BT billing problem

[star65]

I have been with BT broadband since 2001 with no problems, until November 2006. My monthly bill was put up to £27.99 so I rang them to cancel so I could go elsewhere. To persuade me to stay, I was offered it at £21.99 pm, which I accepted.

In December 2001, BT took £115 from my account! It took me a while to get it back and try to get back the penalty charges that my bank charged for other transactions going over my overdraft limit.

The following month, they took £115 again, but I did manage to get it back from my bank that time. I had telephoned (India!) and emailed, but the problem remained, so I cancelled my DD and sent payments by cheque. BT sometimes didn't credit them to my account, so in June 2007 I stopped paying altogether. I still get the £115 bill each month and I still have my broadband working!

I have written them fourteen letters to date - and told them I would be charging them £20 for each after the fourth one. I don't get any resolution to my problem, except twice a letter or phone call, saying they're sorting it (but never do).

I really don't want to have the bother of changing my email address, but am not sure what to do next. Can't go to OFTEL, as it's too long since the problem started.

I have no idea what to do next, but am worried that my bill (for £21.99 pm) is piling up whilst I'm trying to sort this out, even though their Customer Care place in Durham won't sort it out.

Any suggestions as to what I should do?

TIA

[Conniff]

Can you total up what you have missed in payments and how much they owe you and take one away from the other? When the missed payments equal the owed, then you can tell them not to bother sorting it out as you have already done it.

[star65]

Yes, at present we're about equal, but just worries me that if it gets to the ultimate solution, they take me to court and I really don't want that to happen.

I think I'm probably going to have to go to a cable company for my BB, as without a MAC number, I can't get BB from anywhere that requires a BT phone line.

[pugsley]

when I left bt my email remained the same they didn't cut it off, don't know if this is the norm though.

About 10 months later after joining talktalk bt took back my phone line from talk talk without my knowledge,(neither talktalk or bt has admitted this and I could never get to the bottom of it so just left it after putting in an official complaint) I am staying with bt though as they could take me back again if I join someone else.

[locutus]

Nice phone number for you to try if you are out of contracted term with BT broadband. (this is the department I used to work in), this is the customer options team. 0800 800 030 after going thrugh the Data Protection Act rigmarole ask for your mac code (Migration access code) and not to transfer you to another department. The person on the other end is instructed to try to "save" you 3 times by offering deals (there were diferent deals when I worked there, ranging from £2 off per month if you sign to a 12 month contract to free laptops is you signed up to a 36 month contract so see what they offer) before they give you a mac code. See if they give you a nice discount Also if it interests you, BT Vision can be ordered for £30 when resigning for a broadband deal... its like freeview, with a built in 80 hour hard drive and some on demand content that you would pay for if you accepted... it is a nice package if you want setanta sports, but you need to stay with BT broadband for it to work... it's a tactic to keep customers for life.

That is only if you want to remain a customer of BT. Cable is probably the best option if you want to make a clean break from BT.

[locutus]

Originally Posted by pugsley

when I left bt my email remained the same they didn't cut it off, don't know if this is the norm though.

About 10 months later after joining talktalk bt took back my phone line from talk talk without my knowledge,(neither talktalk or bt has admitted this and I could never get to the bottom of it so just left it after putting in an official complaint) I am staying with bt though as they could take me back again if I join someone else.

My dealings with talktalk have proved to me that the average employee IQ is comparable to a slug (A stupid slug at that!) although 10 months then just *poof* back to BT sounds really weird... it's a one off, not common practice.

Samknows Broadband - Availability checker

this link will show you the alternatives in your area... if you are not happy at BT I'd suggest not to let the bad experience put you off trying somewhere else... letting your feet do the talking is the only way to tell these big companies in no uncertain terms that they cannot continue to run over the small customer and expect the to remain happy.

My own opinion of these companies is:-

BT - Expensive, OK customer service, good quality products that come for a very expensive price.

talktalk - cheap across the board... in every meaning of the word!

[Tillysocute]

Apologies for butting in but i have just veiwed my BT bill on line.....Always in the region of £22...£25 a month and it was £99:o:o

Nearly £60 of this was my daughter reverse charging to me on her mobile!!!.There was only 5 calls and for never more than 5 mins a time.........
She will be handing over her housekeeping and some this month...... I had no idea it was that expensive.............