BT Cancellation of what?!

lordpt

Ok,
This is my first post here, although I have been looking into the forum quiet a few times, so hello to everyone and thank you in advance for your help.

My case is complex.
First of all I am a student and I am not British that is why I have some questions that need answering before I take any action.

I lived during my second year of university in a house with other mates and we had O2 internet and a BT landline, it was a huge confusion to get it all sorted but we did, a 12 month contract.
During the summer we were all away for around 4 months so naturally the bills were not payed and they ''suspended'' our line and asked me to call them in order to have it activated once again. I did and payed them what I owed them and a few days later voila, I had the bt line (this was 11 months in to our initial contract), one month later we were moving out and I told them to cancel the phone line since we were not renewing and they quoted a £80+ bill that I had to pay of cancellation fee, I asked them why and they told me that a few weeks ago I had renewed with them, I told them that I had not asked for a renewal and I did not sign anything that renewed my contract not even a verbal agreement. She told me that I could dispute it once I had the bill in my hands, so I told her to send it to my new house. Once I reached the new house I expected a BT bill to arrive, but it never did, now about 3 months after I get a call from debt collectors saying that I owed them over £100 and that I would have to pay court costs if I didn't pay fast, I told them I didn't receive any letter and that it was anyways going to get disputed. He told me I would get an answer by post.

My question is: Is what BT is doing legal? Can't I dispute this because I never agreed to sign a new contract? Also what are they talking about court charges I have diplomatic (diplomatic passport) immunity won't that protect me against that?
So in your opinions what should I do? should I resist and tell them that I want to dispute, etc or shall I pay?

Thank you in advance for your responses!

DVardysShadow

I would rather you won this one without diplomatic immunity.

What they are doing is legal, but it does not take them forward in making a court case against you. I also think that their auto renewing contracts are pretty much fraudulent and bullying. But then, too many British people are stupid enough to accept this sort of a contract just to save a few quid. And enough others are bounced on to these terms without their agreement by deceit on the part of BT.

Personally, I would tell the DCA that the bill is in dispute and ask them to 'prove' the debt by producing a proper itemised bill. If they do so, I would then tell them that the £80 is disputed and ask them to prove the contract under which this is due. This is very much the way you are going at the moment. After some to ing and froing, you might consider offerring everything except the £80 in 'Full and Final Settlement' - you must get these words from them in writing.

Buzby

BT and O2 are different companies.

BT provided the phone line (for voice calls) and would have been a 12 month contract, UNLESS the bill-payer opted for free Evening and Weekend calls. If so, this places you with a ROLLING 12 month contract that auto-renews. To get out without paying extra, you need to cancel at month eleven. If you d not, you pay the monthly charge for EACH month you don;t use the service until the cancellation date.

Broadband came from O2 (a Spanish company). The minimum term for this has no bearing on your phone line commitment, except that you NEED the phone line to make broadband work. The duration for this contract is usually 18 months, but can be 12 months as a minimum term, you need to know what was agreed.

lordpt

Thank you so far, is there any e-mail where I can contact BT? I haven't found one and I don't want to waste money by calling them.

lordpt

Hey guys,

Thank you all for your help I called BT and it seems that they renewed my contract early by mistake, good thing that they noticed their mistake only now... So if I had paid £104 because of a mistake maybe they would have never noticed, anyways the nice lady removed the cancellation fee and it seems its solved.

thank you for your help guys greatly appreciated! :T

DVardysShadow

Buzby wrote: »

... BT provided the phone line (for voice calls) and would have been a 12 month contract, UNLESS the bill-payer opted for free Evening and Weekend calls. If so, this places you with a ROLLING 12 month contract that auto-renews. To get out without paying extra, you need to cancel at month eleven. If you d not, you pay the monthly charge for EACH month you don;t use the service until the cancellation date.

The way this happened, the OP was not given the option to cancel the 12 month contract, but was put on to another 12 months by default, without asking. It is not really defensible.