BT bills,debts,contracts

itwillgetbetter_2

HI,

AI had 2 bills back in November 2009 one for BT home phone and one for my broadband. I had lost my job and was claiming benefits and couldnt afford to pay the bills in full. I called BT and paid £45.00 off of the broadband bill which left £35 and didnt pay anything off of the other bill as I didnt have no other money.I had my phone line dissconnected obviously due to none payment which I had no issue with. Straight after this I had my benefits suspended (different post!) so I had no uncome until this tuesday (12/1/10). I contacted BT to explain what had happened and called to set up a payment plan to repay what I owed them. I stated that I was on benefits and that I could only afford £10 a month until my circumstances changed. Well I was told by the supervisor this was unexceptable and that I had 28 days to pay or it would be passed to a third party for collection. Are BT aloud to do this even though I have offered some payment? Also during this call I asked to cancel my contract on the 4/2/2010 as this is when the contract ends. I had recieved a letter that day from BT telling me to contact them if I wanted to terminate or they would renew automaticaly. So I felt after the phone call I hadnt got any where apart from ending the contract.
I re called BT yestarday as I had come up with a better payment plan and was hoping bt would except this. Well the man on the phone was not intrested in what I had to say. He did not let me explain my new offer. He spent the whole twenty minuets telling me that im getting charged for ending a contract. I asked him how I could be charged when BT told me to contact them if I didnt want to renew. He said it was BT policy. Is this true BT charge you for wanting to take your custom else where when your contract is over? He then told me that my broadband contract didnt end until august. How can my contract be for 12 months for my phone and 18 for my broadband. I joined BT on the 5/2/2009 with bt option 3 unlimited broadband and phone for 12 months. It was one bundle so how can they have different end dates? I am so confussed and when you call BT they dont listen they think they know before you have even finished your sentence. Does any one have any advice regarding setting up a repayment plan and also these mysterious different contract dates.

thanks

I_luv_cats

It looks like now you get the first 3 months Broadband discounted if you sign up for 18 months otherwise you pay the full price for 12 months. Have you any paperwork (orders/bills) from when you joined or remember getting any discounted few months??

itwillgetbetter_2

hi, thanks for the quick reply. That offer was on also when i signed up ( if were talking about the same thing lol). Is the offer you get the first 3 months half price if you took an 18 month contract. I decided just to take the 12 to see how it went as i had never been with bt before. So I got no reduction. I have my original email from them stating my order confirmation, saying i had choose option 3, how much I would pay each month. But this dosent have contract lengths. But it does also show I was to pay full price every month. Would this prove it isnt a 18 month as it has no half price months or refunds on it. Any more help would be much appreciated
thanks

DVardysShadow

Basically you have to stop talking to these people and write. The more you talk on the phone, the more water passes under the bridge and the harder it is to write. You should wite and ask them to prove it is an 18 month contract. Keep a copy.