Beware BT offer

gogogardener

This post is on behalf on my son to whom I recommended Bt so feel some kind of guilt. He can not post himself as he has no internet and lives 200 miles away from us. He went for that special deal on line rental and internet that I saw on MSE email a few weeks ago.He was meant to have his internet connected over two weeks ago. He has called and called them, arranged appointments for engineers, they don't turn or say they turned up earlier than they were booked. On Monday he took the whole day off to wait for them and guess what - yes - no show. He has had 2 routers. Done factory reset etc. (he has degree in IT so pretty up with setting it all up) He had internet with his previous supplier no problem until the day BT were meant to take over and suddenly nothing. He is going round in circles with them. Someone actually told him he would have to pay £300 to get out of his contract - what contract - he has not had any service yet - cheek!!! Seems to me and him that his internet has probably not even been activated! Do you think they are doing this because it was a cheap deal? Anyone had same problem? Any ideas to coax an engineer out of hiding? And what rights does my son have re telling them he has had enough and any compensation. Also told my son good deal with sky on this weeks email but that's more time without internet so he would rather Bt just sort it - until his patience finally blows! Thanks

phillw

gogogardener wrote: »

And what rights does my son have re telling them he has had enough and any compensation.

Unfortunately ofcom rules for automatic compensation are still being worked on.

The official procedure for complaints is here:

http://www.btplc.com/Thegroup/RegulatoryandPublicaffairs/Codeofpractice/CustomerComplaintsCode/Complaints_code_of_practice.pdf

You can also complain via https://www.ispa.org.uk/consumers/complaints-form/.

According to articles I found using google, not only do they tell people that they'll have to pay to get out of the contract, they do send debt collectors round. Your only option then is to sue them, which does seem to solve the issue.

macman

It should not be difficult to establish from BT whether the service has been activated or not from their records. Broadband is normally self install and the OR engineer will only need access if their is an issue, or if a new physical line is required.
If this cannot be resolved then he needs to make a formal complaint in writing-not by phone.
Has his previous service ceased yet?
Out of curiousity, what led you to recommend BT?

kwikbreaks

Some years back I decided to move from cable and booked BT for a line and Infinity. A bloke turned up and installed the phone line but the Infinity part of it was a no show with a fresh booking for 3 weeks away.

I cancelled with no problem at all. If the service isn't installed then they should just take a cancellation but he'd need to start again from scratch with a different supplier.

If there was an earlier ADSL/FTTC provider and he doesn't go through with the migration they may want the Openreach termination fee but by now the line may be "owned" by BT which would overcome that, He'd maybe have to pay for a new line though with any new ISP.

macman

And BT OR would still be doing the line install and broadband provision.