BT £25.00 Charge for NOT getting MAC address

[Milo19]

hi there,

 

I have recently moved house.

 

At my previous address, I had a standard phone which was never used, it was purely there in order to receive BT broadband. When I moved at the beginning of October, I rang home movers and requested my line to be moved to my new property.

 

Because i was going to use Sky Broadband, I requested that when they move the line across, they cancel the broadband....Which they did.

 

However, I have just picked up some mail from my old property and in there is a Debt collection notice for £44.07. I rang BT and they gave me the breakdown for this amount.

 

£16 odd for the months service of broadband - FINE

£2.60 for cancellation fee because i cancelled three days short of the 12month period.

£25.00 for not requesting a MAC address.

 

I queried what this is and was informed that because i wasn't migrating my services over, which I would have if Sky got their act together, BT are charging me £25.00

 

Now, because sky ****ed me around for so long, I actually have gone back to BT, and when i informed them of this, they STILL would not refund the charge.

 

At this point i got angry and told them I was still within the 14day cooling off period so cancel broadband.....i was told Broadband and telecommunications are exempt from this?????!!!!!

 

Are they. Any advise on how I should tackle this?

[Guest Old_andrew2018]

Bump

[Mark_Blackpool]

You went back to BT... and you'd been with them before??!!

 

I seem to remember this being discussed. It was a change to the terms and conditions. If you cancel the broadband service (even if outside a minimum term) and do not go with another supplier on that line via a MAC migration code, that's £25 please. After all, they will then lose income on that line from the other supplier you might have gone with... (!!)

 

If you didn't agree with that change, you could and should have cancelled your BT broadband service then and there without penalty and changed to a decent supplier who doesn't rip people off like this.

 

The charge will probably stand (and you'll get charged it again if you cancel again without getting a MAC, too...)

 

Not sure on the 14 day point, but if you can escape BT without penalty, it's certainly worth checking.

[locutus]

I'd personally write to them and say "Write off this unfair amount, as I believe charging for NOT providing a service is against Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations 1994 or send me a deadlock letter" (include your name, address, and account number)

 

It costs BT money to have a complaint taken to the arbitrators, so they'll probably write off that amount.

 

I also belive that BT don't report non-payment to CRA's and for under £50 I don't think they'll take it to court. The worst that will happen is they get some debt collector to phone you up, and if you dispute owing this it's unlawfull for them to pass it on to a DCA so no need to panic over it!

[Milo19]

Sent a letter to a contact I dealt with least year following another cock up by BT explaining the situation and wishing to hear her comments.

 

I wait with baited breath!

[Birmo0803]

I used to work for BT in the retentions team. They are kinda shoddy.

 

Now unfortunatly, they do not have a cooling off period with the BB - Upon order you are told Under there "Right Rirst Time" policy if you do wish to cancell you Must cancell before activation, Preferably 12 noon on the working day before. If you do cancell after activation you will be charged for the remainder of the contract (BBOPT1 - £7.50, BBOPT2 £11.50, BBOPT3 £11.75) "if i recall"

 

The £25 is a cessation charge, What they call engineers fee. The removal of the BB equipment at the exchange. There is no way to get around this if you Simply cancell and dont either (home move and keep the BB, or you Take a MAC Code) it is in the T&C's.

 

The way they will now see it, You did cancell the contract and did leave. So the charge stands, When you did go back to BT you was classed as a "new customer". If i know BT, I can say you wont see your £25 again, unless you have not paid it.

 

rob

 

//Sorry about my spelling, A little tired =)

[Milo19]

All refunded. Dealt with someone in the CEO's office. Called me the following day and agreed charges where not fair as i now a BT customer again.