BT warning!

vigman

This is also posted in the phone packages area, so please remove if mixed forum posting is not allowed
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Watch out if you take any BT package.

Last June I opted for the pay a year upfront line rental. I also had unlimited anytime package.

I have been very ill since and only because of a line fault, looked at my three last bills.....and nearly died of shock!

At the same time as taking the payment for the annual line rental they CANCELLED my unlimited anytime package (charging me 55 quid for the pleasure of something I didn't want!) but then charging us HUGE bills for all the daytime calls, even local ones.

I rang to explain, but they say I have basically waited too long before drawing this to their attention even if the cancellation was their fault. I told them that as our bills were always 50-60 GBP per quarter on unlimited anytime and as I have been seriously ill, this was the first time I had seen the online accounts.

I know it is my fault that I have taken so long to notice the huge bills (180 ish pq), but it is their fault that I have been charged for any calls in these periods after they cancelled my unlimited package without my permission.....:mad::mad:

Vigman

arcon5

They can't just change your contract then overcharge you every month and tell you tough! What a bunch of morons.

Write them a real letter telling them due to their error you have been overcharged, explain you expect them to honour the contract you signed and require it rectifying immediately! See what they say!

Crabman

BT (a bunch of crooks) have done something similar to an elderly friend of ours.

Their response to a complaint was that she should have noticed the problem earlier by reading her bills properly. Because she didn't, they apparently feel they are entitled to keep the money.

Never mind the fact they charged her a significant amount for a service she did not receive and could not have used.

I would advise everyone to read this article and switch away from BT to get a better deal and hopefully better customer service:

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/phones/home-phone-calls

MeanParent

If you paid by direct debit ignore BT and demand a refund from your bank under the direct debit guarantee.

sillygoose

Email the CEO Ian Livingstone and politely request help, pointing out in passing that you have a huge numbers of followers on internet forums following how this turns out. (it has worked for me in the past, I got someone with some authority assigned to sort out my issues)

His email is just [EMAIL="ian.livingston@bt.com"]ian.livingston@bt.com[/EMAIL]

vigman

Thanks, everyone. I was explaining that apart from my health problems stopping me being so proactive in checking all my accounts, I 'knew' I was on an unlimited anytime tariff so there was no need for me to check for call charges, even in any of the last three payment periods!!

I asked why would I have rung to get a cheap year rental by paying in advance, and on the same day cancel my anytime unlimited and then make hundreds of expensive calls!!??

Waiting for a call back in the next 48 hours (whilst they try and find a recording of my request for the year advance payment and what they believe will be proof I did cancel the anytime option) and will report back. If no success, then I will take some action suggested here.

Just thinking, even if I accidentally somehow verbally cancelled the anytime option durint the sales conversation, in no way would I have agreed to paying 55gbp for the privilege!

Vigman

vigman

Well they assure me I asked for the unlimited weekend and evening package (even though I was on the unlimited anytime and had been for ages) at the time I asked to pay the annual line rental upfront.

I queried why a cancellation fee wasn't mentioned then....so they are refunding that but not the (expensive) calls made in the daytime after that for the next three quarters.

This was 4 days after I lost my job and as they have the tape of my call, I can't argue this further.........

Moral(s): Don't make decisions when in shock and ALWAYS check online bills as well as paper ones as they may not be what you expect!

Vigman

wary

It's a while ago now and I can't remember the exact details, but I do recall that I was being charged for something that I thought I'd cancelled. Their stance was that regardless of who was to blame for them continuing to charge me, because they had informed me (via the bills which admitedly I'd failed to check in sufficient detail) of these charges then I'd effectively accepted them and forfeited any right to a refund.

Fundamental_2

vigman wrote: »

Well they assure me I asked for the unlimited weekend and evening package (even though I was on the unlimited anytime and had been for ages) at the time I asked to pay the annual line rental upfront.

I queried why a cancellation fee wasn't mentioned then....so they are refunding that but not the (expensive) calls made in the daytime after that for the next three quarters.

This was 4 days after I lost my job and as they have the tape of my call, I can't argue this further.........

Moral(s): Don't make decisions when in shock and ALWAYS check online bills as well as paper ones as they may not be what you expect!

Vigman

Have you listened to the call - it is quite possible they are (ahem) being economical with the truth.

vigman

Fundamental wrote: »

Have you listened to the call - it is quite possible they are (ahem) being economical with the truth.

No!...and I have thought since that if they had raised the cancellation issue at the time, I would have said 'no' anyway because of a fee involved and would have found out what I was cancelling (unlimited anytime) and also said 'no'!

I am going to put this in writing now.

Vigman

vigman

My email to Ian Livingstone (some formatting removed and some changes made to OP)

:

Account: SM nnnnnnnnn
Phone: 01nnn xxxxxxxxx

Dear Mr Livingstone

I have tried the normal route to get this serious complaint resolved, but have had to take this to the top as well as discussing it on Money Saving Expert forums and Twitter.

Background:

In June 2011, I lost my job (and have had to take ill health retirement). On 15th June 2011, I saw BT information about paying line rental for 1 year upfront so I rang to take this option simply to save money.

At the time I had moved from Equitalk back to BT and was on an unlimited anytime package with paper bills of around 60gbp per quarter.

This is my original posting to MSE (with some accuracy edits):


"Watch out if you take any BT package.

Last June I opted for the pay a year upfront line rental. I also had unlimited anytime package.

I have been very ill since and only because of a line fault, looked at my three last bills.....and nearly died of shock!

At the same time as taking the payment for the annual line rental they CANCELLED my Unlimited Anytime package (charging me 55 quid for the pleasure of something I didn't want!) but then charging us HUGE bills for all the daytime calls, even local ones.

I rang to explain, but they say I have basically waited too long before drawing this to their attention even if the cancellation was their fault. I told them that as our bills were always 50-60 GBP per quarter on unlimited anytime and as I have been seriously ill, this was the first time I had seen the online accounts.

I know it is my fault that I have taken so long to notice the huge bills for call costs, but it is their fault that I have been charged for any calls in these periods after they cancelled my unlimited package without my permission"


Since then, BT have agreed on the phone that they did not mention the cancellation, or its fee during my original phone call last June 15th, and will be crediting back the 55 GBP cancellation charge. They say that I insisted on unlimited weekend and evening calls when setting up the advanced yearly rental as they had listened to my recorded phone call from last year.

However, I have given this great consideration and I have thought since that if they had raised the cancellation issue at the time, I would have said 'no' anyway, firstly because of any fee involved when I was trying to save money, and more importantly, would have found out what I was cancelling (my Unlimited Anyime package) and also said 'NO'!

My (unwanted) call charges for quarters ending were:

Qxxxx Sept 11 2011 = 87.48
Qxxxx Dec 11th 2011 = 105.79
Q093 March11th 2012 = 112.31

Total call charges = 305.58 !!

If I had been advised there was a cancellation of a service, and/or any fee involved last June, I would have stayed on my Anytime Unlimited plan, and so am requesting the full refund of the call charges made.

I did not check my online bills in the last three quarters simply as I 'knew' they would have no call charges (I was also very ill at this time and thought my phone calls were nothing to worry about as they were free). This only came to light when checking out a phone fault.

A simple test to see whether or not I thought I was on my normal anytime unlimited package is to look at the expensive calls made between say 16.30 and 17.58 on weekdays during the charged quarters when these could have been made after 18.00 for free if I knew I was only on unlimited weekend and evening calls!!

I look forward to a speedy resolution of this issue which has caused me great physical and emotional distress.

Thank you for you co-operation

Mr Vigman (alias for MSE)