cancelling BT contract

tomkitten68

Hi there

Having being a BT customer with a landline for many years, I am now finally seeing the light, and considering cancelling my contract. I think I have kept it on more out of familiarity rather than it being helpful for me.

Is there any other way rather than having to phone them (and get them offering me deals which I don't want, and havn't been offered up to now, apart from broadband which I have never wanted or needed) to cancel?

And people who have done this, is it a relatively easy process?

Thanks

JJ_Egan

Big question is are you out of contract .
If not you will have to pay off remaining months if you cancel a valid contract .
Beware just cancelling as you may lose your phone number .

wongawonga

Depending on your needs/ useage this deal for non broadband users which they dont promote much takes a lot of beating

"Just want a telephone service from BT? With our Home Phone Saver 2018 deal you can benefit from a price promise where the price is set at £20.99 a month.
The price of your Home Phone Saver 2018 package is guaranteed to stay the same until 2018 – giving you peace of mind.
What you get:
Your monthly line rental
Unlimited calls to UK landlines at any time, for up to an hour
Unlimited calls to 0845 and 0870 numbers at any time, for up to an hour
Free 1471 Call Return
Inclusive 1571 Call Return if you have the BT Answer 1571 voicemail service
BT Privacy with Caller Display and Anonymous Call Reject for free when you opt-in
You can pay for Home Phone Saver 2018 by any means of payment.

http://bt.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/52871/~/home-phone-saver-2018

AndyPK

If you are going to a new supplier they sort it out for you

macman

Phone them, decline any retention offers and give your notice, normally 15 or 30 days. As above, an ETC will be charged if your are still in minimum term. And if you are on Line Rental Saver, it will not be refunded.
If you find it difficult to say 'no', tell them you are moving overseas, moving in with relatives....whatever works for you.
As above, you will lose your number, and should you wish to reinstate the line later, you will be facing a reconnection charge of up to £130.

tomkitten68

Thanks fo the replies back guys :-)

I accept that I will lose my number, and would face the reconnection charge, but, at the moment, transferring stuff onto just my mobile seems a better option (for me)

Most people I have contact with I text anyway, and the minutes you get on the EE Talk&Text package, are a handy 'there if I need them' which I dont have at the moment.

From my limited knowledge of these matters, it seems like an 'ok' deal for me, with a company thats established and can keep my mobile number as already with EE,

tomkitten68

With regard to the above comments, how do I check what contract 'length' I have? Is it mentioned somewhere on my bill?

Have had the landline since moving into the property I am currently in in 2002 - havn't changed or altered anything, just a basic Unlimited Weekend Planl package.

Also, everywhere I go on the BT site, you are told you have to phone, so as to 'verify' details, but discuss 'other alternatives'

(Me thinks not so much the 'verifying' details, so much as the 'discusssing' (trying to flog!) other alternatives!

The things is, I am bit concerned that doing this on the phone, will not give me any back up as to what is discussed/ agreed, as I could have if I could chat with them online (which they dont offer the option of) or writing to them - (and trying to find an address if like trying to catch smoke!)

Any advice please?

Thanks

p.s. my current bill states that charges in advance run from 17 Jan 2016 to 16 April 2016, so is 16 April the date they would close my contract from??

duchy

The sensible way would be to get the new provider to take the line over -If you cancel with BT and then set your talk and BB up with another provider you are risking a break in service (anything up to 31 days). That way you also get to keep your number.

If you want to cancel and no longer have talk (and remember broadband contracts usually insist you have line rental too so you'd need line rental at a minimum) you'd need to call to cancel.

(If it was me I'd move to Sky - as a new customer line rental would be £17.90 and BB free for a year -and Sky will pick up any termination charges up to £100 on the existing phone and BB. I wouldn't want to be stuck into an 18 month contract so Sky works as it's only 12 months. Win win.) Calls for weekends and evenings to UK landlines and mobiles is £4 extra if you want the same call package as you have now (not sure if BT include calls to mobiles in your current package tho)

Just call BT and tell them you want to know whether you are in contract - and when your contract expires. Then say goodbye. Don't say you are thinking of moving - just ask the question get the answer - and go. Then get your new provider to handle the transfer. You might get a call from BT offering you a deal - just say you've made up your mind and goodbye. All calls are recorded so note the date and time if you are worried they may not give you correct info when you ask.

JJ_Egan

tomkitten68 wrote: »

With regard to the above comments, how do I check what contract 'length' I have? Is it mentioned somewhere on my bill?


No you need to ask BT Use the Live Chat = a copy and its in writing .

tomkitten68

Adding to above, I haven't got a computer, so broadband connections or such are not applicable in my case.

I simply want to get shut of my BT landline, and transfer onto using just my mobile phone.

"No you need to ask BT Use the Live Chat = a copy and its in writing" - Not quite sure I understand, how/where do I access the 'Live Chat '??!!

iniltous

If you are a phone line only customer and want to cease/cancel your phone line you would probably need to speak to them, rather than doing it 'on line' , if you don't have internet it would be no good for you anyway.
They will probably need to verify you are the bill payer/renter, otherwise anyone could cancel lines that the don't pay for.
They probably will try and convince you not to cancel , but you just need to stick to your guns....if you call BT , dial 150, and follow voice prompts, you probably need to say something like ' cancel my phone line', and be put through to the correct department and say you are going to only use a mobile phone in the future so don't need a landline, they then should arrange your line to be ceased and a final bill to be issued, when ceasing your service you need to give them notice which could be 14 or 30 days