New BTTV Contract

graham474

Good morning.
If there is anyone that could give me some sort of advice on what to do, I've got myself in a situation.
I have been with SKY for over 10 years, which I must admit I love sky, great service and products available to watch, rent and buy through your TV.
My average bill is between £40 to £70 a month, sometimes renting a film for the children to watch, so the monthly bill varies.
Recently, my partner went into a shop, and she was offered an outstanding deal joining SKY, better than my existing package, and sky couldn't match the offer too, so we cancelled my sky, and now have an excellent better package for £30 a month including movies, kids, entertainment all included, which is excellent.
What the problem is, in November, we have been looking at reducing bills, cutting buying and renting films, paying off bills and basically trying to completely keep our costs down. On the 7th November I upgraded to BTTV, as i was looking to cancel or downgrade our SKY package to have one main supplier for TV and broadband.
Now we have the new £30 a month package with Sky, I have been trying to cancel or downgrade my BTTV taken out in November.
Today I finally got through to BT about my package, who were very supportive and helpful to be fair, trying to sort something out, but unfortunately as i entered a 18 month contract, I didn't cancel in 14 days, I now can not down grade or cancel the package at all, leaving me with a bill to pay every month for £70, that is line rental, weekend calls, and broadband for £52.99, BTTV for £16.99.
Firstly, absolutely my fault not understanding it all, I certainly are to blame here, rushing into new deals without doing my homework.
Secondly, not blaming any of the parties or people working for these companies, but I find it very unfair that nothing can be done, no downgrade, nothing can be resolved.
I find it's such a shame being with BT for over 15 years, as i've been a loyal customer, they could not sort something out.
I can buy myself out of the contract, I think BT adviser said £600 or something.
Do anyone have any advice what the best thing to do?
Maybe I just except paying £70 a month having BTTV, and sky for £30 and month until the contracts end.
A very big learning curve for me, for sure.

[Deleted User]

I'm confused, you admit it's entirely your fault and don't blame anyone else but you still think it's "not fair" (a term usually used by children who don't want to go to bed).

What exactly are you expecting on here or anywhere else?

Blackbeard_of_Perranporth

Nope, you've lost me. My sky for the whole lot reduced to £62 18 month a few weeks back and BT (Internet an BT Sport on Sky_ on £34 a month for 18 months, though £34 because I have BT sport on two boxes!

Question, if you have sky with its basic package, why on earth did you then get a basic BTTV package!

iniltous

What came first , your better half getting a better Sky deal than the one in your name , presumably this deal started a new minimum term with Sky or you calling BT ?...as that too would have included presumably a minimum term.

Who supply's the phone and broadband ?, when Sky was in your name was it Sky TV only and BT for phone and BB ?
If the new Sky deal is TV only ( for £30 ) then presumably you would be keeping phone and broadband , then someone has to supply it , and if it's BT , then the only duplication is the £17 for BTTV , and although bad (£17x18 months) not as bad as £70x18 months.
if the £30 to Sky is TV , and Sky broadband and and Sky phone , why call BT at all if BT were contacted first , why take anything other than Sky TV.

Although you are paying more than is neccesary , it seems to me that it's only the BTTV cost that is unneccesary (£17) not the full £70 unless your intention was not to have landline phone and broadband....if the BTTV includes BTSport , that is something extra that wouldn't be included on Sky.
You ask what can you do ?, unfortunately not much, you entered contracts with penaltys if you quit them early , all you can do is think of it as 'only' £17 a month rather than £70...TBH , if BT put up the price of your package before the 18 months are up, that gives the opportunity to quit penalty free

graham474

Yes I think I've explained it all over the place.
I had an exciting sky + box, I have line rental and broadband with BT anyway, so I upgraded to BTTV with possibly cancelling or downgrading my old sky + box, but then the mrs came back with an excellent offer if she joins sky, so we cancelled my sky account, opened her new sky account, but wanted to cancel or down grade the BTTV which is not possible.
Just would have been good if we had an option to downgrade or something for me rather than, tuff pay 18 months money!
Yep my fault, and thank you for your replies, just seeing in anyone had advice on this

A_Holl

To save money I decided to swap from BT to a cheap deal with Vodafone. I was told by vodafone they would deal with the swap over and I just needed to wait to hear from BT. On the day of the swap over I received an email from BT saying I was still in contract, apparently tied to a 2 year contract (Not a 12 month as I thought)... I immediately contacted BT and was informed that I couldn't continue with my current contract 'as this had now swapped over' but they would wave the nearly £300 early termination if I cancelled my Vodafone and signed up for another 18 months... They did this to trap me and force me to sign for another 18 months. When speaking to BT I explained I thought I was in a12 month contract and was then told of all the letters and dates that have been sent to me stating my contractual obligations... this is done to "deal with people like you" I was told. I called back and explained that I couldn't afford the bill in one payment and asked if I could pay in instalments, i was pretty much told then that if I didn't pay, my debt would be passed to debt collectors. As I whole the way I was talked to and treated was disgusting... BT is just trying to trap people in contracts and only interested in taking your money... I would never sign another contract with them and strongly advise anyone to avoid them

littleboo

So you switched providers while in contract and the provider you are still in contract with is expecting you to fulfil the contact that you agreed to. But somehow its their fault?

Supatramp

Why oh why do people get in such a mess with contracts.


The OP and his missus seem to be operating independently of each other, and don't seem to understand the concept of 'contracts'.


Then the guy with Vodafone/BT, fails to contact BT first to confirm the ending of his contract, then blames it all on BT. Why???


<shakes head>

.

JJ_Egan

OP keep an eye out for next BT price rise .
Possible you could get out of contract then.