Having a problem trying to pay my BT debt

CACHAF

Our phone line was disconnected earlier this year when we were unable to pay a bill of approx £45. At the time my husband had been through a period of wage reductions to try to save the company he was working for and then redundancy when the companies measures failed to work and they went into liquidation. When he was made redundant we just didnt have the money to pay the bill and had had all services restricted twice before at the start of the year due to not paying the bill on time (due to the wage problems) and each time had to pay a reconnection fee and we just couldnt afford to do this again on job seekers allowance.

After the phone line was completely terminated we received a bill for approx £95 which later rose to approx £145.

Now my husband has found work again I am trying to sort out all the debts that were incurred during this time and so contacted BT asking about a payment plan. I spoke to a lovely woman (wish I had got her name) who was very helpful ad explained that the debt had been passed to a debt recovery agency (Moorcroft) and I would need to contact them directly.

I rang Moorcroft and they advised me that we owe approx £180 and that if I want to make a payment arrangement I cannot do this over the phone, I have to deal with a doorstep collector. I explained that I wasn't happy to do this and that I am not in during the day anyway as I am a fulltime carer to my elderly grandmother who does not live nearby. To this she just replied that if I havent had a doorstep caller within 7 days to phoen back and they will send someone else out again! (BTW I havent had any cards through my door from any doorstep callers so I dont think anyone has even tried to call on me)

I then rang BT to try to make an arrangement with them and instead have got one unhelpful person after another who each tell me that I can only deal with Moorcroft and giving me their number to ring!

I dont know what to do - all I want to do is pay my bill and reinstate my phone line (hate to think what that will cost) but instead I am not able to make a payment arragement!

Has anyone any deas what to do?

Thanks

Heather

macman

If you accept the bill is correct then you have to deal with Moorcroft, if BT have already sold it on. If you do not agree with the bill then inform Moorcroft that the bill is disputed and then resolve it with BT.
I think you will find that these sort of doorstep collectors will certainly be working in the evenings!

CACHAF

Thank you for your reply. I dont know what to think of the bill as initially it was £45 and now it is nearer £185 and I dont know what that breaksdown as. I am in on an evening from about 8pm usually and have never had anyone knock on the door or had a card left so I dont know what to think.

It seems weird to be worried and annoyed about wanting to pay a debt and not avoid it! lol!

macman

But BT have already added the fees for late payment, disconnection etc- you said that the bill had already reached £145 before BT even sold it on. Moorcroft then add their own fees which will explain why it is now £180.
If you agree a payment plan, make sure you know exactly what further fees will be added during the life of that plan. Better to offer them a partial lump sum in full and final settlement rather than continue having interest/fees added.

elfen

Thats boathooks that you have to deal with a doorstop person. They have no right to intimate you can only deal in a way which could cause embarassment. Ask for a income/expenditure form or send an SoA with an offer of monthly payment.

CACHAF

Thank you again for your replies. I did think that only being able to deal with a doorstep collector seemed dodgy but the person I spoke to was most insistent and wouldnt let me make any other arrangement.

With my husband just going back to work i cant afford to pay t one go but didnt think of partial offer, what would be acceptable on £185 if that is the correct amount after charges?

macman

Whatever you can afford to pay. Remember that they will have bought the debt for a fraction of the amount due (maybe 10% or less) so anything they get is a bonus. Try half maybe.

CACHAF

Do companies really buy a debt for that little?:eek: I knew they bought them at a discount but I thought they would get 10% knocked off not buy it at 10% of the original amount!

Will try and ring Moorcroft again today but am worried I will still have to wait for their called at the door and I will still be stuck not able to pay anyone.

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Deleted post

CACHAF

Now I am really fed up! :mad:

Just rang BT to tell them about the situation with Moorcroft and to ask if i can make an arrangement with them. Was told (by a really helpful member of staff) that unfortunately thats not possible as they have sold the debt on but to contact Moorcroft again and that she had never heard of them refusing to make payment arrangements by phone.

So I rang Moorcroft again and was told (by a very UNhelpful member of staff) that she 'personally' has been writing to me since the 25th of August (I havent had a simgle letter from them which is why I had phoned BT in the first place as I had no idea where the debt was) that I now owe £180 as they have added late payment fee charges on (late payment fees on what arrangement exactly?) and that the only was I can deal with the debt now is with a 'personal doorstep visitor from their home team' for a 'face to face negotiation' ! Grr! She was also insistent that I couldnt make any payment arrangement with them, just arrangement to make the full payment offer and to wait for the card through the door from them calling before I can reschedule a vist if I am not in to then sort it out!

ALL I WANT IS TO PAY BY PHONE BILL!! Is that so difficult??

Cany anyone advise me at all of what to do next?

Thanks,

Heather

BT_company_representative

Hi CACHAF,
Email your account details to btcare@bt.com and I will contact Moorcroft on your behalf. Include your forum username and copy & paste the post above or paste a link to the entire thread. Would you also include a contact number?

Many Thanks
Donna
BT Support