@btcare Slammed - BT service provider transferred without consent

[BankFodder]

Heard of slamming?

I hadn't until this morning when I found that my number had changed and my Broadband doesn't work any more.

 

Turns out that my phone contact has been taken over by a new provider - and no one knows who it is!!

 

It is a nightmare trying to sort it out and when the service eventually goes back to BT, there may have to be a new number etc etc etc.

 

Anyone know about this stuff?

 

I called OffCom. It will take them 4 days to find out who the new provider is

[BankFodder]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telephone_slamming

[locutus]

The big slamming stories were the Post Office and TalkTalk

 

Used to be a someone with a clipboard stood just inside the post office, saying something like "we are promoting services that help keep the post office open, please sign our form and give your number" Then they would take that as acceptance of their service and move ya across

TalkTalk had people walking door to door asking if people were interested, and taking their name and number, then just moving them.

 

All this was due to the commission that the sales staff received.

 

Ofcom should be able to help

 

151 from your phone line should get you to BT Openreach, see if they have any info that they can give you information on who the new supplier is.

[2Grumpy]

BT/Openreach MUST know who did this, since they must have done something to facilitate the transfer

 

Unfortunately this won't help Bankfodder who won't be able to read this for a few days ...

[locutus]

BF has a smartphone so pretty sure he'll still be around.

 

Will be interesting to see who did this. I'm pretty sure they'll regret this very soon...

[BankFodder]

OfCom are not a lot of help.

 

I have learned that it was Orange which slammed the account.

BT are going to take it back. however, this means that they close the old account and open a new one with new credit search and a minimum 18 month contract with cancellation penalties if I leave early.

BT admit that it shouldn't have happened and that the slam was unauthorised and yet they say that they are caught by their system and they can't do anything else.

I asked them to give me a deadlock letter and they refused. they said that they have done everything they can do and aren't prepared to investigate or to take up any complaint.

I called the Comms Ombudsman and was told that I will have to wait it out for 8 weeks before they will receive a complaint without a deadlock letter.

I have recorded calls for all of this.

 

BT admit that slamming is a big problem for them - and also that they can recognise a slamming if they look at the account - but they don't bother because it takes too much input. This means that they just let it go on.

 

I am stunned.

[rebel11]

Hi Bank

 

Write a Formal Letter of Complaint mark it as such. Explain what's happened, explain how they have let you down and what you want them to do.

 

I think your entitled to compensation, as stated by their Customer Charter/Code of practice - http://www.btplc.com/Thegroup/RegulatoryandPublicaffairs/Codeofpractice/index.htm

 

Send it to :- ian.livingston@bt.com - Chief Executive

[BankFodder]

Thanks for the email addy. I've written

[citizenB]

 

OFCOM has powers to take action against companies that engage in mis-selling and slamming, and can fine these companies up to ten per cent of their turnover

 

I wonder how often the Regulator does actually fine them for doing this.

[BankFodder]

Never.

[leigh04]

Hi bankfodder

 

if u email ian as advised above please be aware that it will only get passed onto the higher level complaints team, BUT they are pretty good at getting things sorted.

 

I done that a couple of years ago and they cleared my bill, gave me 1 month free and a new hub as an apology (also a written one aswell) i couldnt fault the girl who dealt with me, she sorted everything an listened to the recorded phonecalls to hear all the problems i had.

 

So good luck with getting this resolved.

[2Grumpy]

OfCom are not a lot of help.

 

I have learned that it was Orange which slammed the account.

BT are going to take it back. however, this means that they close the old account and open a new one with new credit search and a minimum 18 month contract with cancellation penalties if I leave early.

BT admit that it shouldn't have happened and that the slam was unauthorised and yet they say that they are caught by their system and they can't do anything else.

I asked them to give me a deadlock letter and they refused. they said that they have done everything they can do and aren't prepared to investigate or to take up any complaint.

I called the Comms Ombudsman and was told that I will have to wait it out for 8 weeks before they will receive a complaint without a deadlock letter.

I have recorded calls for all of this.

 

BT admit that slamming is a big problem for them - and also that they can recognise a slamming if they look at the account - but they don't bother because it takes too much input. This means that they just let it go on.

 

I am stunned.

 

Given that this is their response there is no incentive for them to prevent slamming if all they offer is a new account with minimum term etc then they benefit from your not going through with it. Presumably also with the right to update your credit reference which they might not have had before (even if they did)

 

They could just switch things back if they wanted to, they choose to offer that as the only way out

 

Presumably you are making a complaint against Orange too. Who knows, in a months time you might want to switch to talk talk but will be unable to