Bt callout charges (merged threads)

BritBrat

Welcome to MSE T,

Don't stop paying them all that will do is make it cost even more and could end you up in court and even affect your credit rating.

What you should have done was remove the front cover of the BT NTE box and plugged your phone into the internal socket and then tested the line.

I think you should do that now that you have a fault showing again as that should isolate any lines or devices that are your responsibility

If the fault is still there then you can argue that the fault is with the BT line and you should not have been charged.

If the fault is not there then it is your equipment or extensions at fault and you will have to pay the charge.

One last check, make sure the BT NTE box has no damp/moisture inside it, leave the cover off to air for a while.

Poppycat

When we had a issue with BT last year, ie moved house ported old number over told them when we will moved and what time to have the line working, well as you can imagine line didnt work. 2 calls via mobile to them they asked me to open the bt box and try the internal socket, still no joy. They were adamant my line was working, bunch of morons. Turned out in end it wasn't working it had to be connected via green box in the road about 5 mins walk away. I wont mentioned what agro I had getting broadband working despite having a friend who works in exchange.

PaulK_3

If you didn't fully check that the fault was not with your equipment and was with the line itself then the bill is yours to pay unfortunately. Do as suggest by BritBrat if you have a test socket, if the fault is still on the line when nothing but a correctly working phone is plugged in then get BT back out and contest the bill as line is still faulty.

gilfachboy

BT will put it down to a DAMP master socket.

poppyblue_3

I most definitley would refuse to pay £99!

Firstly i would definitley sort out with BT that the £99 charge is in query and will not be paid until you have had it investigated etc.. Make sure you have typed letter explaining why you are appealing against the charge and ask them to investigate and if they are upholdiong the charge you want a breakdown of exactly what you have been charged for.

i had an ongoing dispute with BT for over 6 months for a £135 charge that i was refusing to pay. in that time i did not pay them a penny, had my case investigated and refused, as i knew i was in the right i appealed very strongly (whilst keeping a log of everything) and finally they dropped all of the charge! rightly so might i add...

if the fault was yours and the guys did nothing whilst they where, what seriously did it cost them £99 to do!!!!!! My advice - stick to your guns...


seriously it really annoys me that just because they say something costs that much, why the hell do we have to believe it without even getting some sort of invoice to let us know exactly what the costs are for and also why why why dont they inform us of exact charges (like a quote) before doing any work......

John7_2

You have my sympathy. We had a lot of intermittent phone line problems, effecting voice and Internet. We did all the right things, phone, modem direct into the test socket, different phone and modem etc. Problems were still there, line noise and modem resetting intermittently. At times the modem would reset when you had a phone call, phone calls were cut off and single rings. This was after a replacement phone line had been put in less than a year before.
We had an engineer out, who replaced a circuit board in the master socket and all was well for a day and it all came back worse. A second one came but not a noise or problem then. The next thing was a £400 plus bill for 3 call outs and the good old claim damp in the master socket! Well we had a full structural survey done less than 2 years before (including for damp and condensation) and the engineer replacing the circuit board didn’t cut back the wiring (corrosion with out effecting the wiring would be most unlikely!).
Our problem with the line is still there, we are disputing the charges (including one for a non existent callout!). BT agreed not to take the money until it was sorted; well they didn’t for the first month but true to form did with out telling us the next one.
We still get occasional crackling, Internet going down, and claims from BT that alls OK with the line (even when they have heard the noise!!
With a near monopoly BT are totally arrogant and going from conversations with former engineers willing to “bend” the truth (engineers are pressured to never admit liability/fault). Our engineers told me one thing and I am told their reports have a different story on them.
Keep a written recorded of every thing, don’t trust phone calls with BT (if you ever get through any way). Keep a log of errors, visits, and as I have learnt, get some one from out side the family to be with you if an engineer calls. I didn’t do all these and may still be fighting to get my money back even if I had but I would be in a better position for the county court if I had done so!

Allosunshine

When you was informed that an engineer was coming out did they tell you that there would be a charge if no fault was found??
I had this at my last house where they didn't tell me about the charge and then tried to charge me. I argued my case that I wasn't told and they dropped it.
But unfortunately I had to have a call out at my new house where I was advised and then had to pay it.
Swings and roundabouts and they say.
If they didn't tell you about the charge then argue if they did you'll probably have to pay.

John7_2

In my case there was and is a fault but not with any hing my side of the master socket.

struggling2getoutadebt

Hi all, i did look for my original thread but cant find it, anyway, i had problem with our line crackling and internet intermitent so i called bt, they said think problem with their box and they will sort it out in 24 hours, they took my mobile number to keep me updated. the next day i got updates from them saying its being sorted but if an engineer is to come in my house they will tell me 1st. that was last text i recieved and i got a knock at the door, i asked the man for id as id explained id not been told of his visit. in the end he changed box on our wall in about 5 minutes and took away our old one. end of the month £252 came out direct debit from my bank, i was furious i called bt who said its standard charge, i wanted to know why id not beed advised of any charge before work carried out.

Anyway i said i wanted it looked into, i was told 10 days id get an answer, it took alot longer for a call from them.

someone called me, he said he had the engineer there with him and asked what was the dispute, i told him im unhappy about charge and feel ive been conned into paying it also asked why my uncle in another part of country also with bt had same work done and no charge? do they just charge when they think can get away with it? about 10 minutes of talking from my side he said as good will gesture he will take off £90 i told him i was offended and its all or nothing, if they didnt take it all off id take to offcom or trading standards and i wanted the box he had taken off my wall so i could get it tested, he tried spouting rubbish about the company but because id done my research he couldnt argue, after about half an hour call theyd taken off the charge completly.
so if anyone else feels they have been wronged by bt i say stand up for yourselves and good luck,

Seiken

A BT faults or service advisor cannot book an engineers appointment without having a box on their screen appear giving them a mandatory statement explaining about any possible charges to read to you similar to the Distance Selling Regulations all sales advisors have to read you too so that's quite confusing how that's happened. As for do they charge when they feel like it, it really depends where the fault lies. If it's on BT's equipment aka anywhere from the underground duct or telegraph pole to the exchange, BT eat the cost but if it's anything to do with your house, the linebox or your internal wiring you would be charged for it. BT have to advise you 10 working days in advance of any amount being debited from your account so if you saw any one-off charges on your bill you could phone up and have your enquiry looked into and your direct debit suspended in the mean time, although they may ask you to pay the non-disputed amount via credit or debit card.

Well done on getting it waived though.