Bt callout charges (merged threads)

Ragtimeplayer

Is there someone higher up than BT who I can complain to if it all goes wrong?

BritBrat

Is there someone higher up than BT who I can complain to if it all goes wrong?

There is but try and work it out with them first, they are trying it on.

If the fault was with your wiring then you will be charged if it was on their equipment you should not be.

cyclonercv

Hi all
I was wondering if anyone had any experiance in bt callouts i had an intermittent fault on my line where by it would work for a couple of days and then go off for a couple of days, This resulted in two engineer visits the first one could find no fault but a couple of days later the second engineer traced the fault back to the exchange, now bt have sent me a bill for £99 + vat. I have called them and was told someone would get back to me within 7 days, am i correct in assuming there sould not be a charge in these circumstances
Thanks

Ragtimeplayer

Well glad to say I have had a really successful phonecall today (am still beaming!)

Lovley young girl on the phone who explained that the engineers report said we had damp in the terminal and wiring and because of that , we were charged the massive amount of £189.99.
Explained to her that there was no way I could pay that amount of money and after a little while (she must have felt sorry for me ) she said she would waive the charges this time but next time I would be charged the full amount.

I am so pleased, it has totally made my day :T:j:T

BritBrat

Next time open the BT box (2 screws) and make sure there is no damp and while you have it open plug your phone into the internal socket and if phone still has a fault it is BT equipment.

gilfachboy

I had the same problem according to bt, they said the master socket was damp. But after a few months i still have to pay the £216.20. And i tried the phone in the internal socket and that would not work. But bt said it's my problem not theirs due to the damp in the socket. I am sure that this is a excuse by bt to get you to pay for their repair, DAMP wot next.

BritBrat

I had the same problem according to bt, they said the master socket was damp. But after a few months i still have to pay the £216.20. And i tried the phone in the internal socket and that would not work. But bt said it's my problem not theirs due to the damp in the socket. I am sure that this is a excuse by bt to get you to pay for their repair, DAMP wot next.

I will remember that and put the air dryer on it if I ever get a problem.

I have a nice loop on mine going down past the hole and back up to where it enters the house. Maybe a good idea to check it out and see why it got damp assuming they are telling the truth.

jimmyoldears

I too had a problem with BT and it's unbelievable call out charges. My phone was not working for 5 days in total, I called on the second day, an engineer apparently came out on the 3rd day and text me to say the problem was fixed.
This was on a Saturday. I called them back on the Monday and the girl in their call centre told me there was an underground fault and it should now be fixed, but it obviously wasn't as that was why I was calling.
While I was on the phone to them, an engineer was actually in my house working on the problem again (my wife called me at work soon after I called them to tell me) and they told her the problem was now fixed. Great I thought....

The following Saturday, my phone bill arrived and I had been charged 2 call out charges of £99 each plus VAT. The bill was for over £257 even though the cost of my calls for the month were only £9.

After being on the phone with them for over an hour they eventually agreed to take the charges off, but they still maintained there was no fault. (even though I was told there was an underground fault)?? They said something about because they entered the property they charged me, even though the white bt box that the phone is plugged in is their property and they had to check it. The engineer was in my house and down the street for approx. 2 hours...then suddenly the phone worked (must have been magic)

If you know that the problem is not your fault i.e check that your phone/s are working etc in someone elses house if need be, then don't let them rip you off as they tried me. Argue your case, and hopefully they will/should back down. The phone line and white bt box inside the house are their property and you should not be charged.

gilfachboy

beware of BT, they will try it on with you hoping that you will pay up for their problem. if this happens again, Make sure you get it in writing wot the problem was off the engineer before he goes. That way you wont have a shock when the BT phone bills arrive.

32matwjw

We have a lot of interference on our line. We hoped it would clear for a few weeks but eventually we called for help via the web. Line checks went on for ages but no fault could be found. I'd unplugged all our stuff and tried two phones at the box but no change. So it seemed right to call out the repair men.

On the morning they were due to call the line was clear. No interference. We decided it was temporary and they called anyway. Couldn't find anything wrong. Checked lines back to the exchange. Nothing wrong. He did say there was a slight hum on the line. I told him that was probably from the sky box and no problem. He advised us to unplug it and did so. Then he went. saying that if the interference returned to call them out.

A few days later the crackling returned with a vengeance making it impossible to use the phone. Anwering it was impossible sometimes. Now we have had a bill including a charge of £99 plus VAT. I phoned and asked them if they could here interference. Yes they said. I asked them why they'd charged me £99 to not repair it and how much they charged to actually fix things. I'm now waiting while my complaint is sent higher.

I want to change to Cable next so we have a phone line again. I'm thinking of cancelling my BT direct debit so that they have to get my £99 pounds off me rather than me having to retrieve it from them. Not sure what to do as the money will be taken from my account on the 19th and the complaints process sound like it would take longer than that.

Any advice would be welcome.

Yours T.