Save on £130 BT broadband Moving fees ?

buzzbuzz

Hi all,
I'm moving my home and plan to move my existing 12 month BT contract. They are charging me £130 for installation of new line at the property and also i've to sign up for new 18 month contract instead of my existing 12 month contract. I've already paid 12 month rental line saver so terminating contract is not an option. BT are taking advantage of the situation and ripping off customers. It's really annoying to bear this cost on top of already existing piles of other moving related costs.
Is there any way to avoid this rip off other than terminating contract ??

Thanks in advance

onomatopoeia99

If it's installation of a new line rather than taking over an existing one then that's the fee. Does the property you are moving to not have an active line?

I negotiated the "new line" fee down when I got a second line put in at my old house in the days of dialup, but I agreed to a longer minimum term and I wasn't still in a tie-in period on my first line. Your negotiating position isn't as good as they know you can't leave without it costing you a lot in exit charges and lost pre-payments.

My question is why would you commit to things like a 12 month contract for supply at your current address if you are moving? It is a false economy.

StrugglingYouth

What are the cancellation fees / lost upfront line rental totals?

BT wont charge you the £130 for a new line installation if you have a phone line & broadband with them.

buzzbuzz

>>My question is why would you commit to things like a 12 month contract for supply at your current address if you are moving?
I wasn't expecting to move. Out of the blue my landlord decided to sell the property after i renewed my BT contract, house contract had only two month notice period so....

>> What are the cancellation fees / lost upfront line rental totals?
cancellation fees costs about £175 + I've already paid full line rental saver :-(

>> BT wont charge you the £130 for a new line installation if you have a phone line & broadband with them.
They do, i also have mobile contract with them. i called up customer service, they said, as i've still got few months left i have to pay £130. Had it been just few months left for renewal they wouldn't have charged me.
I feel BT is being unfair and also charging twice compared to other competitors. I have complained using resolver. Lets see what happens.

lee111s

You have decided to change the terms of the current supply, not BT. The standard charge for installing a line is £130. If a new phone line is required because YOU are moving home, then YOU have to be prepared to pay for it.

buzzbuzz

I am happy to pay for change in terms and for the new line if necessary, but i'm not happy with

1. they are charging so much, when competitors are charging around around half (£65), changing terms doesn't mean they charge extortionate fees for customers, £130 is probably 40-50% of total contract fees. How is it fair on customers?
2. They don't charge this fees for some customers who are nearer to contract renewal and charge for those who have just renewed, why this discrimination? It should be same for everyone.

mije1983

buzzbuzz wrote: »

2. They don't charge this fees for some customers who are nearer to contract renewal and charge for those who have just renewed, why this discrimination? It should be same for everyone.

It really shouldn't be the same for everyone, and it's not discrimination.

Businesses offer good deals to people to retain their custom and money. You have already committed to x months so BT have no reason to bend over backwards to help you. That's life unfortunately and is in no way exclusive to BT.

If you are moving to another rental property that can again kick you out with 2 months notice, then I'd seriously think about not getting tied into another long term contract (and especially not 18 months) and going for a 30 day one.

lee111s

BT charge £130 for new lines. That's their charge. It's nothing new.


That's like saying, Asda sell Walkers crisps for 40p but Sainsbury's sell them for 60p .They're the same product, but businesses charge different prices. That's business.


If you don't like the way BT do business, you're able to leave them, no one is forcing you to stay with them. As you'd signed up to a minimum term, you will of course be charged for this if you wish to leave. The choice is yours.


I'm sure you would request financial redress from BT If they decided they no longer wanted to do business with you half way through a contract through no fault of your own? You can't always have it the way you want unfortunately,.

mkyuser

"That's like saying, Asda sell Walkers crisps for 40p but Sainsbury's sell them for 60p .They're the same product, but businesses charge different prices. That's business."

BT broadband business isn't same as supermarket, you can't compare crisp analogy here.In case of crisps, If you don't want to buy at Sainsbury, you can always go and buy at Asda, there is nothing stopping you. In broadband case, you are bound by contract, if they have business doesn't mean they can charge what they want. Of course they can claim to charge what they want, but you are right to question that. If we take the same crisp analogy, if you have contract to buy crisp with Sainsbury, just because they have business they can't charge £10 for every crisp. Exactly for this reason is why our wise countrymen have competition authority and Trading standards etc.
Search google for "BT overpricing" , BT has already been fined by ofcom for doing similar thing at larger scale.
Having said that, it's good to pursue with complaint but whether you get refund is not guaranteed , if you have luck you might if not you don't !!!

lee111s

mkyuser wrote: »

"That's like saying, Asda sell Walkers crisps for 40p but Sainsbury's sell them for 60p .They're the same product, but businesses charge different prices. That's business."

BT broadband business isn't same as supermarket, you can't compare crisp analogy here.In case of crisps, If you don't want to buy at Sainsbury, you can always go and buy at Asda, there is nothing stopping you. In broadband case, you are bound by contract, if they have business doesn't mean they can charge what they want. Of course they can claim to charge what they want, but you are right to question that. If we take the same crisp analogy, if you have contract to buy crisp with Sainsbury, just because they have business they can't charge £10 for every crisp. Exactly for this reason is why our wise countrymen have competition authority and Trading standards etc.
Search google for "BT overpricing" , BT has already been fined by ofcom for doing similar thing at larger scale.
Having said that, it's good to pursue with complaint but whether you get refund is not guaranteed , if you have luck you might if not you don't !!!

Precisely. The OP wants to CHANGE their contract, so therefore, BT are well within their rights to make a charge based upon that change. In this case, it's well documented that the installation cost of a new line is £130 and it was the case at the time the OP took out the contract.

mije1983

mkyuser wrote: »

If we take the same crisp analogy, if you have contract to buy crisp with Sainsbury, just because they have business they can't charge £10 for every crisp.

They certainly could if the contract stated that each crisp would cost you £10, and you freely agreed to pay that when you signed up.