Bt wants to refer me to collectors...

threedee

...for something i don't owe them...

A little pre-history: About two months ago my phone was "restricted", which means i couldnt dial in or out (even to BTs own services), but since i used the line only for broadband i didnt mind it and thought bt will sort themselves out eventually. Just in case i have dropped a line via BTs customer service emailing system (which is !!!!, really), to which i got a reply that restriction is something of bt's mess-up, i should ignore it and it will right itself out, and that i have all the bills paid, atc, etc. I didnt think much of it, because at the time i thought i had a DD with BT and they are happy to take their wonga as soon as they can, so no billing issues would be raised... oh how mistaken i was...

The story goes like this:

This was a nightmare "home move". I had three of those in past 3 years, and not a single one went through according to plan.

But this latest one ... it just tops the cake.....

I have moved home about half a year ago (a bit more than), ordered "home move", cancelled my net (wasn't BTs). Move in my new place, need to get phone net ASAP - cant, they want 120 quid for "line reconnection", although line is there and was operational (granted about 5 years ago). So i dig deep and discover that there is an option of getting into 18mth contract while avoiding 120 quid charge for "line activation" (or whatever they call that)... So i figured i'll need phoneline for broadband anyway so i can as well take the contract. I bite.

Installation goes ok, late but ok (they messed up their own appearance dates, big surprise). I have a phone, order broadband, get that done. Good. Now to wait for a bill to see if the !!!!!!!s charged me 120 quid...

Bill doesnt arrive for 6 months, after which time i get a message from O2 (my broadband provider) that they got a notification from BT that my line will be ceased shortly, which means BT disconnects me. No notices came though my door, no, only through O2 i learned that BT is messing something up...

I call O2, they confirm the message. O2 say they will put my account on hold for me not to lose the connection fee, that day i lose internet. (^&*$#&*#$^&*#^&**$&^%^@$$#^&*$#^&#)

I call BT, jump though countless hoops, as i'm sure all of us did eventually, to get to human. Finally i get to one, and he tells me i owe half a years money to them, to which i reply i havent got any bills. Of course i get a telling that they send all the bills etc etc... So, having a hunch, i ask "WHERE did you sent the bills"... They tell me MY OLD ADDRESS.
So, i ask "what is my current address in your system?" to which they reply with correct answer, it was actually my current addres. To which i say "then why the **** you sent my bills to my OLD address ? I'm not there for the last half a year"... To which they profusely apologise etc etc...

So, all that behind, "lets sort that out" i say. "I want to pay my outstanding bills" (which i ask an amount of, which is sometking like 103 pounds). I pay it there and then on the phone with my card.

Then i ask to get reconnected NOW, because i need internet to run my family business. They promise me the line will be reconnected the same day, latest at 6pm. Call ends. Of course that doesnt materialise.

I call next day i have to go through most of the same (above) AGAIN... I discuss billing issues, tell them that i want my last half year bills to resent to me to my current-current address for my records. I promised reconnection the NEXT DAY, latest at 6pm. End call. Reconnection "next day" doesn't materialise...

Call some other day (i sincerely regret not taking precise notes as to when and for how long calls were made, what was resolved, etc)... And was told the reconnection will not take place till a week after... Then i lose my s**t completely. But cannot do anything. Get transfered to complaints dep(sub contractors that do connection ? Openreach ?) where i can hear in the guys voice so much "i dont give a damn" i hang up. I nearly broken down with cry out of sheer helplessness... The sheer level of incompetence and indifference just did my head in, i never before experienced anything like this in my life (i'm lucky i've never been had like this by banks or other big corporations before)...

So, bill time rolls around, i get ONE (insted of promised last half a year). Which wants me to pay something stupid like 160 quid... Whaaa????

I call again. Tell the whole !!!!!! story, demand "reconnection" charges removed, which they admit being wrong, and tell me to only pay 42 pounds (??? have to figure that one out, advance payment for 3 months ahead ?). I go and pay (post office.)... Thought it was done and dusted... Not to be.... :mad:
*ADDITON* They refused to send me corrected bill (without 120 pounds for "reconnection") for some reason...

The eve of the bloody NEW YEAR i get a letter.
"DEBT RECOVERY NOTICE OF INTENTION".
Letter dated 23rd dec 2009.
I think "!!!!!!"...

"Immediate payment is now due for the outstanding amount of 63.33 which relates to the above account. Failure to make payment will result in your debt being referred to an external debt collection agency to collect payment on behalf of BT. If we have to instruct a debt collection agency to collect payment on our behalf, you will have to pay (some of) the costs we incur. YOUR DETAILS WILL ALSO BE PASSED TO AN EXTERNAL CREDIT REFERENCING AGENCY WHICH WILL RESULT IN YOUR CREDIT RATING BEING AFFECTED." Followed by threat to pay within three days of this letter (received or posted ????)...
Letter is "signed" by Renu Sharma, "Debt Recovery Team"...

I'm at a loss what to do. Calling BT at this point seems so pointless due to their inability to grasp a concept of checking their records/notes to resolve problems. I dont want BTs dimwits messing up my good credit rating.... What i'm to do ? Any advice is very welcome...

Anyone know how i contact BT corporate customer service (or someone who can actually help sort this mess out).....

Please, help, someone? Please ? :mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:

*Disclaimer* I may have inadvertently left some stuff out, due to me not taking everything down (just some records...)... Corrections/additions may follow, but the main point of the story is correct...as is everything in this post (as i remember it)..

Mark_In_Hampshire

This all sounds fairly normal for BT.

For a start, stop phoning them. It gets you nowhere and any time you say "I called you" you have no proof and will meet a dead end.

Work out how much you believe you owe from the connection to now. Pay that.

Send a letter to the BT London head office (forget the Durham address) clearly setting out what has happened in date order sticking to the facts.

Explain what you want done. Have a look on the BT site for the compensation you're entitled to for mistaken disconnection and add that up for all the days your line was / is down.

Add that claim to your letter and provide dates as to when you want this sorted out.

If it isn't all sorted out by the date you specified, refer the matter to the regulator, or, sue BT privately through the small claims court for breach of contract.

In the meantime send a letter to the debt collectioin agency to say that the debit is disputed, you refute you owe the amount, you are in contact with BT etc. so those letters stop.

If you are at your wits end, ring up another phone company and get a new line put in, which will cost, of course, but might be the quickest way of getting a phone line from your present position.

DVardysShadow

Mark in Hampshire is right. Do kick yourself for not putting it in writing at a much earlier - the further these things go, the harder it is to make your case in writing.

In your position, I would get another provider in and I would engage BT in correspondence after cancelling, personally prepared only to settle for line rental for period connected and for calls.

threedee

Can soneone provide me with London office address ? I am so going to write them... I hate phone conversation in general (s.a.d. sufferer), let alone talking to someone who doesnt give a flying turd about you.

Digging up all i can find about this situation (document wise) to attach it to the letter. Or should i first introduce the problem in a separate letter and wait for reply and THEN send in all the good stuff ?

GAH !!!...brain melting...

Mark_In_Hampshire

BT Group plc, BT Centre, 81 Newgate Street, London EC1A 7AJ

Send it all in one go. Resist the temptation to embellish it with emotion and just keep to the details of what has happened.

threedee

"To whomever it may concern" or there is someone (some department) that deals with this stuff ?

And i suppose i should be sending it all registered signed-for post ?

Also is it ok to tell them NOT to call me, but instead write me in email or snailmail form (for the records) ??? Its not just my s.a.d. that kicks in its also uselessness of phone conversations and absence of recording equipment (on my end, i'm not gonna spend money on this...)

Mark_In_Hampshire

Send it registered post.

You can ask for a written reply rather than a call, but that creates a paper trail, so they will try to call you. It is up to you whether to accept that call or not.

BT_company_representative

Hi Theedee

I'm sorry to read of the problems you have experienced and realise you have asked for the address to write to within your thread.

I would also if I may offer to help with this, if you access my public profile there is an e-mail address drop me an e-mail and I can have this investigated on your behalf.

If you send in an e-mail please include a link to this thread.

Thanks

Stuart

Heinz

BT_company_representative wrote: »

........... if you access my public profile there is an e-mail address drop me an e-mail and I can have this investigated on your behalf.

If you send in an e-mail please include a link to this thread.

Left click on BT company representative's user name and then on View Public Profile. Then scroll down and the address is at the bottom left under Additional Information.

BT_company_representative

Hi threedee, thank you for your email. I have sent you a reply.

Regards Rodney

threedee

Rodney, reply and result is satisfactory except one thing - i need my bills from the last move. So, would you resend me CORRECT bills to my current address, please. Thank you. After getting those i'll consider this matter closed.

Please acknowledge you have received this message (via bt address preferably.)