This topic

bereavement help being charged over £700 for dad dying

sherb — Thu, 18 Apr 2024 23:08:08 GMT

hi,

im sorry this is long, i cant think straight.

my dad was killed 4 weeks ago. on wednesday i called bt bereavement. (only got interim death cert last week). i lived with my dad.

i told the bereavement person i need to cancel the tv, and change the broadband, but id like to keep the number. i explained im disabled and on benefits. i cant afford dads package.

he told me the account would be put into my name. that i could change to a broadband package for people on benefits, and cancel the tv package. that this was seen as a new contract, and i had 14 days to cancel, he said to call the value and loyalty team, and they would remove the tv, and give me the cheap boradband.

i got an email saying i was owner of the contract, had 14 days to cancel, but would have to pay for nowtv etc. the man on the phone tole me i wouldnt have to pay, as dads bill date was the day i called, and dad paid on the 25th.

i was worried and called the loyalty team. i explained everything. he kept putting me on hold to talk to his manager. he said he couldnt remove the tv package as bt are changing to ee.he said he would order a new package, then cancel it next week. he said the cheapest broadband he could offer was £75, even though i sent a screenshot of a deal i had while signed in, that was £35. eventually he read the email saying i had 14 days to cancel. he said as it was a bereavement i wouldnt be charged to change or leave. he said the best deal was £75. he said can i keep my number, and go elsewhere. he explained how it works, and said it would be ok, and i wouldnt have to pay for leaving.

so i found a deal with sky, and signed up. i just checked my emails before bed, and cant breathe. bt are telling me i have to pay over £700 for leaving the contract. my dad was killed. he didnt want to die. i dont have £700, i cant afford to put the heating on even though im freezing, and couldnt get the food shop yet.

im terrified. im at breaking point. 2 different people and an email told me i can cancel. 2 people, and a manager told me i wouldnt have to pay to change contracts or leave. i hope i dont wake up, i cant take this.i dont know what to do. how can bt do this to someone who is grieving after telling them multiple times they wouldnt have to pay to change package or leave.

Re: bereavement help being charged over £700 for dad dying

Keith_Beddoe — Fri, 19 Apr 2024 05:11:30 GMT

@sherb

This is just a customer to customer help forum, everyone here, including myself, are just customers.

The only BT Employees are the forum moderators. I have asked one of them to post here.

Re: bereavement help being charged over £700 for dad dying

sherb — Fri, 19 Apr 2024 06:45:36 GMT

oh ok, ty. sorry. i got the link from mse, as someone said dont post there about bt, post here.

i have been up all night crying and stressed. i just realised the 700 is only the phone and internet, and they will charge me for dads tv package too. he had the full works, with all the sport, nowtv, and netflix premium. so the amount they are forcing me to pay for dad dying is double.

how can they do this? i cant cope with everything. now this.

Re: bereavement help being charged over £700 for dad dying

imjolly — Fri, 19 Apr 2024 06:55:37 GMT

it's a pity you decided to move to SKY as mods probably easier to fix if stayed with BT

do you qualify here

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: bereavement help being charged over £700 for dad dying

Keith_Beddoe — Fri, 19 Apr 2024 07:02:49 GMT

If you are still within the cooling off period for Sky (normally 14 days), then you could cancel it without any charge, and then return to BT with a favourable contract that one of the moderators may be able to arrange, as its possible you were wrongly advised.

Re: bereavement help being charged over £700 for dad dying

JohnC2 — Fri, 19 Apr 2024 07:38:32 GMT

Hi @sherb, I'm very sorry to hear of the loss of your Father and the notification of this cancellation charge is very worrying.

Don't worry we'll be happy to help you get this resolved. I've sent you a Private Message so you can get on touch with the Mod team for our help.

Thanks

John

Re: bereavement help being charged over £700 for dad dying

sherb — Fri, 19 Apr 2024 09:43:26 GMT

hi, ok ty both.

i didnt want to leave bt, i wanted to stay. but it was an hour and a half phone call, of just stress and going nowhere. i kept saying i cant afford the £75, but he couldnt do anything. he even tried to sell me a new mobile contract.

i do qualify for the cheap broadband.

i signed up for sky less than 24 hours ago, so if bt can help, id rather stay than the hassle of switching.

Re: bereavement help being charged over £700 for dad dying

Keith_Beddoe — Fri, 19 Apr 2024 10:01:28 GMT

@sherb

My advice to you would be to cancel Sky now, as it would not have been activated yet, so there would be no charge. If you leave it any longer, you will end up with two problems.

Then let @JohnC2 sort this out for you, I am sure you will end up with a satisfactory result.

Just remember to reply to the private message from @JohnC2 right away.

The message should be here https://community.bt.com/t5/notes/v1_1/privatenotespage/tab/inbox

Re: bereavement help being charged over £700 for dad dying

sherb — Fri, 19 Apr 2024 10:15:50 GMT

thankyou,

i just replied. the reason i signed up for sky last night is there was an offer for a £90 giftcard that ended at midnight last night, and i can use it in tesco.

do you think its ok to wait to hear back from the mod, as it said it can take 3-5 working days?

i dont need more stress if sky becomes an issue. the activation date is may 2nd. is it ok to cancel next week do you think, as i have 14 days?

thankyou so much, i honeslty cant think straight.

Re: bereavement help being charged over £700 for dad dying

Keith_Beddoe — Fri, 19 Apr 2024 10:27:25 GMT

@sherb

No, cancel Sky right away. Your BT Broadband service should continue as there would be no takeover. Doing it now, should avoid any equipment being sent out, which you would then have the hassle of returning. The gift card would only have been given, 14 days after activation, and it would be too late then.

That should prevent any cancellation charges, as there is a 10 day delay before a service can be taken over anyway. This is an Ofcom requirement.

@JohnC2 can initially re-instate your original contract to start with, then sort out with you exactly what services you want, and agree a price, as it appears to me, that you were originally given the wrong advice.

Re: bereavement help being charged over £700 for dad dying

sherb — Fri, 19 Apr 2024 11:02:20 GMT

hi thankyou,

i just called sky, and they can't guarantee that deal if i cancel.

they said i need to request a call listening from bt to prove that on two seperate calls i was told i wouldnt have to pay to leave as its a bereavement.

she offered to extend the activation date, or cancel the order.

im going to wait and see what bt offer me, as the hassle of cancelling and reordering is worse than sending a box back.

i dont know how to proceed if bt take the approx £1500 from me for breaking a contract as my dad was killed. im so sick to my stomach, and am meant to be sorting funeral, not this hell.

i dont trust bt now. will the papers help, or do bt not care anyway?

Re: bereavement help being charged over £700 for dad dying

Keith_Beddoe — Fri, 19 Apr 2024 11:14:28 GMT

@sherb

Sky, like any provider, will always try to make you stay. They should not make you wait until BT get your call details, as it will be too late then to cancel with them.

BT is fine, its just that you were given the wrong advice at the time, it does happen.

My advice to cancel Sky is still the same, and I am sure other forum members would agree.

@JohnC2 can, if necessary, listen to the call you made to BT, once he had made sure your service continues.

Re: bereavement help being charged over £700 for dad dying

Anonymous — Fri, 19 Apr 2024 12:10:02 GMT

Just to re-inforce what @Keith_Beddoe has said. You've had a dreadful experience that's been compounded by BT's incompetence. We see all too often how the standard of both their training & recruitment leave an awful lot to be desired, but this is a new low even for them. So you reticence is fully understandable.

But the forum Moderators are a different breed entirely & will definitely sort this out for you. So I'd urge you to follow Keith's advice, cancel with Sky & be patient while the Mods get to the bottom of this for you.

Re: bereavement help being charged over £700 for dad dying

Carlusha — Fri, 19 Apr 2024 13:06:09 GMT

@sherb We're all watching this thread and sharing your grief.

PLEASE, PLEASE tell us all that you have cancelled the Sky deal. Don't be fobbed off.

Stay strong during this extremely difficult time.

Re: bereavement help being charged over £700 for dad dying

sherb — Fri, 19 Apr 2024 13:52:55 GMT

thankyou all so much.

i cant stop shaking and crying, this is so much more stress.

i couldnt cope with waiting to hear from a mod, so i called the bereavement line. he said i shouldnt be charged the rest of the contract. he couldnt look at new deals as the sky deal was in place. he put me on hold for ages, but couldnt sort it. so we agreed i would call sky, and cancel, which i did. he is calling me back at 3 to see what can be done.

i uave no one in the world, apart from one friend in america. ive done all this on my own. this bt thing has taken up 3 days, and its so much stress.

thankyou all for your help, you are all so kind. i will let you know more when i know. thankyou again.

Re: bereavement help being charged over £700 for dad dying

Keith_Beddoe — Fri, 19 Apr 2024 13:58:49 GMT

You may qualify for this https://www.bt.com/broadband/home-essentials

Re: bereavement help being charged over £700 for dad dying

Carlusha — Fri, 19 Apr 2024 14:27:00 GMT

@sherb Have you cancelled the Sky? Please confirm you were able arrange this.

Re: bereavement help being charged over £700 for dad dying

sherb — Fri, 19 Apr 2024 15:27:06 GMT

hi, yes i have cancelled sky.

i just got off the phone with bt. sadly they couldnt match the sky deal, or give me a gift card. but because of the whole bill thing,i thought itd be easier to stay with bt, than change to sky. as then id have to worry about getting money back from bt, or paying bt, or whatever needs to be done.

we cancelled my direct debit, and i paid this month by card. i will pay next month by card, then set up the dd. i dont have £180 which was dads monthly bill, and its due the 25th.

so i will be paying£3 for the phone, and £34.99 for 500mb. i dont get the giftcard. sky was £32, and £90 gift card. i have already cancelled various tv subs, and will cancel disney, so i should be able to afford it. everything is tight, but i need to cut back on stuff like everyone else. the home essentials isnt quick enough for gaming, and altho i havent played since dad was killed, i know it will help me. it helped after mum was killed 9 years ago. yes, they both went to the coroner and police. yes it really sucks to be here again, yet this time all alone.

if anyone thinks i could do better from bt, please let me know, as i guess i have 14 days cooling off.

you have all been amazing, so kind, and so helpful. you have made a really hard time easier, and i really mean it when i say i send you all so much love.

i just wanna call my dad and tell him what ive done, what ive been through, but i cant.its so hard.

i just want my dad. i wish he were here to say hes proud of me.

thankyou

Re: bereavement help being charged over £700 for dad dying

Anonymous — Fri, 19 Apr 2024 15:55:13 GMT

It's a shame you wouldn't wait for the Mods as you've almost certainly complicated things further. Hopefully the Mods can still assist.

I don't know what you mean by Home Essentials not being fast enough for gaming, but then I'm not a gamer. But I doubt speed is an issue beyond the time it takes for large downloads.

BT bill in advance so there should be nothing to pay on the 25th. Although it may be too late to stop it in this billing cycle, it should be refunded.

As an aside, be aware that you are not liable for ANY of you fathers debts. If there are sufficient funds in his account then any debts should be settled from there. But his debts cannot pass to you. Maybe have a read of this & don't let any organisation bully you into making a payment from your own funds.

https://www.moneyhelper.org.uk/en/family-and-care/death-and-bereavement/dealing-with-the-debts-of-someone-who-has-died

Re: bereavement help being charged over £700 for dad dying

sherb — Fri, 19 Apr 2024 16:48:49 GMT

i couldnt cope with waiting 3-5 working days incase they helped. i need to focus on the funeral. this has already taken 3 days, and i didnt sleep.

im not sure how ive complicated it further, so thats something else to worry about now.

thankyou for the info, i will see what happens next bill, and if they try and make me pay, i will deal with it then. he said as the bill was on the 17th, i have to pay the full amount on the 25th.

i thought i did the right thing by calling and not waiting.i messed up again. i just want it over.

there is lag and rubber banding in online gaming if speeds arent fast enough. especially if the servers arent near.