Ex-Directory - Compensation

moggins

We've been with Telewest for the last 7 years and have always been ex-directory because DH works with offenders and the last thing we need is our name and address put in a public phone book.

For some reason this year we have been listed in the BT Telephone Directory. We have received a couple of unwelcome calls already and Telewest have offered to change our number free of charge but obviously this is going to cause us a lot of inconvenience and possibly a loss of money as DH is also a part-time musician and can often get a last minute call to do music jobs.

Would we be entitled to ask for compensation for the inconvenience of having to change our telephone number due to their error?

bunking_off

My view would be yes. Quote to them that they've contravened the Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003 and say that in absence of them meeting reasonable costs you'll be approaching the Information Commissioner's Office. If they don't take you seriously, speak to a supervisor until they do so. Their regulatory team will be bricking themselves if they thought this would be escalated...

JUSTMOI_2

however the unwanted calls probably deal with sequential dialling which doesnt filter out ex directory. but i would definatley complain about being listed in the telephone book.

moggins

No these calls are personal and definitely down to us being in the directory. I'm really steaming mad about this as on the Telewest web page it says that you can opt in to be in the BT directory, there is no way on earth that we would opt for this with DH's job, he works with some very unpleasant people. We've already had three classic cars destroyed because of people he works with.

starving_artist

Similar thing happened to me. I asked Telewest three times to make me ex directory having received nusiance calls but each time the BT directory came out I was listed. They blamed BT. In the end they did make me ex but all I got was a letter confirming it and apologising for the inconvenience. Hope you have better luck