BT Charges/Sky Talk, v confused!

footballmanagerwidow

I don't know if any of you can help me but i'm v confused re a bill i've just had from BT. Basically, we have BT Broadband and home phone (option 2) and Sky TV and about 6 weeks ago I was on the phone to Sky about our TV package and the bloke started going on about free calls etc etc on our home phone. Like a bloomin' wally I agreed to it and now i've just had a cancellation bill from BT for £120 odd quid! I'm assuming this is because we've only had our line connected since September when we moved into our new house. Maybe it's my own stupid fault for not realising what I was signing up for and that there would be a penalty for doing so from BT but it's really upset me as I honestly didn't understand the implications. I just wondered if there's anything I could do about these charges? Thanks v much.

utilitybroker

When you took service at your new house you would have signed a 12 month contract with BT for the line rental and probaly at least a 12 month contract for your call package. Hence the cancellation charge.

Were you getting FREE Evening and Weekend Calls from BT? Or were you paying a reduced fee.

Heinz

You have handed over your line rental to Sky and, because that means you are in breach of your 12 month contract with BT, they are within their rights to charge you for that breach.

Until recently, the Sky Talk telephone packages were only available as CPS packages (i.e. you continued paying line rental to BT but, by default, your calls routed via Sky) but, recently, Sky have started offering line rental too.

I'd suggest you phone Sky and tell them they have misunderstood the conversation and, although you wanted to join Sky Talk (either Sky Talk Freetime or Sky Talk Unlimited) you did not want to move your line rental from BT.

ojayww

i have recently asked BT for a phone line into my flat, there is a bt box in the flat ......bt have quoted £124.99 for this line to be activated as ist been disconnected for sometime, i have been a BT customer for many years, to be treated in this way beggars belief. i use Sky tv & their broadband as it's good value for money, what sticks in my craw is you have to have a BT line to operate it. big brother is still in charge

utilitybroker

ojayww wrote: »

i have recently asked BT for a phone line into my flat, there is a bt box in the flat ......bt have quoted £124.99 for this line to be activated as ist been disconnected for sometime, i have been a BT customer for many years, to be treated in this way beggars belief. i use Sky tv & their broadband as it's good value for money, what sticks in my craw is you have to have a BT line to operate it. big brother is still in charge

Sky were offering to compensate new BT customers the BT connection charge if you take their 3 in one package. 26ish per month. I dont know if offer still applies.

utilitybroker

Heinz wrote: »

You have handed over your line rental to Sky and, because that means you are in breach of your 12 month contract with BT, they are within their rights to charge you for that breach.

Until recently, the Sky Talk telephone packages were only available as CPS packages (i.e. you continued paying line rental to BT but, by default, your calls routed via Sky) but, recently, Sky have started offering line rental too.

I'd suggest you phone Sky and tell them they have misunderstood the conversation and, although you wanted to join Sky Talk (either Sky Talk Freetime or Sky Talk Unlimited) you did not want to move your line rental from BT.

The Op mentions a £120 cancellation so i guess she took a call package as well. Might not be any advantage of moving at this stage cost wise.

footballmanagerwidow

we're still paying BT the £12.45 a month or whatever it is for line rental...I think that's what's thrown me a bit. So we're still paying them for the line but they've charged us £120 quid for not paying them for calls?

Heinz

ojayww wrote: »

i have recently asked BT for a phone line into my flat, there is a bt box in the flat ......bt have quoted £124.99 for this line to be activated as ist been disconnected for sometime, i have been a BT customer for many years, to be treated in this way beggars belief. i use Sky tv & their broadband as it's good value for money, what sticks in my craw is you have to have a BT line to operate it. big brother is still in charge

Welcome to the MSE forums ojayww.

You don't have to have a BT line. Any of the line providers now in the market can employ Openreach to install/reconnect your line (see HERE).