This topic

Confusion over renewal & whether line rental saver will still be charged

Anonymous — Thu, 19 Oct 2023 10:59:56 GMT

I've just renewed my mum's broadband contract by phone and after receiving email confirmation outlining the 'ongoing charges for the order', I'm confused on why it shows line rental saver, when it was withdrawn from sale on 21 July 2023. I thought it was included now. In the confirmation, I expected to see an outline of what the new charges will be and to mention that any line rental that has been paid to be refunded.

Her current contract ends in a fortnight (Fibre 2). She paid approx £219 yearly separate for her line rental saver so this was deducted (-£19.99) from her bill and she paid £2.60 for her Anytime calling package so total monthly payment was £27.50.

The new price will be £28.10, including her Anytime package (I thought that was going too) .

Although it says on the confirmation '... products are charged in advance, so your next bill may not show all the charges for this order. This means if you get your next bill before your new services start, you'll see your new products on the bill after.', I am still unsure.

Could someone clarify please if by this new contract of £28.10, that will include line rental and she doesn't have to pay this separately again. I think my confusion is because I've been confused over all the changes so I'm not thinking straight.

Email confirmation:

Line Rental Saver -£19.99

My Anytime Calls -£2.60

Broadband Package - £53.49

Special offer discount --£8.00

Total monthly charges - £28.10

Thank you

Re: Confusion over renewal & whether line rental saver will still be charged

imjolly — Thu, 19 Oct 2023 11:16:33 GMT

the monthly charge of £28.10 is - 53.49+2.60 less 19.99+8.00

often the LRS runs at a different interval and does not renew on same as broadband package - did you check your LRS

Re: Confusion over renewal & whether line rental saver will still be charged

Anonymous — Thu, 19 Oct 2023 11:31:10 GMT

Thanks for your reply

I realise it's separate but I don't understand why the total is £28.10 which is the price agreed with line rental still mentioned (minus £19.99 still). I expected my new price to not include it as it's no longer a product they offer. All that was mentioned in the phone call is £28.10 including Anytime calls. Not £53.49 minus anytime (as that's no longer going to be there).

If the new contract is without line saver because it no longer exists, then why mention it in my confirmation email. I realise they need to take into account what has already been paid for this in my next bill though.

Re: Confusion over renewal & whether line rental saver will still be charged

garybs29 — Thu, 19 Oct 2023 12:11:18 GMT

I think you're completely overthinking this. When does the paid for line rental saver end as it'll stll be getting taken into account & when it ends the 19.99 won't be taken off the bill anymore - i.e the 28.10 would become 48.09

Re: Confusion over renewal & whether line rental saver will still be charged

Anonymous — Thu, 19 Oct 2023 13:29:39 GMT

Thank you - It ends in February 24 but the agreement was £28.10 TOTAL for a new 24 month contract, not £48.09, when the line rental ends. I thought broadband and line rental were now combined. If it was going to be more than £28.10 when the line rental saver ends, surely the agent would have said.

I thought it was too good to be true that by getting rid of the line rental saver she would be better off. I just wish BT would make it clear.

Not sure if it makes a difference but getting a new Smart Hub 2 and noticed in my order a phone with Alexis which he didn't mention. Mum's 82 and gets confused very easy so hope that's pretty straightforward for her.

Re: Confusion over renewal & whether line rental saver will still be charged

imjolly — Thu, 19 Oct 2023 13:44:30 GMT

surely it is obvious that when your LRS ends 2/24 then the £19.99 reduction will no longer apply and you will pay the broadband package price plus calls less the £8 saving

Re: Confusion over renewal & whether line rental saver will still be charged

David500 — Thu, 19 Oct 2023 13:49:24 GMT

Your mum doesn’t have to use the Alexis phone, she can use her existing phone but plugged into the back of the Smart Hub 2 instead of the existing master or extension socket if there are any.

Re: Confusion over renewal & whether line rental saver will still be charged

Anonymous — Thu, 19 Oct 2023 15:09:51 GMT

I expected something like:

£28.10, including line rental and Anytime calls

That's it - the total figure. To me, the 'package price' is £28.10. No other price was discussed.

Why show the £19.99 deduction, contributing to the total being £28.10 when that will no longer be paid (expected a refund for what has been paid and starting the new contract without it).

Looks like another phone call to BT to clarify all this because what I am understanding from the few responses I've so far received is that when my LRS ends it will increase by to approx £45.

I don't know by you saying 'package price' whether you mean £28.10 as I understand it, or £53.49 as given in their email.

Thank you for responding.

Re: Confusion over renewal & whether line rental saver will still be charged

licquorice — Thu, 19 Oct 2023 15:19:13 GMT

You've paid the line rental component of the package until February 2024 and thus will continue to receive the £19.99 discount until then. From March 2024 you will pay the full package price as LRS will no longer be available. Clearly it will not be £28.10 from March but the full inclusive price of £53.49

Re: Confusion over renewal & whether line rental saver will still be charged

Anonymous — Thu, 19 Oct 2023 15:53:07 GMT

Thank you - I rang Retentions as I was considering moving her to Plusnet but they offered £28.10 monthly (not £28.10 monthly until the LRS ends). It's very sneaky not to mention that and I can't be the only one who will have lots of issues with this. I'm with Plusnet and pay £31 monthly so when they offered me the deal for mum, I assumed that was what she would pay for the new 2 year contract, otherwise what was the point in ringing up for a deal. I'll ring them and get it sorted.

Re: Confusion over renewal & whether line rental saver will still be charged

licquorice — Thu, 19 Oct 2023 16:06:14 GMT

I'm not sure why you would expect to continue paying the same amount once LRS ended.

Re: Confusion over renewal & whether line rental saver will still be charged

imjolly — Thu, 19 Oct 2023 16:08:05 GMT

Sorry but I cannot believ you expected to continue to get the £19.99 LRS reduction after your LRS contract expires in Feb 2024

Re: Confusion over renewal & whether line rental saver will still be charged

Anonymous — Thu, 19 Oct 2023 16:46:24 GMT

Don' t forget, this is not my account and am doing this on mum's behalf. Plusnet don't have that paying in advance for line rental. Like I said, I pay £30 ish so her figure of £28.10 seemed right. Surely you must understand/know where I'm coming from.

The thing is, your responses aren't helpful because it's not about what I expected I should pay for broadband but about the communication from BT and it not being clear.

They said it includes line rental and gave the amount at £28.10. What's obvious about knowing that would include another £20 when her line rental ends. What I think the agent meant is it includes 'line rental saver' that she is still paying.

There's simple lack of communication. He should have picked up on the fact that that would be until February only. I visited this board because I didn't understand why he would include the deduction in the total figure, based on what I've already said.

Re: Confusion over renewal & whether line rental saver will still be charged

Anonymous — Thu, 19 Oct 2023 18:00:32 GMT

that's two people saying the same. Read my reply to imjolly please, to see why I thought that. Are people really not understanding my point. I regret coming on here for help when all I get is patronising comments. BT shouldn't be charging around £54 a month for an 82 year old woman to go online occasionally. Like I said I am paying around the £31 so it's not hard to believe I would think £28 is a deal. NO EXTRA

Re: Confusion over renewal & whether line rental saver will still be charged

imjolly — Thu, 19 Oct 2023 18:28:25 GMT

There is no reduction because of age but there is a social tariff if your mother qualifies

The answers you are getting are correct and obviously you are just not happy that they do not agree with you assumptions

https://www.bt.com/exp/broadband/home-essentials?s_cid=con_bt_dg-home_awin_aff_vidAJM_110483-Editorial+Content&vendorid=AJM&utm_source=Affwin&utm_medium=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bt.com%2Fexp%2Fbroadband%2Fhome-essentials&utm_campaign=110483&awc=3041_1645094835_8db5e34aa3189a1e2d1144312948112e

Re: Confusion over renewal & whether line rental saver will still be charged

Anonymous — Fri, 20 Oct 2023 07:42:57 GMT

Thanks for the link, I'll take a a look at that.

'not happy that the answers don't agree with my assumptions' is totally wrong. I didn't get an answer. I just got a repeat of what I already saw in the email confirmation and patronising, unhelpful comments . I didn't ask how they had worked it out. I can do basic maths.

I rarely post on forums, but when I have, I've never come across this sort of attitude. You continue to insult me but you just don't see.

This is the sort of answer I would expect to receive from someone who actually wants to help:

I can see why you would be confused. You thought the line rental would just be refunded at the start of your new contract and the confirmation would show your new price of £28.10. Did BT not explain that your line rental saver would continue until it expired and that the price they gave you included this, but after it would increase ... the new calculations are correct, but BT should have mentioned it.

I suppose that's just too considerate and you would prefer a different approach.

Like I said, the figure they gave me was similar to my own contract .

Joined this forum yesterday, but not wasting any more time on it.

Re: Confusion over renewal & whether line rental saver will still be charged

Anonymous — Fri, 20 Oct 2023 08:07:54 GMT

My concern would be why she's being charged £53.49 for Fibre 2. Even with the "discount", that's £45.49. The new customer price for Fibre 1 today is £40.99 with telephone. Fibre 1 is £35.99 so given her use you could probably drop down a level. Oddly that's a £1 less than Fibre Essential. Although she does appear to be getting a very cheap calls package.

I presume that as you say you've just renewed, that you are still within the cooling off period? If so I'd get a couple of quotes from other ISPs & get on to retentions/loyalty/value team or whatever they call themselves today. If they can't match what you can get elsewhere then switch.

Obviously if she qualifies for the social tariff then that would be a no brainer.