MSE News: How to beat BT's broadband, home phone and TV price hikes

vixg66

I've cancelled phone, BB and TV due to the hikes on all 3, within 14 days, and moving to Sky fibre. BT are still charging me £30 for cancelling broadband during the contract period, can they do that?

Edit - finally got through to billing in BT and apparently the £30.00 shouldn't be applied in cases where people are leaving due to the price increases. However it probably will show on my final bill, in which case I need to phone them again to organise a refund...

emh_2

It would be good if anyone can comment/share their experience of BT allowing you to cancel fee free - for equipment etc?


How long do you need to have been with them before charging for equipment etc.? I would rather return the items than pay for junk to sit in my living room.


I cant see anywhere in T&C's about not paying these other fees though?


Stay or leave - Either way they sting you!

kevpc

just as a little update, the email i sent to Mr Petter at BT wasn't even acknowledged. he didn't even try to defend the misinformation he spouted! but then, i suppose that's typical of businesses in the UK, especially under a Tory government. they dont give a monkeys about the customers! they, like the banks, think they're 'too big to fail', once they've got customers to hand over cash, it's on the back burner out of sight you go!!

dazednconfoozed

If you're having trouble cancelling with BT don't give up. I got nowhere on my first call (details below) but on the second call was told I could cancel penalty free. Was also told they'd send a prepaid package to return Youview and hub but if I wanted to keep them I could (so I did ). Also I didn't need to give 30 days notice, I was a bit alarmed when she said the earliest cutoff date they had was 6th August!

The first call was a nightmare though. 30 minutes on hold to get through to a patronising Scot called Stuart. He told me that if I wanted to leave there would be a charge of £290 as I was still in contract. I told him about the ofcom ruling and mentioned MSE and Which but he was adamant that these sights were giving out the wrong info, that all companies increase their prices once a year and that BT wouldn't dream of doing anythi ng illegal. He also told me that it was only a slight increase of 5-7%.

I don't know whether idiots like this give misinformation just for the fun of it or if they've been told to say these things. It wasn't as if he was just unaware of the situation, he knew what I was talking about but was not intetested. When I asked to speak to someone else he put the phone down.

Hope this info helps someone, really annoying having to phone twice with 30 minute wait each time but got there in the end.

I had been with BT for 12 months so had 6 left.

Twinklet07s

Hello trying to switch my BT contract to Plusnet. I have had an email this evening stating I need to pay:

Equipment charges
As you've got equipment from BT, you'll need to pay:

£65.00 for broadband equipment charges.
You can find out more at bt.com/termcharges

Charges for ending your contract early
As you're moving before the end of your contract, you'll need to pay a charge for each month left of your minimum term. We expect this to be £72.39 by the time you move.



Is this correct?
Thanks

LM1

[QUOTE= Equipment charges
As you've got equipment from BT, you'll need to pay:

£65.00 for broadband equipment charges.
You can find out more at bt.com/termcharges

Charges for ending your contract early
As you're moving before the end of your contract, you'll need to pay a charge for each month left of your minimum term. We expect this to be £72.39 by the time you move.
Is this correct?
Thanks[/QUOTE]

No-one in this thread should be paying any cancellation charges at all because of the various price rises in september, it`s an ofcom ruling that customers be allowed to move penalty free if prices rise mid contract that customers were not informed of at the start of the contract,
Additionally, there will no charge for equipment/router etc according to Mse.
In your case it looks like they`ve looked at you leaving early as a standard case with penalties, not because of the price rises get out clause.Did you phone Bt to cancel or just sign up with Plusnet over the internet?.That might be your answer. I`d get on the telephone to them to sort it out quoting the Ofcom ruling.
It`s pure speculation whether some assistants do not know about this ruling, or Bt are pulling a fast one.

LM1

austinjreid wrote: »

I said I was expecting to be offered some alternative before I sign up with Sky which is 61% cheaper (plus quidco!)

The advisor said that as I was still in contract they would not be offering anything.

8 years a BT customer. Now that's loyalty!

There is no loyalty at all with Bt it seems i tried haggling a new contract 2 months ago with 3 different departments. I was willing to take an 18 month contract for a lot more money but they would not even take a quid off their standard price.
Even after i told them i was leaving penalty free i was offered nothing to keep me with them!.
I`m going with Sky and personally can`t wait as they reward loyalty with cashback as well.

clothtabs

If you have a complaint about BT's customer service I suggest that you email libby.barr@bt.com
In my experience she won't reply directly but within a short time you should receive a response from one of her underlings.
Emailing the senior management irritates BT no end but I've found that it's much more effective than any of the BT forums or sitting on the end of a phone for ages trying to contact someone who either understands or cares.

vikki2k1

LM1 wrote: »

No-one in this thread should be paying any cancellation charges at all because of the various price rises in september, it`s an ofcom ruling that customers be allowed to move penalty free if prices rise mid contract that customers were not informed of at the start of the contract,
Additionally, there will no charge for equipment/router etc according to Mse.
In your case it looks like they`ve looked at you leaving early as a standard case with penalties, not because of the price rises get out clause.Did you phone Bt to cancel or just sign up with Plusnet over the internet?.That might be your answer. I`d get on the telephone to them to sort it out quoting the Ofcom ruling.
It`s pure speculation whether some assistants do not know about this ruling, or Bt are pulling a fast one.

I've also had the same email after setting a new contract to start in 18 days with sky.
Will be calling bt tomorrow to let them know why I'm moving and hopefully they will cancel the fees. I can't pay them!

clothtabs

If you do leave BT don't forget to cancel your direct debit otherwise they will try and bill you for the month after you've left them. This is because they always want to charge a month in advance and they provarocate over issueing the final settlement bill. Don't give then an inch because they'll try and squeeze you for as much as they can. Any accounting errors are always to their advantage.