BT charged £329 for 30 minutes work....

hayley11

My Aunt got BT out a couple of weeks ago because everytime it rains, the line goes dead, they advised her beforehand that if the fault was hers then she would be charged, I can't remember how much they said, i'm sure she said around £70. Anyway he came and said when she'd been cutting the ivy back, she snipped the wire so he changed a small piece of wire, he was there for 30 minutes but not all of that was changing the wire because she said he was trying out a new gadget he had and hadn't used before.

She's now received a bill for £329. How on earth can they charge that? I've told her to cancel the DD which she has done now but they're obviously going to start adding charges on and chasing her for this money now. She knew she would have to pay something and was happy to do so but not £329!

Does anybody know if they're allowed to do this? I'm sure this must breach the Supply of Goods and Services Act 1982, that cost is anything but "reasonable."

She's rung them to question it but they're in Indian Call Centres and she gets nowhere with them.

She's getting on a bit now and her husband is very ill and she really doesn't need this hassle.

I didn't know whether to post this in here on the Consumer Rights board, thought i'd try here first.

Thanks in advance.

Heinz

Would her household insurance not cover such accidental damage?

hayley11

Heinz wrote: »

Would her household insurance not cover such accidental damage?

Hadn't thought of that. I'll mention it to her. Not sure she should have to claim this off her insurance though.

I've found some info about BT's price structure and the supply of goods or service so i've sent them to her, told her to write them a letter including copies of both if she gets nowhere on the phone.

I've also told her to ask for a detailed breakdown to see what they are actually charging her so much for.

Quentin

The minimum charge for a call out for a repair is only £214 (includes up to 1 hour) plus the cost of parts.

Does this £329 include other charges (line rental, calls, broadband etc?).

Although stopping the dd stops them getting the money temporarily, it is not the answer to a disputed bill, and will not prevent them adding more charges for having to get paid by other means than dd, and pursuing the matter.

Get her to officially dispute the bill in writing, and maybe at least offer to pay them the minimum charge till the dispute is resolved.

Pssst

If the minimum charge is £214 for one hours labour then IMHO,that too is excessive. She needs to dispute the bill and obtain a fuller explanation.

Quentin

It isn't for the one hour's labour! The labour is charged at just £99 per hour (or part hour). You also have the call out (£115) to pay for as well, (included in the £214).

1carminestocky

How do you people think BT pay their shareholder's dividends? From their own pockets? :eek:. Awful company but it, amazingly, has its fervent followers on here :rolleyes: Well, one that I know of.

Buzby

She is fully liable for the cost. Whilst BT will not (usually) charge for work required prior to the customer's Master Socket. If the dropwire is close to existing foliage, then BT would replace it as part of line maintenance and be covered by the quarterly or monthly line rental.

Now, the engineer would not have blamed the line renter for snipping the wire unless she volunteered the infoirmation herself, and in that case it is an accidental act caused by the renter, and - unfortunately - fully chargeable.

If may be possible to get the household insurance to cover the bill (less the appropriate) excess, if an 'accidental' extension is provided as part of the policy.

Cancelling the DD may well be a childish reaction to a problem, and the situation as you point out, will cause more problems in the long term.

hayley11

Buzby wrote: »

She is fully liable for the cost. Whilst BT will not (usually) charge for work required prior to the customer's Master Socket. If the dropwire is close to existing foliage, then BT would replace it as part of line maintenance and be covered by the quarterly or monthly line rental.

Now, the engineer would not have blamed the line renter for snipping the wire unless she volunteered the infoirmation herself, and in that case it is an accidental act caused by the renter, and - unfortunately - fully chargeable.

If may be possible to get the household insurance to cover the bill (less the appropriate) excess, if an 'accidental' extension is provided as part of the policy.

Cancelling the DD may well be a childish reaction to a problem, and the situation as you point out, will cause more problems in the long term.

I'm sorry do you have £329 sat in the bank waiting for a bill you wasn't expecting? She could have either gone overdrawn with her bank, had no money to pay for other bills and struggled to get herself right again. Or she could have cancelled the DD and waited for it to be investigated. I can't imagne anybody with half a brain would pay out over £300 without first checking that they are indeed liable to pay it.

And the engineer did blame my Aunt for cutting the wire, she didn't volunteer that information at all. How can they prove she's done it? It could have been a bird or something.

She may be liable for the extortionate call fee if they can prove she cut the wire but where did the other £115 come from? £115 to replace a tiny bit of wire? I think not.

Pssst

Quentin wrote: »

It isn't for the one hour's labour! The labour is charged at just £99 per hour (or part hour). You also have the call out (£115) to pay for as well, (included in the £214).

Either way,it still amounts to one hours attendance at a customers premises and it is still iniquitous.

Its hardly rocket science, i.e a bit of wire in which two conductors are normally only used needs replacing/repairing.

No wonder so many people do their own phone repairs.

I have nothing against fair costs/profit but that really is OTT

Anyway,whats a "callout" fee ? surely all that happens is,customer rings BT,BT input job,engineer attends?

Sun-Is-Fun

" The minimum charge for a call out for a repair is only £214 (includes up to 1 hour plus the cost of parts."

BT are rip-off merchants of the highest order. That is a ridiculous amount of money. :eek: