This topic

Line rental saver

beebee — Wed, 15 Feb 2023 17:19:20 GMT

I paid upfront for a years line rental on the saver deal. Today I get the price rises that includes line rental to get to the price rise total. But ..... I have already paid in advance. Surely they can't now demand more money for it?

Re: Line rental saver

-Richie- — Wed, 15 Feb 2023 19:04:05 GMT

Line rental saver is reflected by applying a recurring £19.99 credit, that credit will still be applied after the price change.
The price of your broadband bundle will increase from April 1st, along with any other services subject to change.

Re: Line rental saver

beebee — Wed, 15 Feb 2023 19:29:14 GMT

Thanks for the reply. Whilst I understand what you are saying and now I have read the 300 or so pates of terms and conditions I realise I have no leg to stand on I do think that when you are paying for something up front rather than monthly, that the insinuation is that the total amount has been paid until the end of the contract, i.e. 12 months. You wouldn't put petrol in you car and then after thirty miles expect to have to pay more for the petrol because the price had gone up. This is the ONLY time I have ever come across such an anomaly. You pay in full for something and then at a later date you are told you have to pay more.it is underhand and not acceptable. It creates poor customer satisfaction. If that is the way BT wishes to conduct its business then it should be in bold print and not hidden in the terms and conditions and never ever mentioned when you pay in advance. I paid on the phone so there was ample opportunity for BT to mention it!

Thanks for replying

Re: Line rental saver

garybs29 — Thu, 16 Feb 2023 09:04:36 GMT

But you've paid a set amount up front to get a set amount taking off your bill, why do you think you're paying more? The line rental saver price hasn't paid so you're still getting what you're paying for over the year

Re: Line rental saver

beebee — Thu, 16 Feb 2023 12:05:43 GMT

I am paying more because I paid up front for a years contract and then midway through that contract they raise the charges. It makes it look as though they are raising the prices on your broadband but they are also raising the prices on your line rental which you have already paid. That's why I think I am paying more, because ..... I am.

Re: Line rental saver

allanraymond — Thu, 16 Feb 2023 16:00:55 GMT

My email from BT to renew line rental saver said:

It costs £219.84 for 12 months, which gives you a credit of £19.99 each month.

After I renewed the BT confirmation email said:

We'll give you a credit of £19.99 a month every month you've got Line Rental Saver.

Regardless of any price increase this mean I will get £19.99 off my bill each month.

Re: Line rental saver

beebee — Thu, 16 Feb 2023 17:00:28 GMT

You paid £219.84 up front. That means you don't have to pay £19.99 every month for your line rental. £219.84 is equivalent to 11 months so you are getting one month free. I understand all that. That is what I did too but this week the BT prices went up and I am paying 14.4% extra on the above line rental. My beef is that I have paid £219.84 for line rental for a year. Now, two months later they are going to charge me an extra 14.4% on the line rental which they will add to my bill. That means that I am not now getting one month free as one month is more than £19.99. they can't say you have one month free at a certain price and then promptly put the price up! Well.....they can because they have....but that is hardly fair! If I had waited two months before renewing at the yearly rate my free month would have been worth more!

There is so much wrong with this way of doing business but .....

Re: Line rental saver

licquorice — Thu, 16 Feb 2023 17:15:44 GMT

I have absolutely no idea why BT continue to offer this so called Line Rental Saver when Line Rental no longer exists as a separate entity and is subsumed in the broadband package.

Re: Line rental saver

allanraymond — Thu, 16 Feb 2023 17:23:13 GMT

beebee

I can understand where you are coming from as I went over the same ground a couple of year ago.

However it is quite clear these days that BT are saying pay £219.84 upfront and you get £19.99 off your bill for the next 12 months, this is different to saying you don't have to pay you monthly line rental for the next 12 months.

For confirmation check out page 21 of the BT Consumer Price Guide at: https://www.bt.com/assets/pdf/BT_PhoneTariff_Residential.pdf

Re: Line rental saver

beebee — Thu, 16 Feb 2023 17:25:38 GMT

I know I can't change things but it isn't necessary to wrap it all up in confusion in the hope no one notices. Cheers and thanks for replying

Re: Line rental saver

beebee — Thu, 16 Feb 2023 17:28:18 GMT

I totally agree. 👍

Re: Line rental saver

ndg — Thu, 23 Feb 2023 10:39:47 GMT

Have just received my notification of bill increases (14.4% !!!). Couldn't tally the increase so contacted BT who confirmed the increase applied also to my prepaid line rental saver. Like you, absolutely gobsmacked that BT are levying a large increase on a already fully prepaid service. Seems very "Arthur Dalyish" and not something you would expect from a national provider. Surely the Ombudsman should be there to protect the consumer . Only suggestion is to log an official complaint directly with BT and request them to escalate it to the Ombudsman !

Re: Line rental saver

allanraymond — Thu, 23 Feb 2023 10:48:53 GMT

Did you not receive an email similar to:

"Your Line Rental Saver discount is about to end. So to keep saving for another 12 months, you need to renew it.

It costs £219.84 for 12 months, which gives you a credit of £19.99 each month."

This clearly says your bill will be reduced by £19.99 per month which is wht you you and I are getting. This takes no account of the actual line rental cost which is included in your broadband bundle.

Re: Line rental saver

beebee — Thu, 23 Feb 2023 10:57:55 GMT

Once again you have missed the point. It doesn't cost £219.84 for 12 months be ause half way through that period they put the price rise in which INCLUDES an increase for your line rental so it is anything but clear.

Re: Line rental saver

beebee — Thu, 23 Feb 2023 10:58:55 GMT

I am glad someone is on my side and understands my frustration. Thsnks

Re: Line rental saver

-Richie- — Thu, 23 Feb 2023 12:09:52 GMT

@ndgwrote:
Only suggestion is to log an official complaint directly with BT and request them to escalate it to the Ombudsman !

The Ombudmsman would rule in BT's favour, price change is setout in the terms and conditions and has been for many years now.
Every time you make changes, renew or pay LRS you get an email to confirm, which always contains a link to the terms/conditions, most people choose not to read but BT only have to send it, when you place any order you're agreeing to the terms, if the terms change the BT will notify you at least 30 days in advance.

Re: Line rental saver

garybs29 — Thu, 23 Feb 2023 12:44:34 GMT

@beebee Last time I checked your bb AND line rental are one charge, there's no separate line rental charge. Fact is you paid in advance for a 19.99 discount of your bill which you're still going to get, your argument is flawed (effectively BT should be giving me a higher discount without paying anything extra upfront!)

Re: Line rental saver

Dode — Thu, 23 Feb 2023 12:49:36 GMT

I suppose BT could argue that line rental, which is included now in the price, is still £19.99 and it's the broadband etc. part that's increased. BT really need to change the name of this discount to make it clear exactly what it is.

Re: Line rental saver

imjolly — Thu, 23 Feb 2023 13:03:37 GMT

now there is no separate cost for line rental as included in package price it would be better scrapped as previously posted to save all this confusion

Re: Line rental saver

beebee — Thu, 23 Feb 2023 13:15:17 GMT

My BB and line rental are separate. I get an email about line rental and I pay for my broad band separately. They are two different contracts of differing lengths starting on different dates. I pay for my line rental in advance. My BB is monthly, but when it comes to price rises they lump them into the same sentence. I know it is all in the terms and conditions. I know I should realise that is what happens. It doesn't mean I should agree that it is good practice. Line rental is a farce. As discussed it should all come under the heading of broadband.