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Complaint against BT - not a BT customer

wtf2021 — Mon, 09 Aug 2021 10:01:09 GMT

Looking for some advice as told I can't put a complaint against BT if I am not a BT customer.

Backstory as short as possible.

10 year customer with Sky tv and broadband - Get a notification that my line is being switched to a new provider as someone is moving to my property. This was not the case so I called them to correct it, and make sure my line was not transferred twice. Yet on the 26/7 I was transferred to BT without my consent. Called Sky immediately and was told I would have to wait 2 weeks to be transferred back.

I've received multiple letters and two routers from BT to my address to a name not my own. I called BT to let them know that it was a mistake and their customer had their address wrong and they did nothing to fix it. The 2nd router they sent me, was sent to my address again, but in the delivery notes section had the correct customer address - a flat on my road. I went to the correct BT customer address to give him his router and ask what's going on. He explains that he has a complaint against BT as he had just moved in and set up an account for broadband, supplied the correct address but BT have gotten it wrong and have not corrected it, despite multiple requests.

Sky obviously are at fault, letting my line be transferred twice after I explicity told them not to is pretty bad service and I am awaiting a compensation settlement.

But I feel BT are most at fault here and have something to answer. They've gotten their customer details wrong, despite him requesting the correct address multiple times, this caused my line to be cut off and caused havoc for me as I work from home. They're still sending letters to me in his name! This is completely unacceptable, ultimately it's their mistakes that have caused this entire situtation to happen and I feel I am owed compensation from them as well.

I looked at contacting the Ombudsman service, but can't use them as I need to have logged a complaint, which BT won't let me do if I'm not a customer.

Any advice would be welcome, thanks.

Re: Complaint against BT - not a BT customer

NigelB72 — Mon, 09 Aug 2021 10:03:57 GMT

Tbh it's sounds like it's the Openreach database that needs updating. You should be able to raise a query with your Telco for them to get the database updated

Re: Complaint against BT - not a BT customer

wtf2021 — Mon, 09 Aug 2021 10:12:03 GMT

Thanks for your reply Nigel - do you mean my telephone company? So I need to request Sky to update the openreach database?

It's not been an issue in the past with the previous tenants of the correct address so not sure what it would be now.

Either way, its a big issue that has been caused by BT, whether it Openreach or otherwise, so any advice on complaints procedure would be helpful.

Re: Complaint against BT - not a BT customer

imjolly — Mon, 09 Aug 2021 10:49:31 GMT

If BT receive a request for service and the line is currently in use then OFCOM rules say the must wait 14 days and also notify your existing ISP who in turn should notify you that you are leaving and if not the case to contact them immediately. Assuming SKY notified you and you responded immediately then it is up to SKY to notify BT Retail

the 14 day delay is fixed by OFCOM

This has nothing to do with openreach who act to instructions from the ISP whether BT Retail or SKY etc

Re: Complaint against BT - not a BT customer

wtf2021 — Mon, 09 Aug 2021 11:07:44 GMT

Thanks for your response @imjolly

I flagged the issue with Sky immediately, and they said they could block it from going through, but couldn't speak to the new service provider (in this case BT retail) about the issue, and that it would continue to happen until the new service provider and/or the customer fixed the issue of them having the wrong address. Clearly BT retail continued to keep trying to take over the incorrect line, despite it being blocked by Sky.

Sky are in the process of compensating me for their mistakes. But BT are just as accountable and need to explain to me why they took over a line that wasn't their customers.

Is there a BT retail rep or moderator that I can copy in for clarification?

Re: Complaint against BT - not a BT customer

imjolly — Mon, 09 Aug 2021 11:19:16 GMT

@wtf2021 wrote:

Thanks for your response @imjolly

I flagged the issue with Sky immediately, and they said they could block it from going through, but couldn't speak to the new service provider (in this case BT retail) about the issue, and that it would continue to happen until the new service provider and/or the customer fixed the issue of

This is a set put procedure by OFCOM and sounds like SKY just passing blame as BT Retail need to act if SKY made contact like they claim

Re: Complaint against BT - not a BT customer

wtf2021 — Mon, 09 Aug 2021 11:30:53 GMT

@imjolly sorry can't see a ratings button anywhere on the left hand side?

Re: Complaint against BT - not a BT customer

-Richie- — Mon, 09 Aug 2021 11:31:55 GMT

@wtf2021wrote:
Sky are in the process of compensating me for their mistakes. But BT are just as accountable and need to explain to me why they took over a line that wasn't their customers.

Nothing BT or any of the other 600+ communication providers that use Openreach can do to prevent this, someone went to a provider either online or via a call and asked for services at an address.

To prevent slamming there is a 14 day window to notify the customer of the working line takeover, if there's a mistake that person contacts the losing provider, in your case Sky who have the ability to stop the takeover, if nobody questions the takeover or the losing provider fails to act the takeover goes ahead.

This is how the industry works, this is the agreement with the regulator to make switching providers seamless and has done for many years, people hated having to get a MAC code previously.
You can read more about this on Ofcom's website Phone or broadband switching without consent

BT couldn't help you, you couldn't be validated as you are not a BT customer, your issue lies with Sky who also are incorrect stating you have to wait 14 days, you don't as Sky have a priority back in service process for customers that were slammed, contact Sky again and tell them to follow that process, you'll get the service back in a few days.

Re: Complaint against BT - not a BT customer

wtf2021 — Mon, 09 Aug 2021 11:42:03 GMT

thanks for your reply @-Richie-

While I agree that Sky are at fault and shouldn't have allowed it to go through. BT have clearly made mistakes which have caused the whole issue to happen in the first place and caused an endless list of issues for me to face. In my opinion simply because I'm not a customer it doesn't mean they shouldn't answer these issues.

Are there any BT reps on this forum at all?

Also your response has been marked as solution? I didn't mark it as a solution so not sure why it has been if I still have an issue with BT?

Re: Complaint against BT - not a BT customer

-Richie- — Mon, 09 Aug 2021 11:47:25 GMT

@wtf2021 I can understand your frustration but BT have done nothing wrong in this case, they were asked to provide a service at an address, there is a process to follow and it was followed.

There is nothing BT can do to help you, you have no relationship with them, you could ask for compensation if there was a failure on BT's part but there wasn't, your contract is with Sky, if they failed to stop the takeover then Sky are who you should be speaking with.

Re: Complaint against BT - not a BT customer

wtf2021 — Mon, 09 Aug 2021 11:52:32 GMT

@-Richie- I don't think you can say BT have done nothing wrong, as that's clearly not the case. They got their customers address wrong, and when the customer told them this they didn't correct it, and they still haven't! I'm still getting letters from BT 😂

If the BT customer has their own complaint against BT for the problems they've had, they I don't think you can really reason that BT are not at fault whatsoever?

My contract is with Sky, correct and I have taken the issue up with them. But don't BT need to be accountable for their mistakes even if I'm not their customer?

Re: Complaint against BT - not a BT customer

Keith_Beddoe — Mon, 09 Aug 2021 11:57:10 GMT

@wtf2021

You would be best to ask on the Sky forum, as they are the ones that failed to inform you of the impending takeover.

Sky Help Forum - Help & Support from the Official Sky Forum

As you are not a BT customer, nobody from BT will be able to offer any assistance. The answer that @-Richie- has given, is 100% correct and is the only solution.

You will not get any other answer.

Re: Complaint against BT - not a BT customer

wtf2021 — Mon, 09 Aug 2021 13:02:46 GMT

@Keith_Beddoe while I agree it's correct in that BT won't help me and appreciate him reaching out to help, his answer states that BT haven't done anything wrong at all, which is clearly incorrect.

BT has not followed procedure, they've made numerous mistakes and I've been the unfortunate one having to deal attempt to fix these ridiculous issues.

The only thing I'm 100% sure of is that I won't ever make the misake of becoming a BT customer in the future.

Still unclear if anyone on this forum works for BT or not.

Re: Complaint against BT - not a BT customer

imjolly — Mon, 09 Aug 2021 13:09:48 GMT

you have no idea if BT followed procedure or not as your only source of information is SKY who have a vested interest in passing off the blame to another ISP rather than admit their systems failed you

have you asked SKY about the priority back in service as suggested by @-Richie- as they don't appear to making much effort to get you re-connected

Re: Complaint against BT - not a BT customer

Keith_Beddoe — Mon, 09 Aug 2021 13:13:41 GMT

@wtf2021 wrote:

Still unclear if anyone on this forum works for BT or not.

Only the moderators work for BT, everyone else, including myself, are just customers. The moderators can only help BT customers.

Re: Complaint against BT - not a BT customer

wtf2021 — Mon, 09 Aug 2021 13:19:57 GMT

@imjolly I mentioned before that I found the correct address of the BT customer as it was on the notes section on the delivery slip on the package of the second router BT incorrectly sent me. Clearly a huge GDPR issue with that there too, but that's their problem.

I visited the customer to give him the router and ask what was going on. The customer had a complaint raised with BT, because they set the account up to the wrong address and then couldn't seem to correct it once he had requested them to!

So no, Sky are not the only source of information FYI. BT has made mistakes, simple as.

Re: Complaint against BT - not a BT customer

gg30340 — Mon, 09 Aug 2021 13:30:13 GMT

It would appear that both BT and Sky are at fault here.

Sky for not following the correct procedure and BT for recording the wrong address for their customer despite having been given the correct one on more than one occasion.

As regards any compensation due to you that will be between you and BT to negotiate.

I have notified the moderators of the forum about your problem. Once they have read this they may be able to help. They are very busy at present so it can take up to 24 hours for them to contact you. They will do this by posting on this thread.

Re: Complaint against BT - not a BT customer

-Richie- — Mon, 09 Aug 2021 13:51:34 GMT

@wtf2021wrote:
The only thing I'm 100% sure of is that I won't ever make the misake of becoming a BT customer in the future.

What's unclear if what you want ? are you looking for money ? BT can't change how the switching process works, it's an industry agreed process which all providers follow.

Someone placed an order for services at the wrong address, It happens.
The losing CP (Communication Provider) send notification to their customer, the customer acts on it and contacts their provider, in your case Sky, Sky should of then cancelled the takeover, for whatever reason and outside BT's control the line was switched.

What you need to do is contact Sky, ask them to follow the USR process, I know for a fact they have this but most front line advisors might be unaware, Sky will then be able to restore the services ASAP without waiting 14 days.

Re: Complaint against BT - not a BT customer

wtf2021 — Mon, 09 Aug 2021 14:28:09 GMT

thank you @gg30340 for contacting the moderators, I hope they are able to help

Re: Complaint against BT - not a BT customer

wtf2021 — Mon, 09 Aug 2021 14:34:47 GMT

@-Richie- I think you need to re-read my posts a few times, the customer didn't place an order for services at the wrong address. They provided their own correct address and BT set up the account to the wrong address (my one). BT then have been unable it seems to make the correction.

I've already contacted Sky as I've mentioned multiple times - and they are sorting compensation for me.

As @gg30340 correctly stated though, both Sky and BT are at fault on this occasion and while I am not a BT customer, I do believe I am owed compensation by BT as well as by Sky if they're both at fault.

I'm not stupid and don't expect BT to be changing the process for switching providers - I amhowever expecting them to admit they are partially at fault for an issue which has caused me a lot of problems and to compensate me for that.

Not sure why you refuse to believe BT could do anything wrong 😂😂