BT threatening early cancellation charges

lds8

I purposely registered on this forum to share with you the most recent appalling experience with BT following Martin's As BT hikes prices... how EVERYONE can try to slash b'band & line costs article on the 4th July newsletter.

My mother-in-law is an OAP and on the lower side of the household income spectrum. I helped her cancel with BT and their nearly £50 a month for standard broadband and telephone. It is shocking how BT can simply be passive and exploit OAPs who are none the wiser.

My mother-in-law called BT Customer Service and followed Martin's advice to the letter to give the 30-day notice and leave BT with no early cancellation charges. She has several times for confirmation and the customer adviser confirmed each time.

Surprise surprise when a few days later, my mother-in-law receives a quite threatening email stating she has to pay £400+ in early cancellation charges. You can imagine how upset and anxious she was!

She called BT and even though they confirmed again that no charges were due - I suggested requesting a copy of the 30-day notice call - BT then tried to flog her a new and (not so) cheaper contract without any apology or care!

This got me really upset because big companies must be making easy money out of vulnerable people like my mother-in-law...

Rant over :money:

teddysmum

First of all, I am pensioner of quite a few years and don't feel at all exploited and have, in fact, advised people much younger than myself, about haggling a better price.


Leaving without penalty , after 30/31 days' notice applies if you are still within the minimum term's time (usually 12 or 18 months) of an offer, but are informed of a price rise or if you are on a rolling contract. Does your mother-in-law satisfy eiter of these criteria ?

lds8

Thank you for your helpful reply and I am sorry I never got round to reply but I am new to using a forum and thought I would receive some sort of notification when someone replied - I have since found out I needed to 'subscribe' to the thread.

After further investigation by BT, it recognised that it made a mistake and the staff provided inaccurate information. As a result, my mother-in-law was given a £150 goodwill credit. Despite this positive resolution, she was so upset with the customer service she opted to leave BT and join another provider.

wild666

I had a similar problem in 2016 with BT when I switched providers, they wanted over £220 for cancellation fees so I first emailed the person on the emails I received but got no reply so sent the CEO and email telling him that there was no new contract for getting BT sports free for 18 months and as they had increased the monthly prices I worked out if it was larger than the inflation figure and it was nearly 3.5 times the inflation rate and said they would be looked on unfavourably if I took it further. A result was I paid just £2 for the day I was online past my billing date.

alm3537

Scenario:

I have BT Fibre priced at £34.99 a month on a 18 month deal.
After seven months I moved out of my house and in with 'the other half'.
Former home is now sold.
I made contact with BT requesting cancellation of the Broadband.
The 'other half' has all her utilities and Broadband in place.

BT advise - They cant cancel it without me paying them £196.
They advise that I could move my Broadband deal to that of my partner (if her deal has or is coming to and end)
And finally, "There is nothing we can do" was uttered.

Result. Keep paying BT for a service not used. Unbelievable - I feel taken advantage of and disgusted that consumers are allowed to be used in such a manner.

[Deleted User]

@alm3537
You agreed to an 18 month deal. It isn't BT's fault if you want to break that deal.
By the way, any other ISP/cable/Sky /mobile/etc wouldn't let you break a contract either.
BT have done nothing wrong here, they offered you plenty of options.

JJ_Egan

So why did you take a CONTRACT out for 18 months .
A contract that was for 18 months at xx address .


I find it apalling that users sign up to a valid contract and then try to evade payment of this contract .Blaming everybody but themselves .

Edithgrand

I have always managed to haggle a great deal from B.T and I can't fault the product.

Neil_Jones

Best piece of advice in any situation like this is that if you don't think you're going to stick around where you are for at least another 18 months, don't agree to an 18 month contract for something and then complain when you up sticks 6 months later that you're liable for the cost of the rest of the contract.

Edithgrand

BT are actually correct on this occasion.

phillw

alm3537 wrote: »

They advise that I could move my Broadband deal to that of my partner (if her deal has or is coming to and end)
And finally, "There is nothing we can do" was uttered.

My sister transferred hers to our parents line, which was lots of fun.

alm3537 wrote: »

Result. Keep paying BT for a service not used. Unbelievable - I feel taken advantage of and disgusted that consumers are allowed to be used in such a manner.

I wouldn't keep paying if you're not using it, the early termination is only half the cost of the contract.

Was your partner also in contract?