BT basic + broadband at £10 per month with no hidden extras as long as you are on a qualifying benefit it sounded a great option for me I have been long term unemployed and spend more than that each fortnight on PAYG to search for jobs.

I read the website and it mentioned them sending a form out they would need back so I gave the free phone number a ring.

So the first person I spoke to asked what benefit I was on, confirmed I was eligible and echoed basically what the website said and the forms would be in the post.

10 minuets after ending the call they rang back told me a date for installation was set up and took my bank details for direct debit.

I was taken back to be honest I thought they wanted the paperwork back and assumed they had already made the necessary checks.

Obviously happy now I did not have to wait for the forms to filled and returned and a date set for installation I was well chuffed with the service so far.

Again everything went well installation complete and the service was as to be expected, finally could jobsearch without too much worry of cost.

First bill came and as promised the cost was £10 which went out my account.

Whoopee great finally something altruistic on the part of a big business hats of to bt.

Then the whoopsie hit the fan.

First indication something was wrong was my next bill was £47 and clearly something was wrong here.

At the earliest opportunity I rang the helpline and was informed that as I did not return the forms they sent out to confirm I am on benefits and they can check I had been upgraded to a premium service.

I never received any form to send back I wrongly assumed it had all been set up.

So I cancelled the direct debit (if £46 went out my account I would starve ) then learned bt would add a further charge to my bill £10 for a failed payment, so I had to change my method of payment over to bill which was a £2.50 charge but less than £10 and left with no other choice.

Then was told they would send me another form out to sign.

I decided I would get in touch with bt support via Email as I could not afford the bill at all, I never asked for a upgrade and believe they should have suspended my service if there was an issue and in my opinion should not have provided me with the service until all paperwork had been completed anyway.

I am on low income and would not get credit nor want it.

Well all I can say is the customer services was no help at all and just said when they get the form back they will adjust it from the day I got in touch which still would make it impossible to pay and thus lose a much needed service when they cut me off for a missed payment.

8-9 days later and a few emails back and forth as to why I have issues with my post the form finally arrived.

Now the catch 22 situation is they want the form back within 14 days and I sent the form back the same day I received it but according to them it arrived late.

now I have incurred another months bill at premium rate for something that is out of my control.

They have now sent out a 3rd form Wednesday and again so far it has not arrived so if it doesn't come Monday again I will miss the 14 day deadline.

As a resolution I would like my bill adjusting back to the plan I asked for but who the heck is actually liable here the phone company or bt or both ?

What you mean by "the phone company or BT"? I thought you were just dealing with a single company – BT?

Well spotted phone company should have been post office too late for me to edit

Please can you provide us with the T&Cs of this offer or lnk us to them on their site.

If there is any action against anyone it is against BT.

Did you keep any record of sending the form and particularly did you send it recorded delivery?

You record your phone calls?

The Home page

https://btplc.com/inclusion/ProductsAndServices/BTBasic/BTBasicBroadband/index.htm

And FAQs

https://btplc.com/inclusion/ProductsAndServices/BTBasic/FAQ/index.htm

But overall very little on the T&C.

https://btplc.com/inclusion/ProductsAndServices/BTBasic/ApplyingforBTBasic/index.htm

Get a BT Basic application form by calling us on 0800 800 864 (8am to 6pm Mondays to Fridays). You must be the named BT account holder to apply. We will talk to you about the calls you make so that you can be sure BT Basic is the best package for you.

You will need to fill in a simple one page application form and return it to us within 14 days of receiving it.

You will also need to give us some personal information:

• your date of birth
  
• your National Insurance number
  
• confirm the benefit you are receiving
  
• remembering to sign and date your application before returning it in the pre-paid envelope.
  

We need these details so we can check your records with the Department for Work and Pensions and find out whether you qualify for BT Basic.

They keep asking me to ring them but I only communicate through Email I have confirmation in writing from them the day they received the form.

Something has just struck me that says 14 days after I receive the form not 14 days from when they send out the form. So in actual fact they did receive it in time and I informed them via Email the day I received the form.

Still banging my head against a brick wall and a few emails back and forth between myself and the the frustrating complaints team I decided to go to the top and contact CEO Gavin Patterson and fair dues got a Email back the same day passing me over to a dedicated case handler.

Now if only some common sense prevails I might get a satisfactory resolution finally.

I doubt it ...this is BT... have you not got Virginmedia in your area ?

All are available in my area however I have been unemployed long term and cannot afford broadband or a phone line with a budget after deductions of £27.50 per week for food and job searching.

BT basic + plus broad is only £10 per month if you are on a qualifying benefit all inclusive with £10 calling credit and 12GB of data and line rental.

That was great for me and left me with £25 for food per week and keeping up appearances travel etc I live to far away to walk to the job centre or library to search.

But then the problems started, I am faced with a bill over £100 to be paid this week when it should only be £20 and increasing as we speak.

I cannot afford any other service or pay the bill so stuck with BT until they resolve the problem or cut me off.

All I can find on the website in relation to this deal is for existing customers.

I am arguing the point that they upgraded my account without my consent, technically it is reverted back to the premium rate for existing customers if they do not receive the form back in time but I was not a existing customer and in my opinion I should have been reverted back to no service.

Executive complaints team are now looking into it.

Just to update within 24 hours of emailing BT CEO [email protected] I received a message from the executive complaints team.

I also noticed that your account was on the verge of being restricted but I’ve just reversed that so service will maintain until we get this situation sorted out. I’ll check back with you on the 11th to check you’ve received the BT Basic form.

So while the BT complaints team have been a object of frustration obstruction and futility for several weeks and would have let my service become restricted and allow the bill to mount up. Emailing the CEO seems to have worked so far and can only say they have been quick and sympathetic so far towards my issue.

finally got it sorted so I guess this thread should be marked as resolved can only sum up that BT customer services are a object lesson in futility and emailing the CEO is the best and fastest way forward in a dispute and a pleasure to deal with.

I’ve checked the account and currently there is an outstanding balance of £93.93, I’ve applied a credit of £75.03. This leaves you a balance to pay of £18.90.

Pleased its been resolved for you trebormoinet

Lets hope there are no further problems and the CEO has to come out with his toolbox:-)

I will mark your thread as same.

Regards

Andy

I assisted a couple of young people with a very similar issues for the same product and have also had it myself and had similar problems in cases with these forms. Make sure as part of your complaint that you require to have all your bills readjusted to account for the BT Basic Plan. They should do this automatically now the CEO is involved. You can also request to have any overpayments once the bills are adjusted credited back to your BT Account or Bank Account. I would always go for the latter.

Also watch the usage of that 12GB. If you exceed it on a regular basis, they will upgrade your package to BT Broadband. You can still keep BT Basic line rental. But they will put your broadband on the Standard ADSL tariff.

As a side note. This is a great scheme for people on low incomes / state support. But I think the forms they send are a very outdated way of doing things. They also don't allow enough time for the form to arrive, be read and signed and returned. As long as it is eventually returned with proof of postage they do accept it and readjust bills, even if it's 2 weeks - 1 month late. But it might take some pressing on the Customer Service team to readjust the bills. When applying for the Warm Home Discount with Gas and Electricity providers, they don't require such forms and it can all be done over the phone. The only thing that goes on the phone really is the National Insurance number of the account holder and a couple of tick boxes. Something that could be done over the phone or on a website.

Virgin Media is certainly the better network operator. But currently their cheapest package is £33.00 a month at the time of writing for Broadband Only. That's steep considering that BT Basic + Broadband is currently £9.95 a month and includes £1.50 worth of calls every month capped at £10.00 a month. So your bill in any 1 month can be no more than £19.95 for an unlimited amount of 01, 02 and 03 calls and UK mobiles.

Also what they don't tell you, is you can have a BT Basic Landline for £5.10 per month and then choose broadband from another provider which may have a more generous Bandwidth limit.

Glad you got this sorted, but thought I'd leave this here for reference for those doing Google Searches and facing similar issues.

Thanks some useful extra information there will keep my eye out on the usage and yes after 10 weeks finally got it resolved and bill adjusted accordingly.

Final resolution was I BT allowed me continue with service until the paperwork was resolved and when it was they dropped all charges and set my balance back to zero effectively giving me 3 months usage for free.