This topic

BT trying to charge me for money I dont owe them

Expat80 — Mon, 25 Nov 2024 10:28:29 GMT

I left BT in September after issues with extremely poor services. Well after various issues with the stalling my switch to another provider they finally closed my account in October. My broadband contracted had ended so I only owed money for the TV. Well Within 30 mins of closing my account they sent me 2 bills one for £55 then another for £75. When I recieved my final however they had charged me for the entire 3 last 3 months of the contract then taken reductions the adding charges for the remaining subscription from this leaving a totally unrealistic balance. I disputed this.I though they were going to correct it but theyve recently sent me bill reminder stating ive not paid the bill. Im happy to pay what I owe them which is £55 once they bill me correctly but im dammed if im paying them for something I do not. Its a total con.

Re: BT trying to charge me for money I dont owe them

iniltous — Mon, 25 Nov 2024 11:37:16 GMT

To judge if you have been unfairly charged, the dates need to be less vague, bless you are switching providers using the approved method, just ‘cancelling’ requires a 30 day notice ( that you are billed for ) …if this notice were given in ‘October’ then the month of ‘November’ is the notice period , this assumes the notice was given 31st October, obviously the exact date is required to know when the 30 days are up .

Automatic bills are just that , automatically created , and often will the original billing cycle , so you pay for some days after the cessation of service ( upto the original bill date ) but have those days refunded after the final bill is calculated.

You saying you were billed for the last 3 months of the contract, why is that wrong ? , if you leave early you pay up-to the end of the original minimum term , unless you were specifically told you wouldn’t be charged any early termination charges .

Not paying and not calling to query the amount only leads to negative credit file entries and potentially the debt is sold to recovery businesses, who add on more to the debt for their administrative involvement, you should really call and discuss how the amount was arrived at ….at first glance these invoices are difficult to interpret.

Re: BT trying to charge me for money I dont owe them

Expat80 — Mon, 25 Nov 2024 11:54:37 GMT

My contact with my broadband including phone expired on 21st September. When I attempted to switch providers BT blocked this via openreach. This caused a delay.They caused the delay. This was later resolved in October when they finally closed the account so 30 day period is from 21st September not October that is when they were informed.

As BT essential package is only 12 months and has no exit fee no further payment is required after that date.

The £140 BT attempted to charge me included 3 months BT essential package which I do not owe them.

I only owe them £55 for the last 3 month of the TV package.

What they did was sent me a quarterly bill

£140

Deducted the rebated charges from October.

Charged me for 28 day period

Then they added £55 for the broadband.

So they claim I owe them £127 when I only actually owe them £55.

Please dont 'bless you' me its patronising I even have the ombudsman investigating this is this isnt the first time theyve attempted to fob me off. They also ignorec a SARs request to prove my broadband was activite. Its one lie after another.

Re: BT trying to charge me for money I dont owe them

licquorice — Mon, 25 Nov 2024 12:22:28 GMT

I very much suspect the 'bless you' was an autocorrect for 'unless'. As it stands the sentence doesn't make sense.

Re: BT trying to charge me for money I dont owe them

iniltous — Mon, 25 Nov 2024 15:53:01 GMT

😊, autocorrect is something of a misnomer in this case , but it did indeed change ‘unless you’ to ‘bless you’ , how or why is a mystery , however bless you for pointing it out 😉,

Re: BT trying to charge me for money I dont owe them

gg30340 — Mon, 25 Nov 2024 16:05:24 GMT

If you have the Ombudsman investigating this that would mean that you have already complained to BT about it and either 8 weeks have elapsed from when you complained or you have been issued with a Deadlock letter from BT which sets out their position.

If that is the case there is nothing that this forum or any of the BT staff can do as a deadlock letter, if one was issued, is the final word from BT until such time as the Ombudsman completes the investigation.

https://www.commsombudsman.org/our-process#raise-the-issue-with-your-supplier

Re: BT trying to charge me for money I dont owe them

TimCurtis — Mon, 25 Nov 2024 18:14:53 GMT

@Expat80

Is it possible that because you had 3 months left on the TV contract that the systems assume that as you can't have TV without BT broadband that there's 3 month broadband to be paid for as well.

Not saying that this is right or what has happened but is it a possible explanation?

Re: BT trying to charge me for money I dont owe them

Expat80 — Mon, 25 Nov 2024 22:26:54 GMT

Yeah thats what they said but not allowed to do that as the essential package is subject to government rules. Fixed term. No charge to leave the contract. Once its terminated that it but I personally think there just trying it on hoping il pay.Ive just put in for small claims court anyway as im not getting anywhere

Re: BT trying to charge me for money I dont owe them

Expat80 — Mon, 25 Nov 2024 22:29:17 GMT

I went to the ombudsman they just basically stuck up for BT im going to the small claims courts as I believe this is totally unfair their services didnt work half the time! I just having a rant and letting other people know what happened as there practice is totally illegal

Re: BT trying to charge me for money I dont owe them

gg30340 — Mon, 25 Nov 2024 22:52:32 GMT

So what you are basically saying is that the Ombudsman must be corrupt because they have sided with BT who according to you are acting totally illegally. Not that you could be wrong and BT are acting correctly.

Keep us informed how you get on with the small claims court. I hope the Judge is not also corrupt and sides with BT or it will cost you a lot of money.

Re: BT trying to charge me for money I dont owe them

Expat80 — Tue, 26 Nov 2024 10:19:25 GMT

How would BT be acting correctly charging someone for another 3 months for a contract fee for a contract that had ended in September.

Refusing to provide a Sars request of the breakdown of the broadband service that wasnt working properly.

Not providing an copy the actual contract until the ombudsman got involved.

With your attitude I get the feeling you either work for BT or yiur just trolling because you have nothing better to do right?

Re: BT trying to charge me for money I dont owe them

TimCurtis — Tue, 26 Nov 2024 11:18:38 GMT

@Expat80

Nobody is trolling you , we're just trying to help.

My message 7 clearly is the case as BT explained to you and as a BT TV contract is linked to BT broadband as in no TV contract without broadband then the broadband contract is tied to the TV contract so looks like BT are within their rights to charge for early termination.

Re: BT trying to charge me for money I dont owe them

gg30340 — Tue, 26 Nov 2024 14:42:20 GMT

@Expat80 wrote:

How would BT be acting correctly charging someone for another 3 months for a contract fee for a contract that had ended in September.

Refusing to provide a Sars request of the breakdown of the broadband service that wasnt working properly.

Not providing an copy the actual contract until the ombudsman got involved.

With your attitude I get the feeling you either work for BT or yiur just trolling because you have nothing better to do right?

I do not nor have I ever worked for BT nor am I trolling you.

If you can not understand what has been explained to you by BT, the Ombudsman and the people on this forum then just you go for it and take BT to the small claims court and see how you get on. Just remember to please come back to the forum and tell us how you got on.

Re: BT trying to charge me for money I dont owe them

Expat80 — Sat, 04 Jan 2025 02:25:19 GMT

The issue was swiftly resolved when I took them too small claims court not only did they clear the balance they also paid compensation to avoid going to court so knew they were in the wrong and id win. Im happy the issue was resolved hope they wont try it on again

Re: BT trying to charge me for money I dont owe them

siteguru — Sat, 04 Jan 2025 11:23:22 GMT

I'm happy for your result. You didn't actually win the court case though, nor did BT admit liability [unless they said so in their communications with you, which I doubt] - BT simply took the pragmatic approach to minimise costs. (I'm not saying you wouldn't have won, just that this is really just a pyrrhic victory as nothing was legally decided).

PS - I've just left BT (yesterday) so I have no dice in this game. 🙂