BT Dispute

Smithythe

Hi,
I have an on going dispute with BT relating to a phone line that I had cancelled at a previous address that has now been passed onto a debt collection agency (Moorcroft).

On moving house in Nov 2011 I initially asked BT to carry out a home move via their website, however my current internet provider could not supply me at my new address (set up a account with sky, phone & broadband at new address) . I then cancelled the home move with BT.

Last year I discovered that BT was still charging me for the line at the old property. On discussing this with BT (May 2014) I was informed that they had cancelled the home move but not the line as requested, i.e. I was still being billed for the line at my old address even though they knew we had moved. I was advised to raise an indemnity claim by BT which was subsequently paid by BT for their error.

I received a letter from a debt collection agency about a month ago relating to an unpaid BT charge which I refute. On discussing this with BT they now disagree with the indemnity claim and want to reclaim this money back. They also are charging me for a late payment charge on for the money that's involved in the indemnity claim. BT also claim to have sent me letters that I have never received (presumably to my old address even though they know we have now moved and took my new details when I first queried the payments after the cancellation)


I am currently in communication with BT, but I keep getting BS answers or passed from pillar to post, with very little clarity.
Does anyone have any advice on what to do from here? If BT paid the indemnity claim can they now claim that this was paid in error?
We always paid our bills in full by DD and have a record of our initial home move request as well as subsequent request for cancellation (once we realised we could not move our current broadband provider and so going to sky phone and broadband was cheaper).

Any advice or support anyone can give would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks

Jimmy_roo

You Mention cancelling the home move, At any point did you ask BT to actually cancel the line

Smithythe

Thanks for the reply Jimmy_roo. I don't think that the line was ever cancelled until I phoned and queried the payments with BT. At which point I explained my predicament and was advised to raise an indemnity claim. Do you think I still have grounds to dispute the claim?

StuC75

So you cancelled the home move, but do you have any evidence that you cancelled the account outright at that timec then?.. BT Were probably not to know that you completed the move - a bit like a pac code not being used for a mobile - the contract just continues on..

Smithythe

So BT sent me the most confusing email ever. I forwarded this to the debt collection agency. They initially read it as "BT have got it wrong and are not owed anything" and contacted BT direct. Recently I have a letter back from the debt collection agency saying that I owe BT money and the email I received from them was confusing.
I understand that I may not have done things properly but the thing I take issue with is that BT advised me to make an indemnity claim. Then decided that they want that money back after they have already issued me credit for it. Then charge me a late payment charge for sending a bill to an old address that they knew I moved out.
Debt collectors are now chasing me again. Not really sure what to do?!

JJ_Egan

Have a read of the full thread it may or may not help .
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5224646

mgfvvc

I find email to Gavin Patterson (CEO of BT retail, last time I checked) at [EMAIL="gavin.e.patterson@bt.com"]gavin.e.patterson@bt.com[/EMAIL] gets most things sorted.