Forced switched from BT to EE without my consent, what can I do?

logies

I received a series of emails last week, the first of which stated that my direct debit for my broadband only account would be now collected by EE under a new account number and the last of which stated that I hadn’t finished setting up my EE ID.

I never requested nor gave permission for my account to be moved from BT to EE.

I called EE as I’m currently, as I understand it, within their 14 day “cooling off” period. After being moved from pillar to post (and being disconnected by them) I eventually spoke to someone who informed me that yes, I could move back to BT.

However, I would not be able to move back to my original broadband only contract of £22.99 pcm and instead I would be charged £29.99 pcm to which I said no. I tried in vain to explain that I had never requested this transfer from BT to EE, that I had not given permission to be transferred and that this “offer” to transfer me back to BT was not correct as it was not the same price as I was paying before this unauthorised transfer.

The call ended with me saying I had no option but to lodge a complaint. About 4 hours later I received an email saying my complaint had now been closed (I hadn’t even lodged a complaint yet) and that if this was not correct, then I would need to call them back!

(The reason I was able to originally get a reduced broadband only contract of £22.99 in April 2025 was because I also have another residential broadband account for a separate property, which I have had with BT for over 30 years. I was offered this reduced price with BT as an incentive to have the second broadband only account with BT.)

This seems totally underhanded and I’m not sure what I can do. Is it worth me making contact with Ofcom?

I’m wondering how long it will be before I’m force switched from my other BT broadband account. I have no faith in EE, my elderly parent was transferred from BT to EE (having been a BT customer for over 40 years) on the promise of a lower price and they’ve had nothing but problems. In particular regarding their answer machine.

I understand BT are rebranding themselves and they want to move all their residential customers to EE but surely, the way in which this has been done, is wrong?

bazdvd

you wont of had a broadband contract with BT for over 30 years as they only started to offer dialup in 1996 

molerat

If you read the T&Cs you agreed to then you can be moved without your consent and as long as the terms of the new supplier are not disadvantageous there is no cooling off / get out. BT are rationalising their different offers through their different brandings.

logies

Apologies, to make it clear I've had an account with BT for over 30 years  - not specifically broadband.

logies

EE have confirmed to me that there is a cooling off period and I am within that - what they are not prepared to do is move me back to BT on the same terms that I was on. I think that is underhand and manipuative. I have raised this matter with the BT community forum and will lodge a complaint to BT.  

AndyPK

If out of contract;
I think your best bet is to suguest to them, that you will move this house, (and at a later stage the other) to Sky or Vodafone. Look up the latest prices for those. And see if they can match it those prices. 
It will only be a match for 2 years though.

Yeah EE are a pain to deal with 

retiredbanker1

EE and BT are the same company.
BT is concentrating on business broadband and EE is taking over personal accounts.

Apart from a problem when EE did not take the first d/d my transfer went smoothly - I even have my old BT router still.

logies

Thanks for the comments and suggestions. For clarity, I’ve been told by BT and EE that I am within the 14 cooling off period (which I never asked for) and therefore under the terms of the cooling off period, I should be allowed to return to my old BT contract under the terms that I was on (otherwise it is not a cooling of period!)

noitsnotme

Is the new EE tariff worse than your previous BT tariff (£22.99 pcm)?

QrizB

logies said:

 For clarity, I’ve been told by BT and EE that I am within the 14 cooling off period (which I never asked for) and therefore under the terms of the cooling off period, I should be allowed to return to my old BT contract under the terms that I was on (otherwise it is not a cooling of period!)

A "cooling off period" let's you out of your new contract. It doesn't usually allow you to return to your previous supplier on the same terms.

You've already been told by BT that they'll only have you back on a more expensive contract.

logies

The new EE tariff is the same but that is not really the point. I should not have been automatically migrated and this has been confirmed by BT. I didn't ask to be put into a cooling off period, I wasn't notified or consulted in any way aside from an email stating that my account had been moved, a new direct debit set up and that I hadn't finished setting up my EE ID - which is hardly surprising as I never initiated the migration. I can see that I now have 2 direct debits for the same amount of £22.99 one for BT and one for EE.

The whole point of a cooling off period is to allow the customer time to reflect (even though I didn't request this) and to have the opportunity to revert back to the original contract under the same terms and price. Otherwise what is the point of a cooling off period.

On point of principle I have decided to email the CEO of BT as I fundamentally think that what has been done is wrong and it smacks of BT and EE riding roughshod over people. Fortunately I am alert to such things but I do have particular concerns over some vulnerable and elderly people who might not be so aware. 

For a fact I can say that EE did something similar to my elderly parent and their migratation from BT to EE has not been straightforward. They weren't made aware of the full extent of the changes - for example they can no longer pay their bill quarterly but have do so monthly. Additionally, once you take out a digital voice/broadband contract with EE you are obliged to use their answer system (for which you can be charged additionally to access messages). Having researched this online it's apparent that many elderly people have found themselves caught up in this ridiculous situation although there is a workaround (by shortening the number of rings to your EE digital voice telephone and lengthening the number of rings on your own answer machine) but it isn't particularly straightforward. Oh and strangely enough EE don't tell you how to do this unless you specifically ask them.