BT Bill / BT Basic

matrix999

Hi Folks,

Looking for some help re BT bill.

My mum has recently moved back to BT from TalkTalk to take advantage of the BT Basic package as she has a qualifing benefit, but BT have said they must initially connect her to the Unlimited Weekend Plan.

She has just received a bill from BT for approx £45 but she is not in a position to pay this due to being on state benefits and the BT Basic package has a delay before it can be connected.

Can anyone offer any advice on the best course of action to take re the £45 bill as technically it should be £4.50 per month (£13.50 per quarter line rental)

Can the BT Rep take a look at this for me?

Cheers.

Gary1963

This happened to me. They can not put you on BT Basic until you have completed and returned the form and they have contacted the DWP for confirmation that you are in receipt of the appropirate benefit. It too me several forms and quite a few emails to sort mine out!

KimYeovil

How terrible! Spending a few weeks paying a standard price to BT whilst waiting for her subsidy from other customers to kick in. Why didn't she just stay with TalkTalk?

I don't understand where you get the "technically it should be £4.50 per month" from. The standard package has line rental paid in advance and any extra can be refunded once she switches to the Basic tariff.

I fail to see what relevance her being on benefits is.

matrix999

KimYeovil wrote: »

How terrible! Spending a few weeks paying a standard price to BT whilst waiting for her subsidy from other customers to kick in. Why didn't she just stay with TalkTalk?

I don't understand where you get the "technically it should be £4.50 per month" from. The standard package has line rental paid in advance and any extra can be refunded once she switches to the Basic tariff.

I fail to see what relevance her being on benefits is.

I'm not sure what to make of your comments whether its helpful or sarcastic!

Lets be clear on one thing though.. BT have a service called BT Basic and its £4.50 per month so advance charges are £13.50 per quarter, which is what she should be paying based on the benefits she receives.

She moved back to BT from TalkTalk as the line renatal from TalkTalk was to expensive for her. The BT Basic package has a much more attractive line rental for her and its not being subsidised from other BT customers so i don't know where you get that from!!

In my opinion you seem resentful that you have to pay full line rental where other people can get it cheaper..

KimYeovil

The line rental is subsidised by other customers. There is no magical social money fairy that gives BT a grant to provide their BT Basic tariff. It does not cost BT £3* per month to supply the line. The extra eight or nine pounds per month is paid by all customers of the company and not through central government taxation.

You seem resentful that you are contributing to a company that provides a service that your previous company refuses to supply. TalkTalk are entirely free to offer a similar package. They don't. Why don't you ask for a TalkTalk representative to explain why they are refusing to offer such a package?

If you did not want to pay a quarterly £45 bill you could have signed up to the monthly payment plan for the interim period instead.

* £3 because the £4.50 includes £1.50 of bundled calls.

mrtom21

Unfortunately this is the procedure for setting up BT Basic. My advice would have been to set up a monthly DD but it appears to be too late now.

matrix999

All sorted. . Just got off the phone to BT who have said just to pay the 13.50 and when BT Basic goes live on my mum's account the bill will sort itself out. TalKTalk don't offer cheap line rental so thats why she moved back to BT to save money and what a saving it will be. . Cheers BT.

matrix999

Magical social money fairy. . LMAO