BT - Excessive and punitive leaving charges

bxboards

Hi

I took BT Broadband around a year ago, and with the contract ending shortly, arranged a switch on Monday to a new provider.

Since then I've been bombarded with mails and letters from BT regarding leaving fees - each message I get the leaving fees increased!

I was told on Monday my leaving fee would be 66.25 by SMS and I got another SMS on Tuesday telling me the leaving fee would be 71.75. The e-mail they sent me prior to these quotes a lower leaving fee but this 65+.

I spoke to BT on Saturday and was told that I could avoid the charges by going to a new provided on 15th December. I received my hub on 15th December 2014. My new service starts on 16th December.

I really feel as if these text messages threatening leaving fees are punitive especially when the leaving fee increases every message so it seems!

My personally feeling is this is one for Ofcom - it really feels as if BT are punishing me for leaving too be honest!

jem16

bxboards wrote: »

I spoke to BT on Saturday and was told that I could avoid the charges by going to a new provided on 15th December. I received my hub on 15th December 2014. My new service starts on 16th December.

There shouldn't be an issue then.

Did you sign up to the new provider and are letting them handle the switch or did you phone up to cancel BT?

bxboards

jem16 wrote: »

There shouldn't be an issue then.

Did you sign up to the new provider and are letting them handle the switch or did you phone up to cancel BT?

The new provider is doing the switch.

BT are adamant I need to pay a fee - 'computer says no' regarding removing it. They sent me a letter to this effect in the post today too.

They are unclear what the fee is for, at first they claimed I signed a new contract when I took out 12 months privacy features, but backed down on that when I quoted the transcript back to the CS agent who set it up. Now they say its for the Home Hub 5. They won't allow me to send it back to avoid the fee.

As I said, it feels punitive.

cajef

If you switch while still in contract they will charge you, you should have waited until after the contract ended before arranging to switch.

jem16

bxboards wrote: »

Now they say its for the Home Hub 5. They won't allow me to send it back to avoid the fee.

There should be no charge for that if you are outwith your minimum contract. Was it definitely a 12 month contract?

If so and your contract ends on December 15th, your move on the 16th December should incur no charges.

Do BT know the date you are moving is the 16th?

jem16

cajef wrote: »

If you switch while still in contract they will charge you, you should have waited until after the contract ended before arranging to switch.

The actual switch won't happen until one day after the contract ends though. Why should this incur a charge?

cajef

jem16 wrote: »

The actual switch won't happen until one day after the contract ends though. Why should this incur a charge?

Who knows with BT, maybe if the new provider has contacted BT while they are still under contract they may consider it too early even though the actual switch is not till the 16th.

jem16

cajef wrote: »

Who knows with BT, maybe if the new provider has contacted BT while they are still under contract they may consider it too early even though the actual switch is not till the 16th.

The new provider will have contacted BT to arrange the switch. However the fact remains that if it is after the contract date end no charges are due as the contract has been fulfilled.

OP - let this go ahead with switch date of the 16th. If you are then charged for something email the CEO of BT with a formal complaint.

bxboards

jem16 wrote: »

Do BT know the date you are moving is the 16th?

Yes, I've told them that but they still won't remove the charges. They told me to pay the final bill and then to speak to the billing department - so far I've been speaking to the phone number you get on the leaving messages, and they are very keen to get me to re-sign so the charge goes away in effect. I don't think the retentions department has any power to remove this charges but if I don't leave then I don't get the charge is the jist.

This sort of behavior makes me much less likely to stay with them really as first off they insisted I'd signed a new contract for privacy controls in June which I knew nothing about and only backed down on that when challenged.

cajef

jem16 wrote: »

The new provider will have contacted BT to arrange the switch. However the fact remains that if it is after the contract date end no charges are due as the contract has been fulfilled.

Quite agree, however someone at BT has fed the information into a computer which has come up with still under contract so they are now trying to charge.

bxboards

cajef wrote: »

Who knows with BT, maybe if the new provider has contacted BT while they are still under contract they may consider it too early even though the actual switch is not till the 16th.

Yes, they would have contacted them on Monday, which about about 2 weeks before I leave. My start date e-mail is 16th, I was careful actually to ensure if was the 16th in any case. on Friday if I'd signed them rather than Monday, it would have been the 14th which would have been 1 day too early.