BT and their Auto-Renewing contracts

amus

Darth_Trader wrote: »

@Amus - good idea re trading standards. Hadn't thought of that. I got an email back from O2 confirming they have never taken over my home phone calls. My first port of call - Citizens Advice Bureau - was shut today, so I'll see what they say tomorrow. That way I hope to get a timeline of who to talk to first. Whatever happens, I'm closing that new BT contract, either to return to the "pre-deception" point of being a BT customer with no ongoing contract; or to another provider. Hell, I might even go to O2 now and see if I can engineer a nice combined deal with my other contracts.

But I cannot in all conscience now switch back to my original BT offering under a contract, because that would, by definition, mean they profited from deceptive selling techniques. The stupid thing is that I'm happy staying with BT for the next 50 years...as long as there's no contract involved. IMO, telecoms contracts are for mobiles only, where there's a frontend risk to the company in providing top of the range phones at cheap prices, and they need to cover those costs. Landlines are a completely different thing altogether.

Rather than inconvienience yourself with all that Id just try ringing BT first, and they may just cancel the contract for you if you have proof of deceptive sales techniques, they did for me. Following that if you get no joy then Id try the CAB.

caeler

I never knew they did auto-renew. I've spoken to BT who confirm my contract has ended, I'm on a weekend calls plan which I don't think gets tied in beyond 12 months anyway. I hope you get your sorted.

Darth_Trader

bluefuzzybug wrote: »

I never knew they did auto-renew. I've spoken to BT who confirm my contract has ended, I'm on a weekend calls plan which I don't think gets tied in beyond 12 months anyway. I hope you get your sorted.

I was on the Weekend calls plan, but the guy who signed me up the other night didn't ask what I wanted; he asked when I made my phonecalls, and I told him "evenings and weekends". I was perfectly aware that I was paying for my evening ones, and that was fine; but he seemed just to want to lever me into the evenings and weekend calls package anyway!

I thought BT would have been all over you like a rash to get a new contract, after the 12 months!

@Amus - cheers. That probably makes sense. I normally err on the side of expecting a full-blown war over things like this, so I like to spend time planning and scheming and getting all the legal advice I can before I get stuck in. This sales guy told me several times that the call was being recorded, so other BT operatives can check that and confirm I was sort of coerced. In any case, if I'm quick, I can cancel inside the cooling off period. I'll do that tomorrow morning.

Thanks folks!

caeler

Darth_Trader wrote: »

I was perfectly aware that I was paying for my evening ones, and that was fine; but he seemed just to want to lever me into the evenings and weekend calls package anyway!

Amusingly thats why I called them, I've not been billed for any weekday evening calls despite being on the weekend only call plan since I moved to BT 12 months ago. Strange stuff.

Darth_Trader wrote: »

I thought BT would have been all over you like a rash to get a new contract, after the 12 months!

I emailed a complaint about the above and said at the end, 'It appears I have unwittingly signed up to an auto renew contract, I under no circumstances what this to happen' I wonder if that threw the operator and she didn't want to discuss it!!

sanfly

It is high time that whichever authority is responsible for overseeing BT and its behaviour came down on this ongoing contract con, they seem to get away with this scam time after time, Im sure smaller companies would be prosecuted for this type of behaviour.....

HH62

Sent an email to the address on page 2 earlier this week Told them I'd posted on MSE and gave them my user name here.
No reply from BT. Am extremely disappointed as they've always been very helpful when I've contacted them via MSE.
Knew my BB contract with 'special' discount applied was up any day now. Just found the paperwork and the contract runs out today.
Am I being cynical about this - no reply from them in the hope I'll go away and just accept being put onto a higher rate? Further sharp practice.
Posted separately for retentions phone number. WIll be speaking to them later today and will update here.

HH62

Further to the above, before I phone BT, I have online billing. Can anyone tell me where it mentions contracts for BB (I can see that calls/line rental are on auto renewing contract) on the bill please? I can't see any mention on my bill saying I'm tied into a BB contract. I can see the 'special offer' discount but nothing about any contract. Just want to know exactly where I stand with this before I call them.
Thanks

Mark_In_Hampshire

From the Telegraph website:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/consumertips/household-bills/8067565/Renewal-rip-offs-dont-roll-over.html

caeler

Try this: http://bt.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/14348/c/345,361,1083

It's a link to the question 'How do I find out when my calling plan contract is up for renewal'

It appears the only calling plan which doesn't renew is Unlimited Weekend, the rest under the description state 'All you pay is line rental on a 12 month renewing contract'

tigger_b

I'm pleased to say that after several phone calls I have had my £88 cancellation charge refunded to my account!! :j They kept 'forgetting' to credit my account but they'd realised I wasn't going to let it drop.

I had been with BT for 5 years and had no idea that I was on a rolling contract. o2 take care of all the paperwork and thought it would be a pain-free switch. BT hadn't sent a letter to explain my 'contract' and my billing was paper-free so had no idea till they took nearly £100 out of my bank account for my 'final' bill. :eek:

Don't take it lying down people!