BT - Cancelling contract due to change in charges

[mattyprice4004]

Good morning all,

 

I bought a package from BT 8 months ago, and I'm currently having a bit of an issue.

 

They've recently changed their line rental and call prices, and as a result according to the T&Cs we were entitled to cancel with no penalty to ourselves.

 

However, when I called them they agreed to cancel the call package and line, but will not cancel the broadband as it's a 'separate product' (even though I bought as a package) even though I cannot use it on anything other than a BT line - rendering the product useless.

 

Can they do this? I spoke to a senior there, and they advised me to take it up with Billing when the final bill arrives.

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated, I'm simply not prepared to pay for a Broadband package I cannot use due to not having a BT line, which is in turn due to a breach of their terms and conditions.

[BankFodder]

if British Telecom because the cancellation of a service which then means that it is impossible to use a collateral service such as broadband – especially when the broadband is being supplied by themselves, then they would not be in a position to refuse to cancel broadband simply on the basis of the contractual provision.

 

In other words, you're absolutely right. However, British Telecom are dinosaurs and getting them to accept that you are right will be a different matter.

 

If you fall out with British Telecom on this, then my advice is do not stop paying the monthly fee because if you do they will simply trash your life – even though they are completely in the wrong. The best thing to do is to keep on paying, but make sure that they have in writing that this is under protest and that you do not accept their position. And then bring a County Court action to get the money back and to bring the broadband contract to an end.

 

As with all of these dinosaur/bullies, once they have the court papers in their hands then they will ask somebody with some intelligence and some judgement to look at the situation and they will then deal with you as if you are a real person

[mattyprice4004]

I checked on my Experian credit file, and they are not listed as being anywhere in my report, or in any credit agreements.

 

Does this mean they won't have an impact on my credit file if I did stop paying?

 

Cheers for your help guys!

[locutus]

I believe (not 100% sure) BT are one of the last telecoms companies that DOES NOT report on your credit file.

 

Personally, I would go read and follow their complaints procedure located here

 

Keep all correspoandance in writing, and keep a copy for yourself.

 

Be asertive and tell them what you want, and tell them if they won't give you what you want, to issue you with a DEADLOCK letter.

 

If they issue you with a DEADLOCK letter, rather than escalating the complaint to Otelo their Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), I would personally go via county court. (a deadlock letter is BT stating they have given their final answer, so you can escalate the complaint to their ADR) However the Otelo is IMO a toothless qango that mostly sides with the telecom company.

 

Be proactive and get them to cancel the contract. It is goung to be much easier than them getting debt collectors off your back later, because if you thaught finding someone with 2 brain cells at BT was hard, you should try sorting things out with some of the DCA's out there!

 

Keep us updated

[mattyprice4004]

Will do, the manager I spoke to said I'd have to take it up with billing when I receive my final bill.

 

When I get that, stick to writing only or ring billing?

[totiesquoties]

hi matty,

take the matter up first with billing all in writing only, and send recorded delivery, and ask for a final response letter,

if you get nowhere DO take it up with OTELO, they sorted a problem out we had with the post office phone service, and were great, and we got monies back as the post office were in the wrong but would not budge until OTELO wrote to them and got involved, hope this helps.

totiesquoties, the court will cost you time and money, OTELO costs you nothing, except to fill in their form they will send out to you, etc. also i spoke to OTELO and they were extremely helpful and very pleasant to deal with, can only tell you from my experience.

Edited April 1, 2011 by totiesquoties

[mattyprice4004]

Full refund received, I had to take it up with billing (who were useless) and in the end wrote on a Facebook post of theirs with over 4,000 comments - that's a lot of people reading bad press!

 

I had a refund within 30 minutes.