period' applies - this is now12 months. Very restrictive terms and cant see how these are fair. However, if you move your broadband when moving home, and are not in a minimum period then they can only extend the terms of the broadband contract for 3 months only! see extract below.


Bt broadband
Moving home

1. If you move home within the UK, and let us know at least five working days before you do so and in line with the home mover policy (as set out at www.bt.com/broadband), we will continue to provide the service, if we are able to, at your new address. If we are not able to provide the service at your new address, and you are still within your minimum period, you will not have to pay a charge for ending the service within the minimum period. If we continue the service at your new address, the rest of your minimum period or a new three-month minimum period will apply, whichever is greater.

So although bt may have your phone line for a further 12 months, they dont necessarily have your broadband for this period!

arjar

Right - so now I know why they called me and offered a reduction of £3 on my Broadband. Of course, I said 'Yes please'. I don't remember anything about a new contract - but I've just checked and guess what.....

The answer, however, is straightforward. I'll sit out the present contract (I've marked my diary!), write to them (recorded delivery) before it runs out, telling them I don't want it extended, then (this is the important bit) I'll move supplier regardless of what new deal they offer. I think this is the best way to punish businesses which lack integrity. I suggest that anyone else in this position does the same - and stays away. There's plenty of choice out there.

padee

I recall them calling to get me into a 12 month contract - I agreed to it.

So what do I need to do to ensure they don't simply renew it for 12 months?

Heinz

padee wrote: »

I recall them calling to get me into a 12 month contract - I agreed to it.

So what do I need to do to ensure they don't simply renew it for 12 months?

The BT T&Cs state:

Unlimited Evening & Weekend Plan. Only £10.27 a month line rental with Direct Debit and paper-free billing (£11.25 from 1st April), for new and existing residential customers signing up to a 12 month renewable contract. This means you have a 12 month minimum renewable period. So, after 12 months, your contract will be automatically renewed for another 12 month minimum renewable period unless you tell us otherwise. We'll write to remind you when your contract is nearing the end of a renewable period.

beefturnmail

Hi,

Does this only apply to the 'Unlimited Evening and Weekend Plan' or does it apply to the 'Unlimited Weekend Plan'? I checked and I'm on the weekend only version. From the t & c I think it does not aplpy to this but wanted to check what others thought?

Thanks

hipaul500

Not a Lawyer, but I thought that if you are locked into a contract for 12 months, or what ever, you could not change the prices or term on that contract for the term of that contract. If you do you have to give the person who is locked into the contract to move without charge.

Surely this is an unfair practice if you can't move because the company that you have the contract with has an unfair advantage over you and could hike the price higher that the compertition?

Anyone got any ideas?

elektra

check your last bill. They changed the billing period and overcharged. I imagine it affects all on this rolling contract to a varying amount of £.

see this thread for examples.
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1359885