Transferring phone and internet services to new property owners

[tedney]

I have recently sold my property to new owners.

 

I had 3 separate lines and providers for phone and broadband: BT Business, TalkTalk Business and EE.

 

The new owners want to retain all the services and keep the same numbers.

 

Both TalkTalk Business and EE have undertaken the changes and have billed me upto the date of transfer, and the new owner has the identical services as before. No “penalty” charges were mentioned or charged.

 

However BT Business has been a nightmare to deal with. Simply put, my existing BT line is a business line, but the name on their account is my name, not a business name. We (the new owners and me) want the existing services to remain, but the payment of the account will now be from the new owners at the same address as the services, so merely a a payment change on the account.

 

BT Business want to levy an “end of contract” charge of approximately £300 do to this. As previously stated neither of the other 2 providers have charged!

 

I have complained to BT Business about this, and am awaiting a response from their complaints team.

 

Any assistance or advice from fellow Caggers would be welcome.

Thanks for reading

t

[Homer67]

If it's changing from a business to a residential service then BT are correct they have to cease and re-provide the service and there is a new connection charge in that case.

 

There should only be a cease charge to you if the contract is still in the minimum term.

Edited February 10, 2023 by Homer67
typo

[tedney]

LIne and Services not changing, new owner wants identical services, business line, no new connection, just change of name and source of payment!

[Homer67]

New connection is just BT terminology like cease and provide - I used to work for them.

 

If the service is not changing from business to residential I would have thought the new Customer would not pay the installation fee but BT may include that as technically it's a new service for that user.

 

What would concern me is the cease charge for the leaving subscriber, that should only be incurred if the minimum contract period is not up.

 

[tedney]

Ah, minimum contract is not up! Neither was it up for TalkTalk Business nor EE (which I understand is owned by BT?) Will have to come to some arrangement with new owner then, as If I keep paying BT until contract ends, no charges for cease charge!?

Thank for your help.

[Homer67]

@tedney I'd be very wary about paying for a service t a property you're no longer at and having someone else use it who could abuse it and incur huge costs.

 

I'd swallow the discon fee.

 

[tedney]

Thanks for your comments Homer67.

I note and appreciate what you say. But what I am asking BT for will not require a disconnection, so I don't see that a cost to me of a whole years "normal" telephone bill from BT of around £300 is fair and reasonable in the circustances.

The new tenants of the property and business have said that they intend to use the line as I have done, they do have 2 other lines from other providers (see my original post on this thread) to make calls on that have each been transfered from the relevant providers without any "penalties" incurred!

I am awaiting further comments from BT.

Thanks

t

[honeybee13]

Thread reopened, please post your update here.

HB

[tedney]

UPDATE

I took BT Business to the Ombudsman over this issue.
Ombudsman found in my favour, awarded compensation and told BT to apologise and change account name as requested. Turns out this issue is covered by their terms and conditions, which they did not comply with!

t

[honeybee13]

Well done, Tedney and thank you for coming back to tell us.

HB