What happens if I can’t pay landline/broadband?

JJ_Egan wrote: »

ETC for the full contract .
Plus may well trash your credit record and pass debt on.

They don't show up on my credit record, at least with Experian, will this be recorded in bad times if they don't record it for the last 8 years I have paid every bill on time?

Colin_Maybe wrote: »

The trouble with cancelling early is that they're quite within there rights to charge the ETC's until the end of the contract. This will be less than what you would pay in total if keeping it but of course you would need to pay it in one go.

I have seen mention of some company (can't remember which) offering to take a one of (relatively low) payment to cancel it in exceptional circumstances. Wait for them to come back to you though before doing anything else.

I won't do anything before hearing back from BT, I've explained my circumstances to them in full, and they might come back with some understanding though I won't fault them if they stick to the letter of the contract.

Technically, I wouldn't be cancelling, I don't wish to be in the position I will end up in. It would be an 'ability to pay' scenario. By contacting them ahead of time I am hoping they will either release me from the contract or at least partially allow me to opt out of some of the services I don't need at all like TV.

I'm on a discounted plan, I'd even be willing to pay the full price for the months already used, if they were to let me out of the contract. They still own the hardware which other than being dusty, works perfectly, so I would send that back to them.

JJ_Egan wrote: »

Hardware has no real value .
Just wait for BT and if no go i would try a BT complaint just to see if it got anywhere .

Well, the hardware has some value to them, just none to me. All I was saying with that statement is that I haven't tried to do one on them by pawning the hardware etc.

The way I have gone about it already is to raise a complaint because, other than snail mail, it's the only way to put everything across in a way where you don't get interrupted. Also, there is some heavy content in what I said, and dropping that on front line customer service wouldn't have served much purpose as their hands are usually tied in what they can say and offer.

Going through the complaints avenue, I save everyone some time and annoyance, because it would have ended up happening anyway.