ANOTHER BT thread I'm afraid.

RoryFulcher

Hi guys, this is my first post here, I saw a lot of useful info from this site when searching online.

Right, down to business:

I recently moved in with my partner (6 months ago) and signed up a verbal contract over the phone to receive BT home phone and internet (option 3 broadband).

Unfortunately, we are moving out and going our seperate ways now, this being hard enough, I called BT to cancel the telephone and internet services and they basically said "yes, that's fine, there will be a cancellation charge of £90 for the phone and £290 for the internet, this being the remainder of your bills for the next 6 and 12 months respectively".

I asked the guy on the telephone if there was any way that they could waiver the fee or at least part of it... Guess what his answer was?
"Sorry, but no"

I had NO idea that there would be such a dramatic cost to leaving BT!!! I also have no idea as to how I am supposed to find about £400 to pay for something like this. I had possibly expected an early cancellation charge of maybe £60-70 for both services which I wouldn't mind (well, not quite as much, anyway), but £400!!!!! I am floored, and if there is nothing that I can do about this, I will NEVER be using BT again and I will be telling everyone I know about the whole godawful fiasco.

I think it is atrocious that they can do this, and if I had known about it I'm sure I would have certainly thought twice and not bothered. I'd rather have chanced my arm trying to contact my friends and family with a network of strings and cups than have to go through this absolute discrace.
:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

If someone can help and advise me as to whether there is ANYTHING at all that I can do about this, I would be very, very grateful.

Thank you in advance.
Rory

littleboo

If you've enetered in to a contract to take the services for an agreed period of time, I dont think there is much you can do. The exit charges cannot exceed the cost that you would have incurred if the contacts had run their course.

McKneff

Sorry but its a contract you 'signed' no getting out of it I'm afraid.

Any other company who you sign a contract with will do exactly the same.

RoryFulcher

Nothing that I can do, even though I was completely unaware of this cancellation charge? :-(

macman

RoryFulcher wrote: »

Nothing that I can do, even though I was completely unaware of this cancellation charge? :-(

All telecoms cos, mobile/landline/broadband. have minimum term contracts. The standard charge for early termination is the amount you would have paid had the minimum term run it's course.
That's what you agreed to when you signed up.
Could not you or your ex-partner take one or both of the services with you to your new addresses to avoid early termination?

McKneff

Its all in the small print.
Sorry, and no offence meant but isnt it common sense.
If you were a business man and someone signed a contract for a year and tried to get out of it early, what would you do.

Inactive

RoryFulcher wrote: »

Nothing that I can do, even though I was completely unaware of this cancellation charge? :-(

Sadly not, however for future reference there are plenty of broadband suppliers that only insist on a 30 day contract, usually the smaller better quality companies.

Seans_dad

Sorry to hear about your problems with BT, Rory.

I’ve had similar issues with them charging me £300-plus as a ‘one-off’ charge when I (co-incidentally) cancelled my land-line. This was for a repair on a BT-owned line which I am disputing, of course (please see thread BT Final Bill scandal - “One-off” charges - beware).

Once again they have billed a customer with an outrageously-high and immoral charge. These bills are hitting ordinary people when they are already struggling through this recession.

All I can suggest is to try to form some sort of action group through this forum to combat excessive and immoral charges applied by BT. BT seem to have forgotten how to treat customers fairly. I just hope they pay for their rotten behaviour in the long-run.

macman

The 2 cases are entirely different. How can a contractually agreed termination charge be 'outrageous and immoral'?
I'd be the last to defend BT, but in Rory's case the charge is exactly what every other company would charge, and he knew he was signing up for 12/18 months. If he chooses to terminate after 6 months that is a breach of contract and they will charge.
My main concern is that so many of the larger telecom's are moving towards 18m contracts, without an option for 12m.

Inactive

macman wrote: »

I'd be the last to defend BT, but in Rory's case the charge is exactly what every other company would charge, .

Not true, my provider has only a 30 day contract.;)

Seans_dad

Sorry Macman.

I have to disagree with you on this one. Being charged a whopping £400 for no service is, in my opinion, immoral. He could have been charged a a fair and reasonable figure.

Yes, BT have lost (another) customer, but they are now incurring no further costs as the customer has cancelled.

It boils down to treating people fairly.