Debts and Broadband

Gaz82

Hi,

Sorry if this doesn't fit in with this topic as it probably could link in to many others but here we go:-

So I have been trying to obtain broadband and thought that I would go with BT. I tried to place an order at fist but was unable to due to being still with Sky ( although was already told I would be disconnected from sky) but not to worry I didn't think this was going to be a big problem.

So yesterday I could finally place an order as I'd definitely been disconnected from Sky. Contacted BT and have gone through everything and then had to go through a credit check and this is when my issue started. So when doing a credit check this had been referred due to apparently me owing them £35.70 previously which I knew nothing about and was told that the debt had been passed on to a debt collection agency and I will need to call them to clear the debt, wait 5 days and would then have to pay a £50  holding deposit before I could receive Broadband equipment and also an engineer to visit for installation. 

When I heard which Debt recovery it was suddenly rang alarm bells to me as I realised that I  currently have a debt management plan and this debt recovery company is one of my creditors who I am paying money to through Stepchange.

Long and short  of it is that I am able to get Broadband because I owe Money to BT for a debt which I am already paying towards through a debt recovery company and basically have been told if I wish to have broadband with BT I would have to pay off the debt first, wait 5 days and then contact BT to pay the £50 holding deposit.

I have tried to argue my case to all Companies involved ( have probably spent around 4 hiurs on phone yesterday) but have not got anywhere only to be fobbed off and told "there is nothing we can do and you will need to contact this company back and same again when you speak to someone else.

Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you

Peter999_2

To be fair, you owe them money and you failed to pay them the last time you were with BT.

However, don't worry too much about it, just go with another company instead that you haven't got a outstanding debt with.

As you can get BT broadband, you will be able to use any ISP that connects using OpenReach including the following : 

TalkTalk

Plusnet (BT-owned but operates separately)

EE (also BT-owned, but marketed distinctly)

Vodafone

NOW Broadband

Zen Internet

Utility Warehouse

Just choose one of them instead of BT - preferrably one you haven't been in debt with.   Maybe the same as your current mobile phone network as they'll already know you are a good customer.

sourcrates

Easy, go somewhere else, plenty to choose from nowadays.