Should you be allowed to 'lock in' a deal days before your contract ends?

B0bbyEwing

I'm with BT & my current 24 month contract ends 6th April. 

Today I went via live chat to secure in a deal as I don't doing it over the phone (probably big mistake here)...

I told them at the beginning of the convo that I am looking to either cancel the lot or renew the lot, price depending.

They (eventually) gave me a broadband price I was happy with so I provisionally accepted pending the TV side of things.

They quoted me £xyz which they said was the same as my current contract. I told them it WAS but that this month that price has gone up. This then proved to be a sticky point for the remainder of the chat because they didn't seem to be able to get it in to their head that I am being billed something different as of my most recent bill yet eventually told me I'm being billed ### with a discount of ### which leaves me paying ### (exact same as what I told them I'm now paying). 

I'm like - I literally just told you this & you denied it was the case, saying I was paying less. 

In the end they pitched it to me that I'd be paying the same as what I was up until this recent bill, which I was happy with so I accepted the whole thing.

Got a text through, clicked the links, accepted the broadband. Then told them I'd not had any agreement text through to accept the TV.

This is when the problem really started...

Yes, you need to get in touch 7th April and we can see about a TV deal then.

Ok well what on earth was the point in even offering me a deal for 24 months if I have to get in touch in a weeks time to secure a deal?

Go through the complaints process, they basically don't listen to anything I'm saying, get put through to the manager who says he's going to read what's been said but clearly doesn't because he can't seem to get the gist of it either and can't answer my question of why was I offered something that then "can't" be provided.
Not only that, I specifically said at the start of the chat that I was either cancelling the lot or renewing the lot as I want it all together on the same date and not scattered start dates. 

2 years ago I remember phoning BT & renewing the lot together. Things may have changed I don't know.

Now I know 12 months out I don't expect to be able to lock in a new deal but I'm a week out. Surely I should be able to lock in BOTH broadband AND tv, right?

Am I asking for the impossible or should I just not talk to people where there's clearly a little bit of an English language barrier which maybe contributed to misunderstandings & instead I should phone them?

HampshireH

I would put your complaint in writing not over the phone.

I've never had an issue with renewing a whole package a week early. Not done it with BT but seems like they are just going to give you a higher price next week then try and say you already agreed to broadband so you can't cancel

B0bbyEwing

HampshireH said:

I would put your complaint in writing not over the phone.

I've never had an issue with renewing a whole package a week early. Not done it with BT but seems like they are just going to give you a higher price next week then try and say you already agreed to broadband so you can't cancel

Annoyingly I can't complain via an online form. I have quite a few pages of the Live Chat as proof of what was said. 

I fully believe an English person would totally get what I was asking & wanting. I said it numerous times & it was literally there in black & white. 

While I was happy with their broadband price, the way they handled the whole thing just made me decide to tell them forget it & cancel the lot. The first chap said this couldn't be done until 2nd April but the 'manager' said he could cancel it there & then. 

We shall see - as I've had no confirmation of cancellation.

Complaint will be going in though.