BT "Free" isn't Free

shadewood_mole

I'm on the 12 month auto-renewing contract that gives me free evening and weekend calls AT NO ADDITIONAL COST to my line rental. So needless to say when I received my latest bill I was surprised when there was a £2.31 additional calling plan charge. I queried this with BT and they explained that my contract renewal date is about a month before my next bill date. So they have taken a payment for that period on the assumption that I would cancel the auto renewing contract. They explained that I would get a credit on the following bill (in three months time) assuming I didn't cancel the contract. They seemed to think this was perfectly reasonable. So BT have taken money from me on an assumption which is in their favour. They could just as easily have assumed I would renew, and then take the payment in three months time if I didn't.

I know the sum is not large, but it's the old story of large numbers of customers. If this is applied wholesale BT can bank significant money for three months (earning interest) before crediting it back to accounts.

So I'd like to ask if other people have had similar 'spurious' charges applied. And if so have they complained about it and what has happened. Or have they just waited for the credit on the next bill and let them get away with it.

I'm sure if the situation was reversed BT wouldn't wait 3 months for payment.

Comments welcome.

grimsalve

shadewood_mole wrote: »

So I'd like to ask if other people have had similar 'spurious' charges applied. And if so have they complained about it and what has happened. Or have they just waited for the credit on the next bill and let them get away with it.

The "one off" charges added to the end of every bill to pay for "free call features" really confuses me. :huh:

I noticed BT offer cheap line rental for people who only need a BT line for broadband... except they charge you an extra £1.50 a month if you don't make any phonecalls! :rotfl:

brewerdave

shadewood_mole - checked back last 3 year's bills and thats what they have done with mine as well - HOWEVER, it doesn't bother me as I'm getting free calls which are worth WAY more than the lost interest.Estimate that the lost interest is 4.5p!!
Also really its not a "spurious" charge - its the cost of the service to anyone who takes it;if you are prepared to be committed to a 12 month contract then you get a discount.I haven't asked the question of what happens if you phone in advance of renewal and actually tell them that you want to renew.I suppose in theory they shouldn't raise the charge,but for ~ 5p I can't be bothered!!!

shadewood_mole

Brewerdave - I agree with you that the free calls far outweigh the interest raised - but that wasn't the point. It's the principal of them taking the money and then crediting it again three months later. If they do that to thousands of customers they can make a tidy sum. And I did ask what happened if I told them I would be renewing and they said it would make no difference. It's just another case of them biasing the rules in their favour. Thanks for your response.

brewerdave

What I also neglected to say was that I'm on a fixed monthly DD payment - which doesn't change when the "extra" charge is applied - so they haven't got any extra money from me anyway!!!