BT complaints

FannyHill

I had a problem recently with a utility company who took money by DD without advance warning. I nearly went overdrawn which would have been a £35 penalty fine which the bank charges for returned DD's.Luckily I manged to put money into my account the day the money would have come out.
I told my bank that they had broken the Direct Debit Guarantee by not giving 10 working days notice and that I was entitled to an immediate refund.
They said I'd have to sort it out with the utility company and if they didn't refund to come back to the bank.

This of course is completely wrong but banks try to flam you off with any old nonsense nowadays.

sillygoose

Another thanks to this forum with regards emailing the chairman!

I have had an annoying issue with them for a long time and I don't even have an account with them!

Astonishingly I emailed him last Saturday, got a call back from 'his office' within the hour, the issue has been rapidly resolved and here is the real Money-saver icing on the cake - an apology of a couple of bottles of wine from BT turned up today. All well and good, but I still wouldn't use them or recommend them - If you have to go to the top for the simplest things what if he stop receiving emails? who do you call then? God? LOL

The reason I left BT years ago was a crackly line - a constant stream of engineers tried to fix it but then instead of escalating the problem they just shrugged and washed their hands of it. A while ago water got into a junction box of my Telewest cable (Virgin) line, the difference was remarkable, before long I had teams of people in every manhole in the area! - they fixed it fast.

looktothefuture

Sent: 10 March 2009 17:18
To: Livingston,I,Ian,CGEC R
Subject: BT Complaint for Broadband account number EA 3796 9008



Mr Livingstone,

Despite 43 different telephone conversations with various different departments/customer service consultants and 5 separate high level complaints since 15 December 2008 today I've now had enough of the service I am receiving and am contacting you for assistance.

The situation is as follows:
14 September 2008:
I was called and offered an upgrade on my existing account for a tariff of £9.49 a month. I accepted this and was told it was due to start in November.

October 2008:
My existing service was "limited" due to non payment and sent to a Debt Collection Agency. It was discovered that despite having agreed to a direct debit agreement being arranged, no fee was taken from my bank account for +/- 7 month. I am now paying the Debt Collection Agency on a monthly fixed fee of £15.00 per month. I was not aware that this would jeopardise my new service being actioned in November as I did not have any limit of service, or disconnection notification.

November 2008:
New tariff started at my property.

21 December 2008:
Bill received for the Amount of £42.57 for new tariff (or so I thought at the time) and as soon as I discovered I'd been overcharged (at the original price of £15.00 per Month) rang up and opened an investigation (31 December). I was told it would be looked at and I would be contacted shortly. I would also receive a new bill for the correct tariff within a matter of days.

January 2009:

• Service was disconnected.
• Despite numerous high level complaints being made, updates to my contact details and new home address (was moving home on 15 January) no feedback to my initial complaint or investigation were given and each telephone call had to be explained from the start. No one could help with my query or direct me to the correct person or department to speak to! I was told on various occasions that if I paid the bill for £42.57, I could be reconnected in a matter of hours but I refused because I was disputing the amount!

February 2009:

• Service still disconnected.
• More high level complaints and refusal from me to pay the the Bill of £42.57.

March 2009:

• Service still disconnected.
• Finally, today, I actually spoke to someone who could help me and who could explain the circumstances as to why I'd been charged the original tariff of £15.00 as I had been disconnected in October and essentially BT had to open a new account in my name and were unable to offer me the discounted tariff of £9.49. After understanding what happened and the surrounding circumstances, I offered to pay for the months of November and December when I was actually receiving the service. She also explained that due to non payment, and despite this account being in dispute, that my broadband has been ceased and I will receive a bill for the full years contract.

Mr Livingstone, I have spent more hours on the telephone to BT since December than I can afford to. I shouldn't have to neglect my own children's needs and spend on average 43 hours wasted on aggravating and stressful telephone calls to BT who are unable to help me and resolve a simple dispute!

I will not be paying the £42.57 bill I received in December 2008 and I will not pay the full years contract which I am due to receive shortly as I have not had a broadband service since January 2009. Would you willingly pay for a service that you didn't receive? I think not! I will also be cancelling my telephone service (which I may add I've had for as long as I have had broadband and which I've never had a problem of "non-payment" or a late payment!) I receive from BT and going with another company who may be able to offer me better customer service.

Many thanks

My response.....

From: ian.livingston@bt.com [mailto:ian.livingston@bt.com]
Sent: 10 March 2009 17:24
To: Subject: RE: BT Complaint for Broadband account number :

I am sorry about the problems you have had. I will ask one of our high level service team to look into it and contact you to resolve matters.
Ian Livingston

digthewell

Good luck with your email to Ian Livingstone....but don't hold your breathe. He also responded quickly to me when I raised a complaint concerning breach of contract....BUT as he simply handed the problem back to the dodos that didn't fix it in the first place, the problem remains!

The only solution is to cancel your contract with BT...they are a waste of breath.

BT have no concept of customer care, and merely pay lip service to it. They will promise you the earth just to get you off the pone, then continue to the same level of incompetence.

looktothefuture

Well I received a telephone call within minutes of his response email to me from an Eleanor who will be back in contact with me today to discuss things further (I was walking into a meeting when she rang!)... I've already gone to sky and arranged broadband with them so I'm not bothered about BT anymore... I just want my name cleared!

We'll see what happens!

matthewcb

I've got a complaint with BT and tried the Ian Livingston email option.

Unfortunately, it seems these just get passed to his one of his secretaries, who seem to have the same surly attitude the rest of their call centre operatives have.

I suspect it's actually impossible to get somebody truly senior to investigate a grievance, so I've gone down the Otelo route.

I wish there were a true alternative to BT, so I didn't have to pay them one more penny. Unfortunately, I don't see any glowing recommendations for a competitor - surely a gap in the market for a decent telecoms company with good customer service?

looktothefuture

Perhaps I'm one of a few people who is having their complaint dealt with speedily and to resolution by contacting Ian Livingstone's office... because I've just had a telephone call from them (1 of 10 in the past 2 days) and it seems they are doing everything they can to bring this to the best resolution without loosing me as a customer!

matthewcb

looktothefuture wrote: »

Perhaps I'm one of a few people who is having their complaint dealt with speedily and to resolution by contacting Ian Livingstone's office... because I've just had a telephone call from them (1 of 10 in the past 2 days) and it seems they are doing everything they can to bring this to the best resolution without loosing me as a customer!

Wow - lucky you!

They don't appear to give a damn about losing my custom - and I've been with them for 10 years plus and never missed payment or been anything other than a model customer.

Which of his secretaries is dealing with your complaint? Maybe I've been unlucky and got the one with a bad attitude that looks good but is useless

looktothefuture

I think it could also be that my signature at the bottom of my email gives away my job title and where I work - I'm not a stupid young lady!

looktothefuture

WOW! I'm actually sat here in shock! It's done!
Here's the response!

From:
Sent: 13 March 2009 14:37
To:Subject: RE: NEW ELC CASE - : BT Complaint for Broadband account number


xxx,

Thank you for bringing this complaint to a satisfactory and speedy resolution!

I do accept the new BB account at a tariff of £xxx including VAT/month.

Thank you once again for your hard work - you are a star!!

"looktothefuture"

From:
Sent: 13 March 2009 14:32
To:
Subject: RE: NEW ELC CASE - FW: BT Complaint for Broadband account number

Good Afternoon Miss xxx

Following our conversation this afternoon I can confirm the following:

BB acc – closed, will ensure charges are removed on this account
New BB acc raised for new address – BB will be re-provided on 19/3 with the same email address xxxx[EMAIL="chantelle444@btinternet.com"]@btinternet.com[/EMAIL] Option 1 at £xxx..inc vat.

Can you please confirm if you are now happy for this case to be closed?

Many Thanks

xxxx
BT ELC Team