BT price increases when out of contract

Idomeneus

My latest BT Broadband and Landline deal started on 29 January 2020 for a minimum term of 24 months, and my latest BT Mobile deal started on the 12 February 2020 for a minimum term of 12 months.

In December 2020, I received an unexpected email from BT which appeared to imply that my Broadband and Landline deal had ended.  When I queried this with BT, they confirmed over the phone and subsequently by email that, due to a mistake on their part, the deal had ended and that I was now out of contract.

So, am I still obliged to accept a price increase of CPI + 3.9% for my Broadband and Landline services now that I am out of contract?  I have already queried this with BT and they say that I am still obliged to accept the increase.  But, if anyone knows of a good reason why I am not obliged to accept the increase, I am prepared to go back to BT and escalate my case.

Just in case it is relevant, the letter that I received BT in February 2021, detailing the prices increases on the 31 March 2021, did recognise that I was now out of contract with respect to my BT Mobile deal, and that the price increase for that service would just be CPI, or 0.6%.  But the letter did not specify that I was now out of contract with respect to my Broadband and Landline services for which the designated price increase is CPI + 3.9%.

matelodave

 The problem seems to be that they've managed to terminate the contract early and you didn't get it re-instated under the old contract terms at the time you discovered it.

In which case, if neither of you are bound by the original terms I guess that BT can change the prices to whatever they like, however it should also mean that you can leave them without paying an early termination charge. You therefore have the option of getting a better deal with someone else which could be to your advantage.

TBH if that had happened to me I'd be off like a shot, I could save about £15 a month if I left BT but I've got to stay for another 11 months

EssexExile

I found recently that you can get a better service for less in this situation. I was out of contract for months and kept an eye on all the emails they sent making offers. Eventually they offered a new hub and a better calls deal for £5 less a month.

Idomeneus

I'm actually doing what EssexExile suggests.  As far as I can tell, the deals that I have at the moment are good, even with the imminent price increase.  On the assumption that BT consider it in their best interests to have me within contract rather than out of contract, I am prepared to wait a little while to see whether they make me an offer I can't refuse.  And I do know about BT's Customer Options/Retention Team.

kah22

EssexExile said:

I found recently that you can get a better service for less in this situation. I was out of contract for months and kept an eye on all the emails they sent making offers. Eventually they offered a new hub and a better calls deal for £5 less a month.

EssexExile, can you expand? I’m just out of contract, this past seven days, I’m satisfied with my service and quite prepared to stay  How long though did you have to wait and did you contact them first?
Thank for the initial post

JJ_Egan

Out of contract no need to wait its a rolling 30 day contract .

Phone retentions and tell them you are thinking of leaving .

Or initiate switch with another ISP .

EssexExile

kah22 said:

EssexExile said:

I found recently that you can get a better service for less in this situation. I was out of contract for months and kept an eye on all the emails they sent making offers. Eventually they offered a new hub and a better calls deal for £5 less a month.

EssexExile, can you expand? I’m just out of contract, this past seven days, I’m satisfied with my service and quite prepared to stay  How long though did you have to wait and did you contact them first?
Thank for the initial post

I was out of contract for months, maybe years. I regularly got emails offering new deals with Halo, mesh, etc. Eventually they offered the same service as I was on plus Halo, which doesn't seem to add anything, and a new hub for £5 a month less. They even sent a nice man round to plug it in and connect all my tech to it.