BT complaints

kellyward_2

I have been a customer of BT for over 3 years now and never really had an issue with them until yesterday (12/08/09)

I had a letter dated 07/08/09 saying that as I hadn't paid my bill my phone line will be cancelled on 19/08/09. Realised I cancelled my DD in error. Shocked that I had done this I called the number on the bill to make my payment. I entered my landline number on the automated service and it said that I couldn't used this service and to ring the 0800 800150 number. Now I wasn't happy about calling from my mobile coz the line said I couldn't make calls. So I called and said to the guy I want to pay £43.75 so as my line won't get cancelled and sorry about this yada yada yada. He said that my line had been cancelled on the 10th and there was no way of getting it back up and running and I'd lost my number. I told him that the letter that I received that day (12/08/09) said it was the 19th of August, his response was that it didn't matter what the letter said!! I told him that now I wasn't going to pay the money and that I was going to Ofcom and that I think BT's customer service is shocking (no response from the person on the phone!). Also this means that my broadband has been cancelled so Tiscali will want termination fees!!!
Now I'm not disputing I owe the money because I do but as BT have made such a muck up on the letter I received I thought I'd make them sweat a bit!
I rang Ofcom this morning to get advice on what I can do and the really helpful lady said to call another number and quote my reference.
So another 0800 phone call to a man in BT's Ofcom referred complaints department. (Luckily for him I am a lot calmer this morning than I was last night!) I explained what happened and told him that I am so very unimpressed with the service and that I'm not disputing I owe money but I don't expect to be disconnected 9 days before the date stated on the letter! I told him this and he said that I will get a response in 2 working days about this. Here's hoping I do because I am a complainer! It worked going externally about Tiscali so hopefully will with BT!

Although here's something that made me chuckle -

The second envelope I received from BT yesterday was telling me to bring my calls back to BT and sign up for 12 months. You muppets disconnected my line! Now you're just wasting trees!!!!!

So my hopes are with the complaints department, but I didn't fancy telling them that when the line is back up I'll be moving to Virgin in a few months! Let them pay for a change!!

BT_company_representative

Hi I have read you post. Will you PM your old account details along with any information that you have about the new order and I wil look into this for you.

Cheers
Donna
BT Support

NEH

Anyone know what is the best way to complain?

Two days after ordering broadband and it's turned into a nightmare already....BT are saying that my mum has no line, well excuse me but how else do I ring her and even though they are saying we won't charge you for a new line as it's a special offer my mum doesn't want the upheaval of a new line and a new number so we are having to cancel....Ironically it's an old BT number which mum paid to have installed in 2002 and yet they have no record of the line being active. It's ridiculous really so the order will be cancelled and we are going to complain. Such a shame as her neighbours and friends recommended BT we thought she'd be alright.....

kellyward_2

So further to my earlier post I had a call from the "High Level Complaints" department saying they would reconnect my line and my orignal number should be on there tomorrow. She did say though that it should have been disconnected between 15th and 19th of August. How is that fair when the letter says the 15th!!! Someone in BT obviously thinks that it doesn't matter what date it says in black and white!

Sort of a result. Although one thing that really bugs me about BT is the fact that 2 people have now said, and I quote, "I apologise for that", which I really don't think is the same as saying "Sorry"! Maybe it's just me that thinks that way but I really think actually saying sorry may have calmed me down more.

I made the woman assure me that I would not be entered into a new 12 month contract because I am off to Virgin! And you know what I can't blooming well wait!

Oh and I've asked for a deadlock letter to go to Otelo and complain to them.

BT - you have not heard the last from me yet, trust me!

jessica-jane

Hi
why do BT put you on a new 12 month contract when you move property?. This is unfair and a rip off. How can they get away with this?. My 12 month period was due to finish at end of sept beginning of October . But I moved in middle of July

jessica-jane

BT need to sort themselves out. They cannot get away with putting customers on a new 12 month contract when all they want to do is transfer there existing contract over to there new address. I have called BT several times about this and other problems was told a manager would call me back. They never did

Ypaymore

jessica-jane wrote: »

BT need to sort themselves out. They cannot get away with putting customers on a new 12 month contract when all they want to do is transfer there existing contract over to there new address. I have called BT several times about this and other problems was told a manager would call me back. They never did

"If you move home within the UK, and let us know at least five full working days before you do so and in line with our home mover policy we will continue to provide the service at your new address subject to our home mover policy and paragraphs 5 and 6 of the BT Telephony Services price terms. If we continue the service at your new address you will be subject to a new line rental minimum period from the date we provide service at your new address. You do not have to take your existing Calling Plan with you to your new address, but if you had a Calling Plan with a renewable contract or a minimum period at your old address and agree to take the same Calling Plan at your new address, you will be able to take the remainder of any minimum period for that Calling Plan with you."

http://www.productsandservices.bt.com/consumerProducts/dynamicmodules/pagecontentfooter/pageContentFooterPopup.jsp?pagecontentfooter_popupid=24641#CRT

FannyHill

I remember years back if you had been with BT for a while if you moved house the contract for the new house was a 3 month min.
This was handy if you sold your house was living in rented property for say three - six months while you looked for another property to buy.
And when you bought your new property and moved in it was a 3 months min contract.
If you were happy of course once in the new house the BT line would be there for a considerable time.

I hate this min 12 months nonsense.

I don't have any BT landline at the moment and if I did take another landline I'd consider something like the Post Office no min contract for the phone.

FannyHill

jessica-jane wrote: »

BT need to sort themselves out. They cannot get away with putting customers on a new 12 month contract when all they want to do is transfer there existing contract over to there new address. I have called BT several times about this and other problems was told a manager would call me back. They never did

Many companies nowadays say "I'll get someone to call you back" and 90% of the time they never do.

Funnily enough if you phone about paying back money you owe they always ring you back. :rotfl:

horrible

Probably not the best time to vent my spleen after 3 hours on the phone to BT but how can a blind infirm 89 year old man be given such hassle and worry over £1.90 worth of phone calls, that have cost him £250 so far. The problems started when he had to move care homes to meet his increasing medical needs. I asked BT to transfer his line from his old home to the new one which they eventually managed after a couple of months and a few phone calls. We received the bill via the care home owners for the reconnection fee of £125. I queried this amount with BT as at the time of the reconnection this service was being advertised as free. On the 6th July I received a letter asking me to contact BT customer services so that I could receive an explanation to my query. I contacted BT CS who could only tell me that my father did not qualify for the free reconnection but not why. I was not happy with this and was told to contact BT CS at Durham which I did through the website in mid july and still haven't rec'd a reply.
Yesterday my sister contacted me to advise that my fathers phone was dead. I checked with the home and they said that the phone appeared to have been disconnected. I have since discovered that bill demands and other correspondance was being sent to the care home owners buisness and my father had been given a buisness number linked to them.
I have lost count of the number of people I have spoken to at BT today, but after 3 hours repeating the same information and having to re pronounce every other word I mistakenly asked someone to sort it and ring back, of course no call back!!. At one point they did say they would arrange reconnection after I paid £220 outstanding with my credit card. They also advised that a further £25 + vat would kindly be added to my fathers next bill for providing this service. I still have not managed to change his line from a buisness one to residential so can only expect more problems.
Therefore my fathers £1.90 worth of calls since he moved care homes has so far cost him nearly £250 and untold worry.
BT have to be the most uncaring incompetent company I have ever had the misfortune to deal with!!.