BT have trapped me into my TV contract

Hello123Hello

Morning!

I'm currently stuck with an issue w/ BT, and wondered if anyone else had a similar issue and any suggested solution please?

• I come out of broadband contract from BT within the next month
• I spoke to BT to discuss steps for stay/leaving them
• I was then notified that while my broadband was out of contract soon, my BT TV package wouldn't be until next April
• The cost to early terminate (ETC) on the TV contact would cost me ~£140 to do so
• The BT adviser on the call noted that these two contract terms should be completely aligned, and that it was strange somehow that they weren't
• I definitely didn't take different duration broadband/TV packages, and ones so different that the TV one still has c. 7 months left...
  
  
• This leaves me in a difficult position - as I see it I have one of 2 options:

1. Stay with BT, but pay higher prices for a not great service (having reviewed the market there is lots of better options)
2. Leave BT, but pay an ETC which would remove a good amount price benefit from choosing a competitor
   
   

I tried to explain that the error that's led to the contract terms not being aligned has created an unfair disincentive to me remaining with BT, however the advisor couldn't/wouldn't waive the BT TV ETC

I'm now stuck waiting to discuss this with BT 'management' - which is at least a 5 day wait time, in the meantime I'm at risk of missing out on potentially competitive broadband deals

• Further to this - 'management' called me at 6.15pm on a Sunday evening, I didn't answer (as it was my son's dinner time), and so they marked the case as closed...
• Following up, I'm told it'll be at least another 2 days before they can recall, so I'm now 7 days delayed from even discussing this issue, let alone a positive resolution

Any thoughts on this situation? Is this typical of BT customers and how best could I resolve this? One thought is to go to the Ombudsman, however I know BT first need to be given the chance to investigate this, but their timelines are so prolonged it doesn't help my situation..

Thanks in advance!

macman

Refer to your original contracts: what were the minimum terms?

mjm3346

Standard, change/renew a bit and other things move with it - might be a 6 month offer on a 2 year TV renewal also adds BB for 2 years

Neil49

When my BT renewal came up earlier this year they quoted me a figure for the next 24 months or a do nothing figure which was less than £2 a month more. If the sums are similar for you then it would make sense to bite the bullet and just stay with them until the tv contract ends. 

GrumpyDil

Is there anything which is stopping you moving the broadband and leaving the TV package running? 

southsidergs

GrumpyDil said:

Is there anything which is stopping you moving the broadband and leaving the TV package running? 

Yes, you can't have BT tv without BT broadband.

OP, sounds like there may be a contract length mis-match which you'll have to check contract lengths & timings on when taken out

JohnReese

Hello123Hello said:

Morning!

I'm currently stuck with an issue w/ BT, and wondered if anyone else had a similar issue and any suggested solution please?

• I come out of broadband contract from BT within the next month
• I spoke to BT to discuss steps for stay/leaving them
• I was then notified that while my broadband was out of contract soon, my BT TV package wouldn't be until next April
• The cost to early terminate (ETC) on the TV contact would cost me ~£140 to do so
• The BT adviser on the call noted that these two contract terms should be completely aligned, and that it was strange somehow that they weren't
• I definitely didn't take different duration broadband/TV packages, and ones so different that the TV one still has c. 7 months left...
  
  
• This leaves me in a difficult position - as I see it I have one of 2 options:

1. Stay with BT, but pay higher prices for a not great service (having reviewed the market there is lots of better options)
2. Leave BT, but pay an ETC which would remove a good amount price benefit from choosing a competitor
   
   

I tried to explain that the error that's led to the contract terms not being aligned has created an unfair disincentive to me remaining with BT, however the advisor couldn't/wouldn't waive the BT TV ETC

I'm now stuck waiting to discuss this with BT 'management' - which is at least a 5 day wait time, in the meantime I'm at risk of missing out on potentially competitive broadband deals

• Further to this - 'management' called me at 6.15pm on a Sunday evening, I didn't answer (as it was my son's dinner time), and so they marked the case as closed...
• Following up, I'm told it'll be at least another 2 days before they can recall, so I'm now 7 days delayed from even discussing this issue, let alone a positive resolution

Any thoughts on this situation? Is this typical of BT customers and how best could I resolve this? One thought is to go to the Ombudsman, however I know BT first need to be given the chance to investigate this, but their timelines are so prolonged it doesn't help my situation..

Thanks in advance!

1. Continue to pursue the complaint with BT. This appears to be them messing up the contract length which should have been aligned with the Broadband to begin with.
2. Sadly it will possibly result in a lot of time waiting for them to call back and back and forth. It might be painful to pay the Exit charge for the TV service, and temporarily eat into the benefit of switching, but on the medium term it will probably be better financially and be far less stressful in terms of time.  

DavidWFC

I had a similar issue, I submitted a SAR (subject access request) to get the recording and copies of contracts, when they reviewed and had to send me these they quickly changed their minds.

JohnReese

DavidWFC said:

I had a similar issue, I submitted a SAR (subject access request) to get the recording and copies of contracts, when they reviewed and had to send me these they quickly changed their minds.

Well done. It seems extremely dodgy that they are trying to have mixed dates for products that supposedly have to be ordered together.

littleboo

As aleady mentioned, they don't have to be ordered together. You can add BT Sport to your broadband at a later date. The OP has not been back top clarify if the services were taken at the same time or not.

ladruid

This certainly is a strange one. I've never known linked items on a contract to have differing dates, otherwise you could in essence lock someone into an unfair practice by having two essential services linked with offset contract dates...

If you do not renew the BT Internet (which is your contractual right if expired), then is it BT refusing to continue to supply the BTTV service to you on another Internet provider? This means it is not you cancelling the BTTV as you would be happy to continue it on with another Internet provider.

As others have suggested, I would request contract and telephone recordings for the initial contract agreements, and go from there. If they don't or cant show you agreed to the differing contract dates, then tell them to do one.

I think BT would be on a sticky wicket with the ombudsman if they tried to charge you an early termination fee on BTTV as its them saying they cant provide a service unless they 'blackmail' you into their linked Internet service. On top of that, you were told it should not happen... Maybe worth putting in an official complaint, going to deadlock and then taking it to the ombudsman.

Regards
La