cessation fee despite having requested MAC

pame_3

I recently switched home broadband from BT to plusnet via the normal "MAC"-switching process. However, BT still charged me a £30 cessation fee. (I am not locked in the original 12-month contract period anymore as I've had my contract for over 3 years.) Is this covered by BT's T&Cs? Anyone experienced something similar? Any suggestions?

Here's how I requested the MAC via BT's contact web form:

I wish to terminate my BT Total Broadband Option 1 by the earliest possible date. Also, I request a MAC code.

Here's the answer I received from BT:

I've included your MAC below as requested. Please note that this code is valid for 30 days and so will expires on Date ...

...

Your BT Broadband service will automatically cease on the day that your service is transferred to your new supplier. There will be no need to contact us again after you have given your new provider your MAC as they will inform us of the migration date.


This is the relevant section from BT's T&Cs (as of 16/11/2010):

6. Cessation Charge
A cease charge of £30.00 (Inclusive of VAT) is payable if you
cease your broadband service and do not request and use a
migration access code or another recognised transfer process

to move to another service provider....

kwikbreaks

It's obviously a mistake assuming you used the mac within the 30 days. Call and get the billing corrected.

cajef

pame wrote: »

I wish to terminate my BT Total Broadband Option 1 by the earliest possible date. Also, I request a MAC code.

A simple request for a MAC may have been better, it appears that mentioning termination has caused them to put it down as a cessation.

spenderdave

It is the new ISP who's job it is to notify BT that the MAC has been used. Quite often it gets lost in the system at one or other end and you end up in this situation. When I moved from BT to O2 the same happened, and by the time I saw the cessation fee on my BT bill nearly 3 months later I couldn't be bothered to chase it through their overseas call centre.

kwikbreaks

BT are not supposed to do any migration without a MAC (the clue is in the acronym Migration Authorisation Code) and they are also supposed to inform the old ISP that the migration has been completed.

As with most things BT corners are cut and things that are supposed to happen don't - customers can get "slammed" (suddenly find that they are on a different ISP without their permission) when a bulk move to LLU is done and very frequently the old ISP isn't notified resulting in multiple billing. None of which is anything to do with BT screwing up their billing as has happened here.

It isn't possible to issue a MAC if the connection was ceased. A MAC was issued so it wasn't ceased and there should be no charge.

pame_3

Thanks a lot to all of you! It was very helpful.

I managed to get through to BT's Indian call center and after about half an hour of telling me the same story again and again (that the cessation fee was applied because of the cessation of my broadband (ha, ha!)) they verbally agreed to refund the charge to me.

Let's see how it works out on my next bill....

aerostar

spenderdave wrote: »

It is the new ISP who's job it is to notify BT that the MAC has been used. Quite often it gets lost in the system at one or other end and you end up in this situation. When I moved from BT to O2 the same happened, and by the time I saw the cessation fee on my BT bill nearly 3 months later I couldn't be bothered to chase it through their overseas call centre.

Hummmm......must have more money than sense as they say, no wonder BT profits are large.

That £30 you so eagerly threw away could have done a charity some good.

kwikbreaks

pame wrote: »

Let's see how it works out on my next bill....

That will be the clincher. Good luck!!