Trapped by BT?

Spuddle

Hi there, I hope you can help

A long time ago my OH signed upto a BT contract for calls & broadband. He never really looked into it that much. They forced us into paying several extortionate fees too, but, anyway.

I moved to my new place in april, I only have a 10GB limit, they also charge me £5 for every 2GB over the limit. (I'm hitting 20GB a month atm)

I have wanted to change from BT, but any time I have tried, they have thrown a fee at us. Last time it was £120, after speaking to them today, they say to cancel the contract is £322 :eek:


For 2mb download speed, various free calls on the house phone (that is NEVER used) 10GB, and line rental is £32. A while ago they offered him BT Vision, free for a year, which he went for.

I really need a better broadband, so he has spoken to them today, to be told that the BT vision isn't free and never has been, and they're going to be charging us £12.50, and add on the last 3 months payment for the BT vision that we apparently haven't paid!
The bt vision box will of course be winging it's way back to them as I am NOT paying for this..

They also said it will be £44 for line rental, 20mb speed, 40GB, and free weekend and evening calls.

I desperatley want to leave them, but I have no idea what to do now they're doing this. Should I just suck it up and carry on paying what I am?

UncleZen

They forced us into paying several extortionate fees

Explain

A while ago they offered him BT Vision, free for a year, which he went for.

And you dont as you want to send the box back - talk to your OH
If it was free, did you get it in writing? / Confirmed?

It sounds to me like your in a contract period that is unsuitable for your needs.

Spuddle

When we moved to our previous house, we had no internet for 2 months, they basically claimed we were lying as there were no problems at their end. They sent several technicians out, every time charging us for it (which we refused to pay for many months afterwards, to which they just kept cutting us off until we had no choice to pay as I really needed the net) One of them was literally out for 5 minutes and left again, each call out was never less than £120.
We still didn't have a working phone for about 5 months. I spoke to endless people on the phone and they were all constantly rude and accused us of lying. The broadband was pretty appauling the entire time we were there.

As far as I know, we didn't recieve anything in writing regarding the cost of the BT Vision. Had it been me sorting it, I would have asked, but it's too late now

Spuddle

He's just spoken to them yet again, and they're now saying if we want to cancel the BT Vision, we have to pay the rest of the 'contract' for it, even though the OH only agreed to it because it was free for the first year, yet they're saying they never offered that and "thats not the case"
He's asking them for audio proof as we've never agreed to this on paper.

UncleZen

Obviously if the phone doesnt work and technicians come & go without fixing it you shouldnt be charged. I suspect we're not quite getting the whole story. From what you say youve attempted to resolve this but not getting the outcome you want (whether its right or wrong) maybe you should escalate the case to ofcom.

macman

All BTV contracts have a minimum term of at least one year.
The reason you would have been billed each time they came out is because either no fault was found, or because the fault was downstream of the master socket, on your equipment, set up or extension wiring-none of which is BT's responsibility. The minimum call out is therefore chargeable at that rate and they would have told you that when you reported a fault.
If your BB contract is for 10GB and you are using 20GB, why don't you just upgrade to the higher allowance on the next tariff up? Unless you dispute that you are using that data, I don't see what your complaint is?
You say that you want to leave, but if you only commenced your contract in April, then you are still in contract until at least next April-so why are you surprised when they ask you for an ETC to break your contract? Those are the T&C's you signed up to in April.

Sooler

Spuddle wrote: »

When we moved to our previous house, we had no internet for 2 months, they basically claimed we were lying as there were no problems at their end. They sent several technicians out, every time charging us for it

They inform you before you can agree to accepting the technician to visit that you will be charged £120 if there is no fault found their end.

Spuddle wrote: »

(which we refused to pay for many months afterwards, to which they just kept cutting us off until we had no choice to pay as I really needed the net)

There was no choice because you agreed to accept the £120 charge each time.

Spuddle wrote: »

One of them was literally out for 5 minutes and left again,

Possibly because there really was no fault their end.

Spuddle wrote: »

each call out was never less than £120.

Yes - that's the fee you accepted, they informed you of this before you agreed to each visit.

Spuddle wrote: »

We still didn't have a working phone for about 5 months.

Possibly because there was a fault YOUR end?

Spuddle wrote: »

I spoke to endless people on the phone and they were all constantly rude and accused us of lying.

Possibly because they'd visited several times and established repeatedly that there was no fault their end. Nothing more they could do.

Did you think they were lying when they said there was no fault their end?

Spuddle wrote: »

The broadband was pretty appauling the entire time we were there.

Possibly there may have been a fault your end??? Did you verify everything was all OK your end? What checks did you do? A dodgy lead or using an extension cable on the router can easily affect this.

Spuddle

The fault was NOT at our end, thank you. That isn't even the point of this thread.


Aside from the cancellation fee having increased from what is in our contract, the point is I am at a loss as what to do seeing as any time I ring them, I am being given different quotes or being told I'm going to have to pay even more than what was agreed to cancel or otherwise. We did not agree to pay for the BT Vision for the first year, yet we are now being charged for the last three months, as I have already posted. I would like advice on what to do with that seeing as any time they're spoken to, they're changing the prices, cancellation fees and wasting our time ringing them in the first place.

Sooler

Spuddle wrote: »

The fault was NOT at our end, thank you. That isn't even the point of this thread.

It's amoney saving site , you should be entitled to a refund of several lots of £120 :cool: