BT insisting on corresponding with the deceased…..

allconnected

I’m dealing with my mums estate (awaiting letters of administration) - most organisations have been fine but a couple, not so much….

BT responded to being notified of the death by asking the deceased to send back their router to them (no ‘sorry to hear that’, just ‘we’ve closed your account so send us our kit back’) They have now followed up by issuing a cheque for the refund due made out to the deceased - whose bank account has been closed, with no executors account needed as all other financial institutions have paid out direct to me and closed the various accounts.

Has anyone had any success in getting the refund issued to the administrator/executor, rather than the one person who definitely can’t bank it? I don’t intend calling them and going through the automated rubbish if at all possible.

Thanks

Keep_pedalling

Did you notify then vie the bereavement team or on the normal number?

https://www.bt.com/help/account-and-billing/manage-account/bereavement---bt-account-holder

Brie

Agree with KP that going through the bereavement team is always the best way.  And lodging a complaint for their insensitivity as well.  

At least they didn't do what my FiL's credit card company did and ask that he come into the bank branch himself to inform them officially of his death.  

allconnected

Keep_pedalling said:

Did you notify then vie the bereavement team or on the normal number?

https://www.bt.com/help/account-and-billing/manage-account/bereavement---bt-account-holder

I did go via the bereavement team through the online option - didn’t seem to make much difference! 

allconnected

Brie said:

Agree with KP that going through the bereavement team is always the best way.  And lodging a complaint for their insensitivity as well.  

At least they didn't do what my FiL's credit card company did and ask that he come into the bank branch himself to inform them officially of his death.  

You do start to wonder what’s going on in some peoples heads (if anything……)

kuratowski

I didn't have any trouble with BT, they sent the refund cheque payable to me, and to my address, just as I'd requested in the bereavement notification.

Blue_Butterfly

I received a road tax refund cheque made out to my late husband in similar circumstances in 2016. I asked for advice in my local bank (Lloyds), and had taken the probate certificate with me. The clerk spoke to the manager who looked at the probate certificate and allowed me to pay it into my own account. They may not be as accommodating or have stricter rules now.

poundsNpence

Sorry I can't help solve your problem, but just to add that my recent call to the BT bereavement line was first met with a very cheerful "Hi! Thanks for calling BT, how are you today?" followed by being transferred 3 times before speaking to someone who didn't seem totally befuddled by my trying to close my deceased mother's account. And yes, the most pressing issue for them seems to be the return of equipment! 

Skiddaw1

Reminds me of Vodaphone when my father died back in 2008 (he had a Vodaphone mobile). They just couldn't seem to get to grips with the fact that he was dead. They ignored all the evidence and were insistent that the contract could only be terminated if he rang them himself. In the end my husband had to pretend to be him. Not recommended, but needs must sometimes....

pjs493

Skiddaw1 said:

Reminds me of Vodaphone when my father died back in 2008 (he had a Vodaphone mobile). They just couldn't seem to get to grips with the fact that he was dead. They ignored all the evidence and were insistent that the contract could only be terminated if he rang them himself. In the end my husband had to pretend to be him. Not recommended, but needs must sometimes....

This reminds me of when we had an issue with the AA when my husband was still alive but overseas with the military so couldn’t be contacted. We had car cover rather than personal so it shouldn’t have mattered who was driving the car. I broke down and called the AA and at one point they said the account hadn’t been opened in my name so could they please speak to my husband. I explained he was in a hot sandy place incommunicado, but no matter how many times I tried to explain that he was on ops and therefore couldn’t be contacted by either me or the AA the call handler just couldn’t comprehend it, even though it didn’t matter anyway. I ended the call and rang back and fortunately got someone with more than one brain cell. 

Silvertabby

pjs493 said:

Skiddaw1 said:

Reminds me of Vodaphone when my father died back in 2008 (he had a Vodaphone mobile). They just couldn't seem to get to grips with the fact that he was dead. They ignored all the evidence and were insistent that the contract could only be terminated if he rang them himself. In the end my husband had to pretend to be him. Not recommended, but needs must sometimes....

This reminds me of when we had an issue with the AA when my husband was still alive but overseas with the military so couldn’t be contacted. We had car cover rather than personal so it shouldn’t have mattered who was driving the car. I broke down and called the AA and at one point they said the account hadn’t been opened in my name so could they please speak to my husband. I explained he was in a hot sandy place incommunicado, but no matter how many times I tried to explain that he was on ops and therefore couldn’t be contacted by either me or the AA the call handler just couldn’t comprehend it, even though it didn’t matter anyway. I ended the call and rang back and fortunately got someone with more than one brain cell. 

I used to have a department store credit card that I used for special offers (but ALWAYS paid in full before the stupid% interest rate kicked in).  They rang asking to speak to me, because they had a 'special deal' for me, but when my husband said that I was serving overseas in the Falklands (this was 1995, not during the actual war)  the caller basically called him a liar "because there are no women serving in the Falklands."