BT £240 Cancellation fee (back dated 4 years ago)

[Deleted User]

I've recently received a letter from a debt collection agency claiming to represent BT claiming that I have an outstanding debt to BT for cancellation charges from FOUR YEARS AGO!?!

The date of the invoice corresponds with when I had a BT account, which I cancelled when I moved house (because the house I was moving to already had a BT account.)

I remember contacting BT and informing them that I was cancelling my account because I was moving house, gave them my new address etc. I know this to be true because BT continued to mail me promotional crap every sodding week.

I paid my final bill of £40-odd and nothing more was said of it.

I said as much to the debt collection company and following that BT have sent me two invoices, back dated to 2008 demanding a total of £240.

What the hell do I do about this? There's no damn way I'm paying £240 for an account that was closed four years ago, and how can it take four years for them to send me notice of a cancellation fee?!

Any advice on how to deal with this would be hugely appreciated.

Buzby

They can, but they do have 6 years to pursue you legally. The issue probably has to do with a minimum term commitment that was not met and would be billed after the final phone charges were presented for payment.

BT may well have sold the debt, but it is to them you need to enquire the exact reason for the demand. (Alternatively, tell the DCA the account is rejected and to provide proof - although this may not resolve the issue as quickly).