BT help please

shortdog

I originally posted this on the home phones forum, but was advised to move it here, so here I am:)

This is a bit of a long story, but I will try to cut it as short as possible.
In June 2007, I split up from my partner, and moved out with the kids. During the next few weeks, I sorted everything out, getting my name taken off everything, etc. I know I spoke to BT at that point, and got my name removed from the bill, and it put into my ex-partners name (I seem to remember having to send a letter, and him having to agree, but I may be wrong, it is a little while ago!)
Fast forward to October 2011, and I recieve a debt collectors letter for £129, owed to BT. Slightly confused, as I knew I had nothing outstanding when I left BT about 2 years ago, I called the debt collectors, to find out what was going on, to find out that it was an outstanding bill for my old address in Yorkshire (where I left my ex-partner).
Debt collectors (who were really helpful) suggested I write them a letter, sending them copies of anything I had that was official and proved that I didn't live at that address. I hunted out various bits of old paperwork, including tax credits letters, council tax bills, etc, all dated after June 2007 (from August 2007 to March 2008), to prove that I didn't live there at that time, and stating that, if they sent me some form of bill or statement, showing the dates that the debt corresponded to, I would be able to deal with it better (before June 2007 and I would pay it, after that and I would be able to prove that I didn't live there anymore.)
BT kept coming back to the debt collectors stating that "addressee is liable for the outstanding amount" and nothing else. Debt collectors last week advised that I speak to BT direct, and gave me a phone number to ring (which is hopeless, computer wanting a phone number, which then tells me the phone number is not valid:mad: and cuts me off).
I phoned BT on their (only) number that I could find, and got through to a helpful man, who stated that he couldn't access my account, but he would get someone with more authority to ring me about it.
No-one has rung me back yet, and I'm getting quite peeved (to say the least) - they still haven't sent me a statement or anything, and I feel like I'm banging my head against a brick wall.
Has any of you helpful people got a phone number which would get me thrugh to someone who is not a lackey with no authority, or any idea what to do next? I have no problem paying if it's my bill, but don't see why I should pay his bill.
Thank you very much.:D

Horseunderwater

Whenever I ring them about things I just dial 150 and keep holding, not pressing any buttons on phone at all. Eventually, you get through to a set of options that allows you to speak to a person. When I had some problems with my new style account and was overcharged it was a senior chap in the Irish call centre that sorted it all out. I said I had trouble understanding foreign call centre staff as they spoke too fast and I needed someone who spoke at Proper English speeds. Any other time, I have spoken to the indian call centre with no problems whatever, but that time, each time I asked them to cancel something they added it onto account as a new product and I knew I'd not asked for that, hence the problems.

neverbefore2011

If there is one thing in life that I know for certain, it is that it is completely impossible to get any sense out of BT.

I suggest you write letters to BT at their Durham correspondence centre, and send copies to the debt collectors. At the same time, keep telling the debt collectors that you are continuing to dispute the bill, and that until there is some proof that the debt is yours, no payment will be forthcoming.

Hopefully, the problem will go away, but you need to keep an eye on your credit files

POPPYOSCAR

neverbefore2011 wrote: »

If there is one thing in life that I know for certain, it is that it is completely impossible to get any sense out of BT.

I suggest you write letters to BT at their Durham correspondence centre, and send copies to the debt collectors. At the same time, keep telling the debt collectors that you are continuing to dispute the bill, and that until there is some proof that the debt is yours, no payment will be forthcoming.

Hopefully, the problem will go away, but you need to keep an eye on your credit files

This is what is worrying me. I am in dispute with BT over a charge for a fault repair(the engineer has put the wrong info with the wrong job) I have been told to deduct the charge from my bill(DD to be cancelled) and pay the balance, but they also said that I will get letters demanding payment and just to ignore them until this is sorted out with Openreach.Not a good situation to be in, OP you have my understanding and sympathies.

neverbefore2011

POPPYOSCAR wrote: »

[/B]


This is what is worrying me. I am in dispute with BT over a charge for a fault repair(the engineer has put the wrong info with the wrong job) I have been told to deduct the charge from my bill(DD to be cancelled) and pay the balance, but they also said that I will get letters demanding payment and just to ignore them until this is sorted out with Openreach.Not a good situation to be in, OP you have my understanding and sympathies.

If you speak to 10 different people at BT about your disputed repair bill, you will get 10 different replies about how to deal with it.

BT are a nightmare, and should be investigated by somebody.

I think they do it deliberately, and hope people will give up.

Having said that, I did once manage to get a £70 refund out of them not once, but twice!

They are the most useless organisation in the world, and the sooner I can get away from them the better, but even when my contract finishes, and I can switch, I am not at all confident that it will be achieved without a whole lot of blood sweat and tears

POPPYOSCAR

Have you thought about taking this to the Ombudsman?

neverbefore2011

believe it or not, I jusr received a call from BT agreeing to waive my cancellation charges. Yippee

I first wrote to them in November, but received no reply, and wrote again last week

I have a reference number to quote so that I can confirm my exemption from cancellation charges

The guy who called me was North American

???

shortdog

neverbefore2011 wrote: »

If there is one thing in life that I know for certain, it is that it is completely impossible to get any sense out of BT.

I suggest you write letters to BT at their Durham correspondence centre, and send copies to the debt collectors. At the same time, keep telling the debt collectors that you are continuing to dispute the bill, and that until there is some proof that the debt is yours, no payment will be forthcoming.

Hopefully, the problem will go away, but you need to keep an eye on your credit files

Thanks, I'm going to write a letter to them tonight explaining everything, and see what comes from that - I feel like I'm banging my head against a brick wall with them, I have honestly never had to deal with such an awkward company!

give_them_FA

They are utterly useless, I would just tell the debt collectors bluntly that it isn't your bill and you are not going to pay, there is no way they will ever get it near a court if they have to rely on BT to supply the evidence. They have probably bought the debt anyway, so if you pay them anything it will be going into their pockets, not back to BT.

neverbefore2011

neverbefore2011 wrote: »

believe it or not, I jusr received a call from BT agreeing to waive my cancellation charges. Yippee

I first wrote to them in November, but received no reply, and wrote again last week

I have a reference number to quote so that I can confirm my exemption from cancellation charges

The guy who called me was North American

???

I called the 0800 number which the guy told me to call, but after 13 minutes in the queue, I hung up

I'll try again tomorrow