BT capitalising on customer ignorance

caveatemptor_3

I've just discovered the aged parents are STILL paying £9.40 + vat every quarter for instrument rental -- presumably the phones they had installed 20+ years ago (and which have long since broken/disappeared).

Yes, yes, BT are within their contractual rights...... yada, yada.

However:

1, The phones probably cost BT around £5 each at todays prices. So far they've collected nearly £1000 on them -- that's about 10,000% profit.

2. As BT might point out, one month's "instrument rental" would pay for two new phones. OK, BT's primary concern is shareholder profitability; but don't they also have a duty of care to their elderly customers?

3. Yes, BT itemise the rental on each quarter's bill, and that would alert most of us on this group. But do YOU understand all your BT bill? And remember, these people, now in their 80s, took the contract out in a time (in their 60s) where most people just trusted the utility provider to play fair. Naive yes; but I feel BT have profited handsomely, and unfairly, from this naivety.

I'd like to think BT would agree and want to offer them a refund. But I'd appreciate the view of this group - as well as any ideas on how my parents might set about getting the balance redressed.

Smartasss

Over the years since it became possible to do so, they have advertised that customers can buy handsets - and pointed out the cost savings as well as the only downside (that a bought handset is the customer's responsibility, whereas a rented handset is maintained by BT)

sergeant121

I've just discovered the aged parents are STILL paying £9.40 + vat every quarter for instrument rental -- presumably the phones they had installed 20+ years ago (and which have long since broken/disappeared).

I assume that part of the rental agreement all those years ago was that the G.P.O. would maintain the instrument and the customer would take reasonable care of it.

If your parents (you) decide to stop renting, I wonder how much BT will have the nerve to charge them for 'losing' the instrument?

PTLD

unfortunately u/yr parents can do nothing to mitigate this [expensive] oversight.
However, DO NOT cancel this rental contract until your parents/you request an upgrade of equipment - squeeze 'em for best/most expensive equipment they'll allow you - & then cease this rental arrangement.

At least you'll be able to glean a modicum of satisafaction!

LMck111

Not a great situation to be in:

BT think you are still renting said equipment and will act accordingly as no one has told them differently.
             
(I suppose, til now).

Realistically though...Who is to blame

Them or You...?

Welliesorter

... DO NOT cancel this rental contract until your parents/you request an upgrade of equipment - squeeze 'em for best/most expensive equipment they'll allow you - & then cease this rental arrangement.

What's the point in doing that? Just ring BT and say they don't want to rent the phones any more. They'll receive Jiffy bags in which to return the phones. If you were to follow the suggestion, there'd be two sets of jiffy bags and two sets of phones to return!

I sympathise if your parents have been wasting money, but what has BT done wrong? Your parents have paid them for the use of the phones and phones they've had.

That said, it is pointless renting. Even on the BT.com web site you can buy a phone for a tenner. BT don't send round an engineer to fix faulty rented phones any more. They just send new ones in the post. In the olden days it would have made sense for an elderly person to rent as it would have guaranteed a visit if they really wanted one.

The old Bakelite phones used to have wiring diagrams in the little drawer to enable the engineer to repair them but those days are long gone!

moneysaver

I totally agree with caveatemptor about BT they are just conning the public on this one. Surely like the old TV rental company's DER, Radio Rentals etc they used to offer their customers a new model TV every couple of years for the same rental price, at least they kept track of their customers, how could BT not do this?.

BT should review contracts on a regular basis & give their customers the best possible advice and service. >:(

JPR

Re: the jiffy bags

We used to rent at work & then ceased them. Our office manager never bothered to return them & BT never chased them up. Result - free phone & free jiffy bag.

System

If this was me I'd ring BT and cancel and also ask to speak to the most senior person there is.

Explain the situation and see if they are prepared to write the cost of the phones off. I'm sure the amount would be very small indeed. In terms of what BT make each day it will be nothing.

I would have thought that with todays technology this kind of thing would have been noticed at some point. It's made me interested as to how many others may be paying for this and not realising.

It's great that you've done this for your parents and I'd urge any others with parents of a similar age to go through things with a fine toothcomb.

Keep pressing BT if you don't get the answer you want first time around. Getting the money back might be difficult though.

Welliesorter

I would have thought that with todays technology this kind of thing would have been noticed at some point.

What is there to notice? As far as BT are concerned, caveatemptor's parents are renting some phones. As they've (presumably) never reported a fault there's no reason to suspect that the phones aren't still functioning perfectly well. If the phones had been reported faulty, they'd have been replaced. If the renters had said they don't want the phones any more, arrangements would have been made to return them.

I don't see how BT can be expected to keep contacting customers to ask if they're sure they still want their phones! Can you think of any business that would operate in that way?

Although I've no idea what the policy is, I'd agree that BT should treat this situation sympathetically and write off the phones. I'd agree with the advice to ask for a manager if the first person doesn't offer a satisfactory solution but give them the chance first!

Slinky

Thanks guys for raising this topic and the information about Jiffy bags. Dad has been 'meaning to do something about the phone' for years, but never got around to it. My brother has phoned BT today and the Jiffy bags are on the way.