BT £125 connection charge

[Rhino69]

When I gave up on BT over ayear ago, I got tesco sim cards for my mobiles and just before Christmas, I got a Mobile broadband dongle from 3 mobile and this was the best thing I ever did.

 

I only use pay as you go and this id perfect for my needs.

 

I refuse to deal with or transact any business with any Company by phone and insist on written communications only.

 

Companies do not like paper trails so don't waste time phoning - write to them and insist on written replies!

[MARTIN3030]

Worth looking at Asda Sim cards too 8p a call and run through the Vodafone network so decent connections.

[locutus]

I saw recently that BT are currently waiving the £125 connection fee so long as the actual line is still there.

Its conditional on the 18months contract etc.

 

Here it is in black and white:-

Notices 2009 06/09 Calling Plans - Line Connection Special Offer

 

I'd call the customer options team to take this deal (As thats the team that normally provides the special offers) on 0800 800 030

[callumsgran]

Sorry folks been busy

John Williams is indeed an assistant to the CEO Ian Livingstone, and when you can get hold of him is a very nice man

Another assistant is vickie.saunders@bt.com

 

 

 

 

Please click my scales etc.............lol

[MARTIN3030]

Sorry folks been busy

John Williams is indeed an assistant to the CEO Ian Livingstone, and when you can get hold of him is a very nice man

Another assistant is vickie.saunders@bt.com

 

 

 

 

Please click my scales etc.............lol

 

 

A CEO contact deserves a click CB....will also add these contacts to stickies.

[callumsgran]

YW, thanks Martin

Glad to help x

[MArsbar989]

I was told that these-

 

Here it is in black and white:-

Notices 2009 06/09 Calling Plans - Line Connection Special Offer

 

are not the full T&Cs. So I asked them to send me them. I am still waiting and that is 8 months ago. I have sent 4 letters now to BT in Durham complaining about their telephone customer service giving out inaccurate details, not answering emails, terminaing my contract without my agreement, not stating where I fail to meet their "Line connection special offer" etc. etc. I have had no written reply from them.

Then to cap it all I see that they are charging me for a service that is free and say that they cannot back-date it to when the service was added to the account.

 

I wrote my last letter, as I say, I have failed to receive ANY reply from BT, stating that I will charge the industry standard of £12 per letter from now on, will cancell my DD and will not be paying the £9 odd for the "free" service. All taken off my next bill.

 

 

I still await a reply from them....

[MARTIN3030]

Hmn dont blame you.

So you took out this agreement on assumption that there was free connection and then found out it wasnt ?

Can you give us the story ?

[MARTIN3030]

Theres no such thing as an "Industry Standard £12.00 charge for a letter"....you are free to charge them what you like.

[GiGi1]

After being told by BT that the house I have moved into needed an engineer to come out to reactivate the line and the £122.50 would apply I did a search and came to this site and saw all the info including the link to the fee being waived if you sign up for 18 months not 12 months.

 

So the day before the engineer arrives (yesterday) I call BT and this is the conversation:

 

Me: I have an appointment for reactivation tomorrow and you are charging me £122.50 for this. I believe though that if I take an 18 month contract rather than 12 months then the fee is waived?

 

BT: (Silence) Erm, well yes that's right

 

Me: Well I'd like to do that please

 

BT: Erm, well we would have to cancel your current order completely and put in a new one so you would be looking at a delay of probably 7 - 10 days.

 

Me: You can't just change my contract to 18 months and activate tomorrow as planned?

 

BT: No it's not possible

 

Me: So why wasn't I offered this when I originally spoke to BT to place the order?

 

BT: We can't actually offer it to people. They have to find it on the website and contact us with the offer.

 

Me: So I could have paid you £122.50 for reactivation and the signed up with Sky for my calls?

 

BT: Erm, well...

 

Me: Yes, I could but I'm not am I? I'm giving BT my business yet I get zero discount or advice on special offers. Why should I stay with you when my contract ends if your customers get charged the same as people who activate then go to another provider?

 

BT: I'm sorry madam that's just the way it is, I'm sorry there is nothing else I can do

 

 

As I can't wait any longer for a line I'm stuck with it now. How they expect to keep any customers I have no idea

[MARTIN3030]

Ok will be following your progress with interest....seems there may be a cause of action here to report them to the Advertising Standards Assoc

[GiGi1]

I will be complaining and will update with any response I get.

 

When they initially called me to tell me the charge was necessary I wasn't very happy to hear it and I actually said to the girl 'Well what other option do I have to get a line? Nothing i suppose?' to her reply of 'No, not really, shall i book that date for you then?'

[MARTIN3030]

Jeez....you couldnt make it up.

[callumsgran]

I have today phoned BT to get a phone put in for my daughter, no installation charge (i had to ask mind you and that was after they said i would have to pay it) and shes in a new-build

 

She's just had a baby 2 days ago and i wasnt happy she only had a mobile phone in case of emergencies

[locutus]

BT do a lot of things that irk me. Mostly it is the good that they do not advertise, so no-one benefits like:-

 

For example, they do a "socially responsable" package for people who are in reciept of benefits called BT Basic... its about £13-£14 a quater but really low usage on it. Now they don't advertise it, so most people I know on benefits don't even know about it and are paying £20 a quater more!

 

The 0854 to NHS direct is currently free (due to the swine flu) to NHS Direct, even if its outside your calling package... again not advertised!

 

If you ask for caller display, they charge you more (about £1.25 a month), but if you ask for privacy at home, they give you caller display AND register you with TPS at no cost at all!

 

Evening and weekends package has 100 free texts every month, the anytime package has 200 free texts a month, if you have a compatable phone handset. When they're selling the phone lines to new customers the sales people say something like "If you sign up now I'll give you 100 free texts every month" but how do existing customers find out?

 

 

Told ya.. it irks me that regular people have to reserch and trawl the internet to find a better deal rather than the "advisors" giving the info straight... but you can't blame the advisors, they're commision based, get the most if they sign someone up to the anytime package paying by monthly payment plan (thats another rant for me... I'll save you for the moment LOL) and get their bills sent to them by e-mail, also provide broadband and BT Vision, so thats what they try to get everyone on.

[MARTIN3030]

I have today phoned BT to get a phone put in for my daughter, no installation charge (i had to ask mind you and that was after they said i would have to pay it) and shes in a new-build

 

She's just had a baby 2 days ago and i wasnt happy she only had a mobile phone in case of emergencies

 

 

Congrats to you.....so do we need to call you callumsgran x2.....or is it more ?

When you left your mods job here we missed out on the goss;)

[callumsgran]

Congrats to you.....so do we need to call you callumsgran x2.....or is it more ?

When you left your mods job here we missed out on the goss;)

Lol no it's just the x2 hun thanks

 

I never quite made it to mod, only a lowly site helper but we did have some fun in the old days didnt we?

[callumsgran]

BT do a lot of things that irk me. Mostly it is the good that they do not advertise, so no-one benefits like:-

 

For example, they do a "socially responsable" package for people who are in reciept of benefits called BT Basic... its about £13-£14 a quater but really low usage on it. Now they don't advertise it, so most people I know on benefits don't even know about it and are paying £20 a quater more!

 

The 0854 to NHS direct is currently free (due to the swine flu) to NHS Direct, even if its outside your calling package... again not advertised!

 

If you ask for caller display, they charge you more (about £1.25 a month), but if you ask for privacy at home, they give you caller display AND register you with TPS at no cost at all!

 

Evening and weekends package has 100 free texts every month, the anytime package has 200 free texts a month, if you have a compatable phone handset. When they're selling the phone lines to new customers the sales people say something like "If you sign up now I'll give you 100 free texts every month" but how do existing customers find out?

 

 

Told ya.. it irks me that regular people have to reserch and trawl the internet to find a better deal rather than the "advisors" giving the info straight... but you can't blame the advisors, they're commision based, get the most if they sign someone up to the anytime package paying by monthly payment plan (thats another rant for me... I'll save you for the moment LOL) and get their bills sent to them by e-mail, also provide broadband and BT Vision, so thats what they try to get everyone on.

You're quite right locutus, the chappy said as an engineer had to come out to the property it would cost £122.50 for the installation, then i said 'ah yes but that charge is being waived at the moment isnt it?'

So he had to admit it was

 

If you dont ask, you dont get and if you dont know, you dont ask!

Its bad really

[GiGi1]

Well the engineer came Friday (£122.50) to reactivate the line. According to him all was fine.

 

Well my Broadband still not working 48 hrs later. Phone BT. On line for 15 minutes while they do 'checks' only to be now told they are 'escalating' the issue to an engineer as they think there is a fault with the line.

 

So I said if BT expect me to pay one penny of the reactivation or think they can charge me for broadband since the 15th they can forget it.

 

Can't believe I now have to wait till Tuesday for someone to call me when they have had time to look at the problem. Fuming

[MARTIN3030]

Unbelievable.

[valhala]

I just got an email back from someone and they are saying it clearly states on the website that a charge will be levied when taking out a BT line and my charge is correct.

 

I am fuming about this, not only did I wait all day for the engineer to come out(no one showed up on the day) but my bill shows the line active from a day before my line was due to be done?????

 

 

What it did actually say is a connection charge is unlikely if you already have a line and socket installed which I did.

 

Anyway I have write back and asked them to review the situation or I shall be making a complaint to OFCAM.

[locutus]

1st you should Read this :- Ofcom - How to complain

 

Then contact BT again and say you think they should give you the same deal as they give other people, as you now feel discriminated against. Ask that if they are not prepaired to give you this deal and waive the connection fee you want a "Deadlock letter" so you can pass the complaint to Otelo

Office of the Telecommunications Ombudsman - Contact Us

[GiGi1]

I've had an email back saying they are looking into it and will get back to me shortly. So I replied and told them I am still without broadband just to add to my annoyance...

[valhala]

1st you should Read this :- Ofcom - How to complain

 

Then contact BT again and say you think they should give you the same deal as they give other people, as you now feel discriminated against. Ask that if they are not prepaired to give you this deal and waive the connection fee you want a "Deadlock letter" so you can pass the complaint to Otelo

Office of the Telecommunications Ombudsman - Contact Us

 

 

 

Hi, yeh the guy said he will send a deadlock letter out to me his reply is

 

"

Sorry to hear that you remain unhappy regarding the installation charge , I will arrange for a letter of deadlock to be sent to you. This letter clearly outlines BT’s position and provides contact details for Otelo the telecommunications ombudsman.

"

 

 

I am not going to let this go, I am very angry about it.

[MArsbar989]

My Full case.

 

I had a 12month agreement with BT signed in Feb 2007

moved to new property in June 2007. Was told by BT customer services (BTCS) that property needs an engineer to visit and £125 connection charge.

Told them to stuff it and keep my account open with BT and I will continue to pay the monthly rental (for a service I cannot take - as I would breach my 12 month contract. Would cost me £86.21, and as I was renting will move in 6 months. BTSC CONFIRMED I could do this. (My ISP also allowed me to do this).

About July 2007:

Find out via my account on Internet that BT cancelled my agreement and charged me £86.21.

Call to BTCS and told that I cannot do this and charge of £86.21 stands and £125 connection fee is required.

During August and September - Many exchange of Emails between myself and BTSC. See Free reconnection offer. email about this and call BTSC. Told by BTSC that its cable customers only. email from BTSC say I do not qualify. I call BTSC again and told no its not a cable only offer. I say please sign me up then. Told No £125 connection charge is required. I email why? told that T&Cs on web are not complete ones. Email and ask for full T&Cs to be sent. Told cant send them as I dont have a BT account. I emailed back and said how can I agree to a contract if you wont send me the T&Cs. Told to call BTSC and they will setup an account for me to send me the T&Cs. Did that. no T&Cs have ever arrived.

August 2007, Partner moves into new property. I ask to transfer my account to new address as I believe I have not cancelled my agreement. Do this via BT website. Nothing is done to set this up

Month later on 9th September and in 1 call to BTSC and line is active. Ask BT privacy at home to be added (free charge). No problems

Week after line is installed and has been used. Line down. email BT faults. Engineer comes out. Line has been tagged as not in use at exchange.

30th Sept. Call BTSC and add caller display.

Finally BTSC call me and say what do I want? told them T&Cs. line installed and £86.21 refund. Told refund only if I dont continue to write a letter of complant. Say I will still. But get refund of £86.21 on partner phone bill.

Write letter to Durham. No written reply

Instead they call me at 8am on a Saturday. I say I will not deal with them over the phone (they lie) and for them to write to me.

Discover that when I added caller display they are charging me for it even though I have BT privacy which means caller display is free. Call BTSC and they can remove the charge from the day I called. Not back date it. Tell them why should I pay because their computer system doesnt know the two are free. say will write in to Durham.

3 wks later write 2nd letter. 2 wks later - they call me again. Tell them to remove my number from there records and write to me.

Shock horror- letter from BT - please sign up to 18 month contract and we will install your line for free.

4 wks later write 3rd letter and enclose "free connection offer" - no reply.

4 wks later write 4th letter saying will charge £12 per additional letter, cancell my DD and withhold the £9 odd for caller display. Oh and please answer my questions. Full T&Cs. Where do I not meet them? etc etc.

To date NO REPLY Nothing.

Where does one go from here?