MSE News: BT reveals price rises - but you can escape the hikes

Quentin

Neillgb wrote: »

Unfortunately I forgot to actually change provider within the 10 days. Is it still OK to leave without penalty? Thanks

It's virtually impossible to change in 10 days.

All you had to do according to the email was inform them within 10 days:

If this change means you want to end your service, you can do that by telling us within ten days of receipt of this email without needing to pay a charge for ending your contract early.

Neillgb

Quentin wrote: »

It's virtually impossible to change in 10 days.

All you had to do according to the email was inform them within 10 days:

Thanks for that folks, off to Quidco i go!!

Jo4

If I am going to pay the £1.75 a month for caller display do I need to call them or do I only call them if I want to go on a 12 month contract?

Quentin

You don't need to call them if you are happy to pay!

You also don't need to call them to avoid the charge by starting a new contract with them, that can be done simply on line

http://www.productsandservices.bt.com/consumer/edw/freecallerdisplay/?s_cid=con_FURL_freecallerdisplay

w81

I eventually managed to terminate without charge my BT Infinity broadband, following numerous phone correspondence in which they first refused my broadband prices going up, and then implied that the email they sent with the price checker was a scam.

Thanks to advice from sergeant_cookie and anna2007 I found the correct route, and thought it might be useful for others. :j


I had at hand:

• a copy of the email sent to me about price increases
• a copy of the webpage that that email links to (also at www.bt.com/callprices), with para about broadband price increases circled
• a copy of the broadband price checker linked to within that page, with bottom-line increase circled (https://www.bt.com/static/wa/account/pricechanges/login/login.html)
• a copy of terms and conditions, with paragraph 51-54 circled in reference to cancellation of service if material disadvantage (http://www.productsandservices.bt.com/consumerProducts/dynamicmodules/pagecontentfooter/pageContentFooterPopup.jsp?pagecontentfooter_popupid=13408&s_cid=con_FURL_broadbandterms)
• bt customer complaints code (http://www.btplc.com/Thegroup/RegulatoryandPublicaffairs/Codeofpractice/CustomerComplaintsCode/)

Background:
I have Infinity 2 broadband a8-month contract from May, with line rental saver paid upfront until May 2014

I received email on Fri 1st Nov from ‘bt at home’ advising about price increases. Contained a link to info page suggesting that bt broadband prices also increasing, also link to broadband price checker which asks for account number and telephone number, but then reassuringly gives my specific price increase from jan.

I spoke to BT over phone twice on Sat 2nd Nov. First lady I spoke to said no increase as have a discount in place, and she checked with two managers to confirm, and read out (annoyingly) while she typed out on my notes, essentially to disregard the email and information.

Rang again as frustrated by mixed messages. This guy breathed in strongly when he got me to admit typing in my account number and telephone number into the price checker "we don't send emails like that, that's not something that we would do". Also said to disregard as price increase not applicable, and also that he not aware about broadband increases. Funny how the call centre staff refuse/ do not have the facility to go online or do anything like that, that verify what you are saying.

Update

Fairly dissatisfied, whilst I am motivated by a poor-ish internet connection and a small increase in price, the way they managed me incensed me. After receiving advice on here, started again but this time started out on their live chat on a Tuesday morning about 11am - go to https://bt.custhelp.com/app/contact/c/2902/?s_intcid=con_intban_sanda_contact_us_chat_from_forums

In all interactions on this day I tried to be as friendly and jovial as possible while being assertive.

Got the guy there, presumably from an asian work centre. I didn’t come out right away about what I wanted him to confirm in writing, but instead said I wanted to talk about price increase mentioned in an email I'd received from them. After a few pauses for him to check info he reeled off basically what was on the price checker, confirming the increase in monthly price.

Just got him to confirm that my broadband is being increased, which he did. I said I wanted to cancel as per the t&c, and then he wishy-washy about cancellation charge (first quoting £30 then £250ish). I quoted the T&C on the email and webpage at https://www.bt.com/callprices as:
“If, as a result of these price changes or changes to terms, you decide to terminate your affected service(s), you may do so without incurring the Early Termination Charge(s) that may otherwise be payable. If you wish to exercise this right you must contact us within 10 days of receiving the notification sent to you personally. You will still be liable to service charges up to the date of termination.”

To which he then asked politely if could phone me and then transfer call to COT (customer service team in britain?). This is kind of what I wanted because I wouldn't really have been comfortable about cancelling through chat.

The phone rang immediately, and it was the same guy I had been chatting to. Before transferring call he asked me to close the chat session, which I did (after printing out a copy, svaing one to PDF via Chrome, and taking several screenshots of chat window next to computer clock (Shift and PrtSc button, and paste in Paint)).

Call got transferred.

Found myself speaking Christopher on a headset turned up too loud (is that a technique they use). Dialogue went like this:

ME: Want to speak about the price increase affecting my broadband account, and to cancel as per the BT terms and conditions.
CHRISTOPHER: But that’s already a discounted price.
ME: I know, just spoke your colleague via online chat who confirmed the increase.
CHRISTOPHER: What is the increase? [What don't you have access to the same systems?]
[Spent a long time mulling everything over]
CHRISTOPHER: So you’re going to Sky? [Where did he get that from???]
ME: No I'm not going to Sky
CHRISTOPHER: but you’ll be going to another provided? [This might be that they have recorded in their notes that I said I wanted to move to another provider]
ME: Well I will need the internet, if I cancel today.
CHRISTOPHER: So would it be possible if we change things around and make it a bit cheaper, would that be any good?
ME: 'Fraid not. Not happy about increase, specifically with way BT are handling it
CHRISTOPHER: The letter is definitely in date?
ME: Yes I received it on Fri, got day, assume that is working days until week on Fri, but want to sort out now [in case you try to put me off!]
CHRISTOPHER: [He gave me some strange reason why he asked that, about people receiving them and automatically being free the cancel, or something]
[He spoke to his manager a few times]
CHRISTOPHER: We can get this shut down on the 12th Nov. Is that ok for you?
ME: Whatever is easiest for you [Guessing this is one way they can get out of the 10days]
CHRISTOPHER: Just to confirm that all calls up the the 12th Nov chargeable.
ME: OK. So just to confirm there will be no charge for the telephone..
CHRISTOPHER: When you say no charge what do you mean?
ME: That I paid rental save upfront, so that’s that, but no termination charge.
CHRISTOPHER: No
ME: And also the Broadband no termination charge and no further charge from the 12th.
CHRISTOPHER: No
ME: And I will receive a final bill then.
CHRISTOPHER: Yes [Funny how they get such a power trip with their short and sharp and ambiguous answers, so you don’t know to trust them or not - crooks?]
ME: Can I get this in writing?
CHRISTOPHER: Yes will get that


So I take that as confirmation that there will be no final large bill for remainder of term. But will be watching out for it though.


Then I arranged a move to Virgin media. I had already spoken to their pre-install cancellation team and arranged for them to reimburse the lost line rental (actually I quoted 6 months at £15.99 rather than talking about the line rental saver I had paid for up front). Actually they took the 'uswitch45' discount code I had applied as part of that so got reimbursement of £50. When I spoke to them originally they said that that they could go to £200 for reimbursement, but you probably need to have them agree to something like this in a prior call. I went for 100mbps with phoneline, this will be an increase over what I would have being paying with BT on discount, but I can reduce the speed down to 30/60mbps at end of 6-month promo and adjust on a month by month basis. Hopefully will all come to plan.

Thanks, Will

pmcguigan

will.moindrot, just to confirm, have you cancelled line rental, telephone and broadband with BT with no termination charge, or is it just the broadband. Will your telephone number not be lost if you terminate?

sergeant_cookie

I cancelled all of mine and as I am moving to sky I keep the same number. Not that it would bother me as I only have a line for the internet anyway

pmcguigan

sergeant_cookie wrote: »

I cancelled all of mine and as I am moving to sky I keep the same number. Not that it would bother me as I only have a line for the internet anyway

Do you mind explaining how you got to keep your number? If I terminate, I lose my number but will not get charged. If I migrate, I keep my number, but dont get charged. I am in contract until May 2014. Would love to know how to migrate to Sky and not get charged, as the advisors are telling me. What do they need to hear to allow me to move for free? Thanks

Quentin

Sounds like a scare tactic! Get back on to them and get this reversed.

sergeant_cookie

I just asked for a mac code. But sky ended up getting it before bt gave it me