BT Broadband - customer service

Backbiter

I've been with BT Broadband for over 18 months. Before that I was with BT Anytime and BT Surftime (dial-up). The service has been very reliable - no technical problems.
The issue I have with them is their diabolical customer service. Ever since I upgraded to broadband they have been double-charging me, for both dial up and broadband. They owe me over £200 and ignored my letters and emails for 9 months before replying, telling me to take up my complaint with 'a different part of BT - nothing to do with us'.
Their phone lines are permanently engaged, so I continued to complain in writing - at least this way I have a record of all the letters they have failed to reply to.
Eventually I got through on the phone, and was given yet another phone number. This appears to be a call centre in India where I was dealt with sympathetically and felt I'd got somewhere. The person was able to quote from all the emails I've sent, so they can't escape the fact that my dial-up service was cancelled well over a year ago. They assured me the dial-up service has now been cancelled, as has the direct debit. I find myself mentally spending the £200 refund they owe me.

Within 24 hours I find my email account has ceased to work - 'password invalid'. I contact the Password help section of the website, enter a few details and am then told 'your password has been sent to your email address'. The one I can't access. Terrific.

I get through on the phone and keep getting passed around a variety of numbers - some 0800, some 0845, some 0870, all with a long queue. I am asked to leave my number and am promised they will call me back. No phone call comes.
I keep getting asked if I am with BT or BT yahoo. I have an email from April 04 confirming my account has been upgraded to BT yahoo, so I say I am with BT Yahoo, but they do not recognise me as a customer. For the past year or so I have accessed my mail through BT yahoo webmail, so this is weird.
Eventually I am told that my email account has been barred because of 'billing issues'. I pay my Broadband bill via my phone billby direct debit 3 months in advance. They owe me over £200, and now they have barred my email. They promise to investigate and to call me back. They don't.
By now I suspect that the helpful chap in India who cancelled my old unused dial-up service on Tuesday is responsible for these 'billing issues', and ring yet another number to complain. I am told to simply transfer my email to a new free BT broadband service on their website. I try this twice, but am met by the message that they don't recognise me as a broadband customer at all. I phone yet another helpline (0870, of course), am kept in a queue for 40 minutes, have to retell the whole sorry saga yet again at my expense, and am told they will investigate and will call me back.
I explode at this point, but the calm, well-trained man on the end assures me I'll be dealt with today (saturday).
Nine hours later......nothing.
Their service is truly a joke. I have wasted countless hours trying to get my refund and now my email sorted
Any advice??? (Apart from ditching BT).

juno

If you paid by direct debit, then contact your bank as they can get your money back through the direct debit guarantee!

carl310166

I had problems downgrading from BT Yahoo Broadband to the basic service.

Lots and lots of phonecalls made,even the billing dept cancelled my DD by mistake which caused an letter to be sent to myself because of non payment of subscription.

Eventually,after several weeks i spoke to a conscientious person who sorted it out for me,plus i threatened to cancel,so i am enjoying 4 months subscription at a reduced rate.

Believe me,the people at BT mobile are even worse!

I think all these problems/good service we ALL get are very little to do with the company involved.......it's just if you are LUCKY enough to get a nice person on the end of that phone,it makes a big difference,it's just that there are a hell of a lot of people who don't give a s**t anymore.

g4_josh

I suggest you phone up BT's complaint review service. The number is 0800 545 458 alternatively try 0800 800 150 and ask for the Complaint's review service. I had problems with BT mobile and it's amazing how quickly things get done once you speak to the right people! These people speak to the heads of departments - I even got a phone call from the acting general manager of BT mobile to appoligise!

bridiej

It's not just Broadband, trying to speak to a human being at BT is a nightmare! :mad:

Backbiter

BT have finally sorted out my email account after six days. Just my refund to look forward to now. Many thanks for your replies.