BT Home Hub - Who Owns it?

sheffieldsaddler

I recently changed my BT phone hub from the old white one to the new black one.
BT sent me a letter and now a text stating I must return the old white hub to them else they will charge me.
Can they do this?

spike7451

O2 just did the same to me when I upgraded.I think that in the end you own it but if it is replaced then you have to return the original one as you're entitled to one item only.By them letting you keep the old one,you can effectively sell it on at a profit thus they would be out the cost of two items in total & you'd be in profit by the sale.
But a lot of ISP's do that now,some demand the router back if you leave.

richardw

Many request the previous equipment, they may just send you a pre-paid envelope/ bag for you to return it.

rob_wiltshire

I suspect this is a fairly new initiative from BT - I had a homehub upgrade in February 2010 and then left BT to move to BE in February 2011 and on neither occasion did they request the return of the previous homehub. As a result I now have two unused (but fully functioning) homehubs hanging around the house.

I would have thought that, to BT, the value of a second hand homehub is negligible especially taking in to account their overheads when dealing with it upon return. Perhaps they secretly hope you won't return it so they can charge you for it

kwikbreaks

rob_wiltshire wrote: »

Perhaps they secretly hope you won't return it so they can charge you for it

Being a cynical old git I suspect exactly that although I think the WEEE Directive actually makes them responsible for its disposal so possibly they are just being environmentally friendly.

hippey

Can't comment on your particular deal but the T&Cs state that after 12 months the default charge for the hub is discharged therefore free, under 12 months a charge will be made upto about £92.

However that is for a HH3, the HH 1 other than being obsolete isn't really worth anything so I would just put it in the bag and return it!

MsBlonde

spike7451 wrote: »

O2 just did the same to me when I upgraded.I think that in the end you own it but if it is replaced then you have to return the original one as you're entitled to one item only.By them letting you keep the old one,you can effectively sell it on at a profit thus they would be out the cost of two items in total & you'd be in profit by the sale.
But a lot of ISP's do that now,some demand the router back if you leave.

I upgraded and signed up for another 12 months o2 internet, I already had 2 years under my belt and I got a bag requesting my old router back or i'll be charged £20.

I checked my router and came to the conclusion that I wasn't sending it back with anything on the router or any supplied paperwork, which said this came from so and so. How did I know I still wasn't going to be charged £20? So didn't send it back.

6 months on and o2 are still yet to charge me £20 for said router.

pcombo

Abit of a cheek asking for it back, As your paying for the home hub over the contract period.

vax2002

Tell them to come and get it..