I called BT last month (October) to ask my BT account/phone/broadband be cancelled due to change of address. New property doesn't have a phone line but although BT could have installed free of charge, I got to thinking I didn't want to be paying £47 per month when half of that cost was a phone I didn't need. I was also told by BT that if we had new line fitted it would be some time before we'd know if we could have Infinity and so it would be an 8mb connection. Also the install date for phone line was at least a month away. So I asked them to cancel last month. Moved to new place on 18th last month and today get a normal bill from BT for £47. Called them and they were unaware I'd called to cancel last month but said it was their mistake. They said they've initiated the cancellation but I'm locked into broadband contract until next year. They said the final bill will be in the region of £230. Apparently they only offer 12 or 24 month contracts and I had been locked into a 24 because I didn't pay attention. I had been intending to go back with BT sometime in the future but of course won't now.
Makes sense to be honest, I know most companies lock you in to a fix term contract and every upgrade or change you make to your account. I.e moving from one package to another they lock you in for an additional twelve months. Obviously they should have made you aware that you will have to pay the remainder of your contract before cancellation.
Well no one mentioned that. I would have taken notice if anyone had said last month that I'd have to pay the remainder of the contract anyway. I've spent half the day on the phone. Was just told by someone at accounts section of indian call centre that I had only requested cancellation of broadband and that the phone was still active and I would continue to be billed for the phone line at old address. He also told me there was a phone line at new address (I knew there wasn't because last month I was told by BT there was no line and 11th November was soonest for line install). He then put me through to UK account section and was told me when someone moves house that cancels the entire contract and that the phone and broadband were cancelled. I received a normal BT bill today for broadband and phone but now they're saying that's a mistake I won't be charged for. This guy said nothing about paying £230+ and said I'd be reimbursed if the £47 had been taken from my account (it hadn't). I'd actually wanted to stay with BT and had initially elected to have line installed at new address. Problem was the install date was 11th November and we moved in to new address 18th October. We couldn't wait that long for new internet and phone. Also they told me I wouldn't be able to have infinity at new address because it would be a new line so would be restricted to 8mb.
It's typical for any fixed term contract, whether it is mobile, internet, etc etc Pay the remainder of the bill when cancelling completely.
At the end of a mobile contract I get to keep the phone and can sell it. Got £90 for my old 3GS. I guess bt will expect me to return the modem and router right?
I've still got my home hub and 2 phones, they asked me if I wanted them to send out a bag for me to return them and they would recycle them.
Lol. Yeah that figures. So are there any internet providers who don't lock you into 12 or 24 month? I haven't moved house much for many years so I didn't have to think about this. Renting property now so the last thing I want is to get locked into any more 2 year contracts.
How long have you been with BT? I managed to get out of a 12 month contract with them because they sent me a letter effectively saying "Do not respond and we will sign you up for another 12 months" - I argued that this do nothing, repeat contract system was pretty deceitful and that I work away from home quite often so regularly have a stack of mail when I return. If your contract was renewed in a similar fashion, you may have a case. That was for line, calls and broadband. I'm pretty sure that if they cannot offer the same package at your new address and still expect to charge you £47 for the pleasure that is grounds for ending the contract. They are pretty slippery on the phone so just keep trying.
Only since 21st may this year. Waiting for 11th November line install from 18th October was out of the question and then to have only 8mb speed and they told me there was no guarantee I could have infinity at the new address, so that's why I had to cancel. Edit: Made about 5 calls to BT yesterday and was told different things like service not cancelled, service cancelled, will cancel service but hold you to term. Today phoned them and immediately got through to UK department, explained the situation and that I didn't have any problem with the BT service and intend to return to BT in the future... I told them I cancelled simply because I couldn't wait a month for line install and then only have 8mb speed. The woman I spoke to put me through to cancellation dept... Spoke to guy and he said the line at old address was still active but he was going to get it cancelled now and there will be "no held to term" he said. He then put me through to billing to get the most recent bill £41.57 cancelled, billing was Indian call center. I think the guy must have been sleeping because it sounded like I'd disturbed him... He was quiet for a little while so I had to ask him if he wanted my account number? Gave him that and then he woke up a bit. Then he started vocalizing his typing but in a sort of rambling incoherent manner. By the end of the conversation he seemed to have composed himself and was speaking coherently and asking the right questions. At this point... having been told so many times that the account/services were cancelled, not cancelled, being cancelled, I will not believe it until I see it.
I think the auto contract renewal that some companies do is out of order if you didn't sign to anything then they should not be able to do that. But it's probably tucked away in the small print.
You need to check these guys out.......http://www.pulse8broadband.co.uk/ New line and Broadband install is £140. Then £27 per month for unlimited broadband + Line rental! Calls are dirt cheap too, Best of all ***NO CONTRACTS***You can come and go as you please.
Agree. I will have to start playing safe when I sign for something now. Yes, other cats have been killed too by BT infinity wifi ozone emissions. What speed you getting? A mate also said Plusnet were good. Update: As well as calling the BT customer services about 9 times over the weekend... I also sent a complaint via their online complaint form. Bearing in mind that the last call I made to BT yesterday - the guy I spoke to was very good and said there will be no held to term and no charges for this month (they'd sent me a bill on saturday oblivious to my call to cancel services on 15th October). So the email response from BT was to tell me I would be held to term and have to pay £235 + I would also be charged £41 for the most recent bill. I wrote back explaining why I wouldn't be held to term and offered suggestions for improving customer relations. I then phoned BT customer services again, had to wait ages today but got through to indian call center. The guy was polite and awake but I warned him the call was being recorded for legal reasons and could I speak to someone from UK cancellations dept? He obliged... More waiting and eventually got through to UK cancel dept. I warned her this conversation was being recorded and asked her if she was ok with that? She said "yes, we record too". Explained that I'd requested cancellation last month and that I was happy with the BT service but it was purely because a line install at new house wouldn't have been until 11th november and it would only have been 8mb instead of infinity. I told her about the call yesterday and she said she had the notes from that call. I asked her to confirm that I wouldn't be held to term and no charges for this month? She confirmed. So I now have an mp3 because my S3 phone records calls.
THIS. Also - dont you have any option to cancel without having to pay the rest of the term if they cannot offer you the same services at the new address? - This is what happened to me when I moved and Virgin didnt do Fibre in the new area - I had an option to cancel (granted I only had 3 months left).
If you're moving to a new area and they don't offer the service I didn't think you had to pay the rest of the contract. Plusnet are pretty good, had mixed performance, but their customer service has been great so far in trying to help etc
Well I used the fact they could only offer me 8mb connection at new address as my get out excuse. Even so I still had some departments telling me I will be held to term. 2 people from uk cancel dept have now told me no held to term and as I said... The second phone call was recorded. I shouldn't have to take legal advice to end an internet contract so I won't be returning to bt.
