BT - Excessive and punitive leaving charges

jem16

bxboards wrote: »

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

Your final bill should not be generated until after you leave when it should be quite clear that it is after the end of minimum term date. The computer should probably not apply the charge and if it does then you email the CEO with a formal complaint.

bxboards

jem16 wrote: »

Your final bill should not be generated until after you leave when it should be quite clear that it is after the end of minimum term date. The computer should probably not apply the charge and if it does then you email the CEO with a formal complaint.

I hope so, however being bombarded with letters, e-mails and SMS regarding leaving charges really feels underhand, especially if they won't actually get applied.

Think I may have a chat to Ofcom about these tactics - the last two messages on my phone are from BT!

bxboards

Thought I'd update this.

Spoken to BT a few times, and they really have no idea why they are trying to charge me 65 for the Homehub5 and 0.63p for an early cancellation.

They seem to think I started a new contract in June, but admit that if that were the case, the leaving penalties would be a lot higher than 0.63p!

They are insisting on disconnecting me tomorrow and claiming I am leaving early. My new provider is connecting me on 17th December.

I've put in a Complaint as BT are trying to insist the only way to avoid the 65 charge 'equipement charge' is to ask my provider to move my date. I've told them very firmly that I am not breaching my contract as I set up my new service to take over the day my BT contract ends. My joining letters and activation dates confirm this from my new provider.

BT seem to want to point fingers at my other provider, but ultimately it is BT are going to bill me 65 for the HomeHub 5, and appear to now want to disconnect me two days before my new service takes over.

Really looking forward to taking this to Ofcom too be honest!

jem16

bxboards wrote: »

They are insisting on disconnecting me tomorrow and claiming I am leaving early. My new provider is connecting me on 17th December.

They should not be disconnecting you at all. The switch should happen on exactly the same day and time. A BT Openreach engineer will go to your exchange and switch you over from BT to your new provider - unless your new provider is Virgin?

Who are you moving to? Are you taking your number with you?

How exactly did you initiate the switch?

bxboards

jem16 wrote: »

They should not be disconnecting you at all. The switch should happen on exactly the same day and time. A BT Openreach engineer will go to your exchange and switch you over from BT to your new provider - unless your new provider is Virgin?

Who are you moving to? Are you taking your number with you?

How exactly did you initiate the switch?

Yes, this is what I told BT. The customer care is a mess and you get told different things depending on who you speak to. Hence putting in the Compaint which has generated a VOL number, but little else.

I'm moving to TalkTalk. I'm on BT Fibre and it's been pretty rubbish, with disconnects and 3 seperate Openreach appointments which come to my house and find no issue in my house, so nothing they can do. So I'm going back to TalkTalk as while I'll probably still get the disconnects, it's a lot cheaper. Fibre is a fiver a month and the line rental is half price for 12 months.

I did the switch by going to TalkTalk and singing up. My welcome letter from TalkTalk and my router from them both say the activation date is 17th December any time up to midnight.

I have a letter from BT confirming I will be cut off on 15th December at 2pm. but I can avoid them fining me 65.00 + 0.63p if I signed another 12 month contract is the jist.

jem16

bxboards wrote: »

I did the switch by going to TalkTalk and singing up. My welcome letter from TalkTalk and my router from them both say the activation date is 17th December any time up to midnight.

After signing up with TalkTalk did you then phone BT and cancel?

Are you taking your number with you?

macman

You are aware that TT fibre is a resold BT Wholesale service, so the service is not likely to be any better?
If your line is disconnected by BT before the switch to TT then you may well be charged a reconnection fee by TT, and you may lose your number.

bxboards

jem16 wrote: »

After signing up with TalkTalk did you then phone BT and cancel?

Are you taking your number with you?

No I didn't cancel with BT as my new contract starts 1 day after my 12 month BT contract finishes.

Yes, the number is coming with me.

jem16

bxboards wrote: »

No I didn't cancel with BT as my new contract starts 1 day after my 12 month BT contract finishes.

Yes, the number is coming with me.

Well it should all be straightforward as you appear to have followed the correct procedure.

Let's hope BT don't mess it all up. Do let us know what happens.

bxboards

jem16 wrote: »

Well it should all be straightforward as you appear to have followed the correct procedure.

Let's hope BT don't mess it all up. Do let us know what happens.

Yes, it looks straightforward to you and I, but none of the 7 or 8 BT employees I've spoken to in either the retentions department or customer services can make head nor tale of it.

They have the power to re-sign me to a new contract, which effectively makes the leaving fees go away, but have no power to waive the fines. The best they could suggest was to pay it and then Complain.

It's a classic 'computer says no' thing really with baffled employees who don't seem to have either the power or inclination to sort it out with a dose of commonsense!