This topic

30-day notice period when moving house seems impractical

apalerwuss — Tue, 26 Sep 2023 11:11:31 GMT

Hello!

So I'm fully aware of BT's 30-day notice period when cancelling, but it is simply not possible to know 30 days in advance exactly when you might be moving house. If you're renting, it probably is possible, but when selling/buying you often don't have a precise move date until days before.

In my case, we exchanged contracts on the Monday with a completion date (i.e. moving date) five days later on the Friday. Up until the date we actually exchanged contracts, it was still feasible that we might not be able to exchange contracts until a month later for various reasons -- there were four different parties in the chain, each with their own set of priorities that we had to juggle to agree on an actual moving date.

I had a fair idea that I would likely be moving some time between late September and late October, but if I write to give my notice period on September 1, and we end up not moving until late October, then I'm without internet for a full month. In an age where internet is as essential a utility as electricity or gas, I find it unreasonable that a customer should be put in this position.

I feel like it's unreasonable to just take a whole month's payment from a customer when there isn't much else they could have done -- short of leaving themselves without internet (and thus the ability to work) for a while.

So I dunno -- although it's in the contract (and I guess that's probably that), anyone think there is any chance that BT might waive this contractual obligation in certain circumstances?

Re: 30-day notice period when moving house seems impractical

imjolly — Tue, 26 Sep 2023 11:14:53 GMT

have you tried phoning the 'Moving House' number and see what you can negotiate

https://www.bt.com/exp/moving-home

Re: 30-day notice period when moving house seems impractical

apalerwuss — Tue, 26 Sep 2023 11:44:50 GMT

No no, not yet -- I obviously intend to call them to tell them I'm leaving, but figured I'd put the question (more of a moan, I guess...) into the community to see if anyone had any thoughts on this. Or whether this was something someone else had encountered, and how they got around it.

Anyway, I appreciate there probably isn't much the community can do to help me here, but if nothing else this thread might serve as some use to other BT customers in a similar situation.

Re: 30-day notice period when moving house seems impractical

gg30340 — Tue, 26 Sep 2023 11:54:51 GMT

BT state it is a mimimum two weeks notice not 30 days as you have stated.

That is in order to comply with the law.

If you are taking over a line at the new address this to allow the "old" house owner to be contacted and respond in order to stop slamming by ISPs.

Re: 30-day notice period when moving house seems impractical

apalerwuss — Tue, 26 Sep 2023 12:25:41 GMT

It's 30 days: https://www.bt.com/help/account-and-billing/manage-account/thinking-of-leaving-bt-.

There is a one exception, which I think is what you're referring to, which is where you need to give 14 days when switching to a new provider if the new provider initiates this on your behalf. However, I don't believe that applies when moving to a new property. When moving to a new house, you just choose your provider. I don't think they have anything to do with the ISP at your old house.

Re: 30-day notice period when moving house seems impractical

gg30340 — Tue, 26 Sep 2023 12:38:45 GMT

Have a careful read through this particularly the part "Tell us about your move"

https://www.bt.com/exp/moving-home

Edit: I may have incorrectly assumed you were moving home and retaining your BT contract.

Can you confirm are you doing that or cancelling your BT service all together.

Re: 30-day notice period when moving house seems impractical

licquorice — Tue, 26 Sep 2023 12:40:40 GMT

I think you are following the wrong procedure for moving house.

Re: 30-day notice period when moving house seems impractical

garybs29 — Tue, 26 Sep 2023 12:45:10 GMT

The 30 days notice specifically refers to cancellations, it's not very clear from the OP though if they're actually wanting to cancel the services or move them to a new address

Re: 30-day notice period when moving house seems impractical

apalerwuss — Tue, 26 Sep 2023 13:03:26 GMT

Yes, I realize I didn't make that clear. I am moving to a new provider at the new house, so cancelling BT. My issue is that it has not been possible to give 30 days notice of this, owing to the fact that I didn't have a concrete moving date until 5 days before...

Re: 30-day notice period when moving house seems impractical

licquorice — Tue, 26 Sep 2023 13:07:10 GMT

Again, you haven't made clear if the new provider is an Alt Net or uses Openreach infrastructure.

If the latter, you don't cancel your BT service, you just place an order with the new provider and they cancel your BT service.

Re: 30-day notice period when moving house seems impractical

apalerwuss — Tue, 26 Sep 2023 13:22:12 GMT

It's not on Openreach, it's Community Fibre. So I believe my original issue remains.

Re: 30-day notice period when moving house seems impractical

imjolly — Tue, 26 Sep 2023 13:29:56 GMT

obviously you are currently a BT customer who is moving home so

are you out of contract or still within fixed term contract?

are openreach able to provide a connection at your new address?

depending on your position with contract you may have to pay cancellation charges not just the 30 day notice

Re: 30-day notice period when moving house seems impractical

apalerwuss — Tue, 26 Sep 2023 13:42:57 GMT

I'm moving house and leaving BT, which I currently have a 30-day rolling contract with. I'm joining an ISP that isn't on the Openreach network (Community Fibre). I'm on a 30-day rolling contract, which I know means that I'm contracted for a 30-day period and thus have to give 30 days notice before cancelling.

Obviously I've done all this research before posting on here and I know my position, and I know that by the letter of the contract I need to give 30 days notice. But contractual obligations aside (and before someone says 'why are you posting here if you already know the answer'), I'm pretty sure my situation can't be unique, in that I only found out my moving date 5 days before. At most, I think, it would've been maybe 1-3 weeks based on other research I've done.

It just seems unreasonable to demand a 30-day cancellation period when the customer simply cannot know when they're moving house that far in advance -- I'm clearly not going to action my 30-day clause when it's possible I might need broadband for another 60 days.

Re: 30-day notice period when moving house seems impractical

Anonymous — Tue, 26 Sep 2023 13:44:30 GMT

While I guess your complaint is somewhat valid, in the real world it seems a rather trivial cost to ensure your connection.

Re: 30-day notice period when moving house seems impractical

imjolly — Tue, 26 Sep 2023 13:52:04 GMT

@apalerwuss

my question was are openreach able to provide a service at your new address not whether your intended new provider uses the openreach network. however if on a rolling 30 day contract the point is mute. the fact you retained your 30 day contract with the purpose of being able to leave at 30 days notice is exactly what you are doing and reason is immaterial. you are cancelling contract and must give 30 days notice

Re: 30-day notice period when moving house seems impractical

apalerwuss — Tue, 26 Sep 2023 13:52:40 GMT

Yeah, I guess on the grand scheme of things and compared to all the other costs associated with moving house, the cost is trivial. But it's £86 going into BT's coffers for doing absolutely nothing. As far as I'm concerned, Internet is a utility much like gas or electricity, and when I move house British Gas only charges me for the time I'm actually living in the house -- there isn't this notice period that's impossible for some customers to adhere to.

Anyway, you're right, I will survive this injustice, it just seems an odd situation to be in where I have no control over my ability to give notice -- without also giving up my ability to work from home.

Re: 30-day notice period when moving house seems impractical

gg30340 — Tue, 26 Sep 2023 14:02:05 GMT

How is it an "injustice". You agreed to the Terms and Conditions of your obligation/ contract to BT. That is the purpose of a contract!

It is not BT's fault that you are unable to give a date when you want to cease your service. If it is anybody's fault it is the fault of the house buying system which allows people to pull out of a house purchase after they have agreed to purchase or to change or not agree fixed moving dates until the last minute. That is where the "injustice" lies.

Re: 30-day notice period when moving house seems impractical

apalerwuss — Tue, 26 Sep 2023 14:54:22 GMT

Yeah, I was being a little sarcastic with the "injustice" thing, I realize it's hardly Rosa Parks fighting the system. I know I signed a contract and this is the letter of the contract, but just because something exists inside a contract doesn't make it fair and reasonable. There are lots of examples of things that used to be legally fine, but then people challenge it because that thing is unfair or unreasonable, then things change. It's only once you're in a position of selling/buying that you realize the impossibilities of meeting this contractual obligation -- I've only ever rented in the past, and it was never a problem because with renting you usually have a clear moving out/in date far in advance.

I suspect if someone had the energy (probably not me) to escalate this through the various legal, regulatory, or political channels there would be some sort of change made to this -- companies charging a month extra when the customer is totally unable to give them a month's notice doesn't seem right.

Re: 30-day notice period when moving house seems impractical

gg30340 — Tue, 26 Sep 2023 15:49:24 GMT

"I suspect if someone had the energy (probably not me) to escalate this through the various legal, regulatory, or political channels there would be some sort of change made to this -- companies charging a month extra when the customer is totally unable to give them a month's notice doesn't seem right".

I doubt it. Why should the company, who ever it is, have to lose out because of something that is not of their doing or within their control in any shape or form and would either be open to abuse or to complicated to administer to ensure that it was not being abused that it would cost you as the person wishing to leave their contract more fees.

In any event enjoy your new home when ever the moving date finally arrives.