BT Connections & Billing

[KarlG]

Hi all,

 

I will try to keep it as short as possible as it is my first post

 

In October last year my Fiance' & I moved home. Regular contact with BT was made due to an outstanding balance on our account which was to be transferred to the new address and a payment plan to be set up.

 

We WERE informed that there would be no charge for setting up the new linedue to my fiance' kicking up a stink (go girl!) and refusing to pay the fee.

 

Once settled into our new house, I contacted BT to arrange to get a broadband package (Home Hub). No problems. Hub was delivered when they said it would. But then I set it all up.....

 

It didn't work at all. I called BT who advised the line would not be activated for Broadband until midnight. So, being the nice guy I am, I gave them the benefit of the doubt.

 

Next day, still no Internet working. I called BT again and was advised that Hub must be faulty and a replacement would be sent. I wasn't happy, but relieved that something was being done.

 

A couple of weeks later, the new HUB still hadn't arrived. However, on the off chance, I plugged the first HUB in, and miraculously it worked.....sometimes!!!

 

I forgot about the 2nd HUB they were meant to be sending until one random day (around 2months after being told it would be delivered) I came home from work to find a new HUB stuffed under the hedge by my front door. Being very confused, I called BT, they told me to just use the new HUB and that they had record of it being delivered around 6weeks before!!! Confused yet???

 

I left it at that, used the new HUB and broadband worked fine.

 

Now I have been Cut-off for not paying my £486 bill which has just come through and is the first letter from them since I moved in nearly 6 months ago. I have tried explaining this to them and it also is showing on my bill as two Broadband packages!!!

 

They do not seem interested. I can no longer call them as they have cut-off the phone line. The only way I can contact them is by using a neighbours wireless connection via BT's "Live Chat" tool.

 

The lady I spoke to in the "Live Chat" was useless. She told me there was only broadband package on the account and that the bill was the amo0unt it was because it had not been payed since May 2009!

 

I'm at the point where I just don't know what to do any more. I have recently been made redundant and I am struggling to find a job. Without the phone or interent it is even harder to find a job!

 

I'm sorrry for the essay, but if anyone has any advise and/or information it would be greatly appreciated

 

Thanks in advance

[BankFodder]

Welcome to the forum.

 

This kind of story is typical of the kind of nightmare scenario that lots of people find themselves in.

It spirals and the company - BT in this case simply close up, get defensive, see you as some kind of threat and because they are bigger than you they generally get their way in the end.

 

of course, you need to be ready for where this goes now.

 

You will get into an argument about the outstanding amount, BT will mark your credit file and start debt collection against you using all sorts of organisations that will simply assume that you are somebody who simply doesn't want to pay their debts. As soon as they receive your get file from BT, they will probably mark your credit file as well. After that, any time that you want to get credit, you will find that you won't be able to. If you do want to borrow any money then it will have to be at very excessive lending rates because you are such a poor risk.

 

Only a year or two ago you could have gone directly to the communications regulator and complained about it. They were very good. They would start off by telephoning BT and generally speaking they would have it sorted out the same day and call you back.

 

Now the OFT have invented Consumer Direct. This is a new buffer zone and barrier to getting things done quickly and directly with the customer services department of the company that you are trying to deal with. They also seem to be very limited and quite defensive and also want to channel you off into some procedure.

 

It is all very exhausting. The company wins: the customer loses.

 

If you want to take matters into your own hands, you can deal with it quickly and efficiently that you will have to be prepared to issue a call claim. If you are prepared to do that then stop reading and just go to Consumer Direct.

 

I would suggest that you write a letter to British Telecom outlining in bullet points everything that has happened so that it is very clear to anyone who reads it -- especially a court (because this is where it will go).

 

Lay out very succinctly what solution you want and then tell them that you want a reply within 14 days.

 

If they don't respond - meaning if they don't respond completely positively (and they won't) then send them a 7 day LBA making it clear that you will sue them in the County court.

 

If you are only bluffing about this then don't bother to make the threat. Don't for a moment imagine that by sending the 14 day letter that they will get frightened and sort things out. They won't. The real purpose of the 14 day letter is to get everything done in writing and to show the court the details of your case and also to show the court that you have tried to enter into proper reasonable dialogue with them.

 

If you try to bluff them, or if you don't carry out your threat exactly as you have made it, then you will lose all credibility.

 

At the end of the seven days, you simply issue a claim for breach of contract. It is clear that BT have a contract with you to provide certain services and also to run your account correctly and accurately. They have not done this.

 

I rate your chances of winning in the County Court at better than 95%

I rate your chances of getting a result without a County Court claim at less than 10%

I rate the chances of them receiving the claim and then sorting everything out in order to avoid legal action as better than 75%

 

Starting the claim is cheap. You will get your expenses back. Once BT have received the summons, watch them leap into action and start the whole dialogue with you. You will think that it is magic!

[KarlG]

Thank you sooo much BankFodder . That is enormously helpful. I am now currently writing my letter to BT. Yey!!!

 

However, I am still unsure as to some of the points you mentioned.

 

Would I need a solicitor for the latter stages of what you have explained? I have never had to go to court before so the prospect seems a little daunting. But if I can be confident about what I am going in for then I don't think I would have a problem.

 

Also, what is a LBA? It is not something I believe I have come across before.

 

Finally, in my letter to them, do I ask for the charges that have been added on there for installation & for the second broadband package to be refunded?

 

All I want is to be able to have my phone & internet re-connected and to be billed for the correct amount. Is this what I put to them.

 

Apologies if any of this is actually solved with common sense. I have never really been put in this position before, where I am effectively being told by BT that I am lying. It infuriates me in that it seems that there is no-one there that cares.

 

Thank you again so much for your help, it is greatly appreciated

[ozzywizard]

Also, what is a LBA? It is not something I believe I have come across before.

 

LETTER BEFORE ACTION. .

 

An official notice of action before court giving either 7 or 14 days notice, final notification. always head this letter at the top in bold "LETTER BEFORE ACTION"

[syesez]

Hi Karl G

Sorry this is a year late hope you got a satisfactory result with BT. I did.

Took Them To Ofcom (Obusdman) It Took us two attemps but after paying £10 to Bt to get your transcript ( all call recorded from yourself to BT) the Obusdman re-opened our case. 18mths of hassel but worth it . we still waiting for Bt to communicate with our compensation...ironic as they ment to be a communication company . In future remember as ive learnt via a solisitor You can always appoint issues to your local MP. That will be my next step. I wont let any BIG company think they can Bully Me LOL

good luck anyway

sarah