This topic

Billing after cancellation

nanjay1 — Sat, 27 Sep 2025 11:09:33 GMT

My 2 year contract expired in September. I gave 2 months notice in July. On the phone, so no written evidence there. I cancelled my Direct Debit with the Bank. I had an email from BT on 7th August headed “We are sorry to see you go” saying my estimated final bill would be around £46.75p. However, a conversation earlier this week with an operative called Katie, she said I was still a customer. My September bill was the full amount. I had ( obviously foolishly) assumed that as my termination appeared settled by the letter, the Direct Debit cancellation would be taken care of at BT end. However, I checked my Bank’s instructions which said along the lines of “ take care to notify the company providing service” so, as a precaution I cancelled at Bank end yesterday and rang I spoke to a Guide called Toff. He had to go and confer for a short time but came back and ensured the DDM was now cancelled. 2 days before, on 0800 028 2272 I spoke to a young woman called Katie to discuss the possibility of returning and she told me that despite the 7 August letter, and the passing of the termination date, my account was still active. Finally, this morning I had an automated call confirming the DDM was cancelled but going on about future bills by cheque and being charged a premium. nasty! I owe BT nothing, BT owes me a refund and any thoughts I might have had about reverting from the new provider have gone. The Guides never seem to have the full picture and the chat facility on the app no longer appears. I only terminated because I was being charged a lot of money compared to other providers. I feel as if I am being punished. I am a 78 year old great grandmother living on a pension. I am so stressed it’s affecting my health.

Re: Billing after cancellation

shakey1981 — Sat, 27 Sep 2025 11:18:49 GMT

go to live chat give them proof that the switch went ahead and your now with a new supplier an email with a start date tell them you want a refund of fees from that date

Re: Billing after cancellation

garybs29 — Sat, 27 Sep 2025 11:34:32 GMT

Why do people think they know better & cancel a DD? Normal bills are produced up to day of cancellation within 7 days of cancellation a final bill is produced & refunds due issued which of course can't be sent back to bank if DD cancelled. BT then cancel a DD once all refunded but then people cancel DD & complain when all goes wrong......

All the above is mentuoned when cancelling too

Re: Billing after cancellation

nanjay1 — Sat, 27 Sep 2025 11:58:40 GMT

where do I find live chat? Seems to have vanished from the website.
I am going try and put the copy letter of 7 th August in. 🤞

Re: Billing after cancellation

shakey1981 — Sat, 27 Sep 2025 12:07:04 GMT

double post deleted

Re: Billing after cancellation

shakey1981 — Sat, 27 Sep 2025 12:09:58 GMT

https://www.bt.com/help/contact-bt/account-and-billing/broadband

message now @nanjay1

ll can suggest id your account is still open reset a DD for the refund and supply proof you left

bt wait till your final bill is paid once you get them to agree nothing is owed or due to be refunded then cancel

Re: Billing after cancellation

zulu17 — Sat, 27 Sep 2025 12:02:03 GMT

@garybs29 I suggest you reread the original post and in particular the last few sentences. It is clear that the process has caused concern and stress.

Re: Billing after cancellation

imjolly — Sat, 27 Sep 2025 12:02:16 GMT

@nanjay1

although you had good intentions by giving BT 2 months notice of your cancellation that has in effect caused all of your problem compounded by cancelling the DD as posted by @garybs29

If you had just selected your new ISP and then taken out new contract your new ISP would have informed BT that they were taking over your line and everything would have gone as you intended. the one touch switch is the recommended way by OFCOM.

hopefully this will now get corrected and you will get cheque for refund in due course

Re: Billing after cancellation

zulu17 — Sat, 27 Sep 2025 12:31:26 GMT

Perhaps BT will listen review that original cancellation phone call to understand whether information over the recommended process was given ? As it was this point where the subsequent problems arose.

Re: Billing after cancellation

shakey1981 — Sat, 27 Sep 2025 12:18:50 GMT

common pratice given it a few monthS After you leave before canceling DD if the continue to charge you for serviceyou dot have it easier to get this refunded omce you see yhis in your accont go back to bt and ask for proof you account is closed then cancel

Re: Billing after cancellation

nanjay1 — Sat, 27 Sep 2025 12:22:56 GMT

I see what you say, but I thought I had read on the website that 2 months notice was obligatory. The new provider was I suppose unhelpful - which I didn’t realise- by doing the physical process of changing over so early, but I never realised there would be these unforeseen consequences.

Re: Billing after cancellation

nanjay1 — Sat, 27 Sep 2025 12:23:56 GMT

let’s hope so. The automated call was horrible!

Re: Billing after cancellation

Christopher_G — Sat, 27 Sep 2025 12:51:11 GMT

Hi @nanjay1

Welcome to the community.

I'm sorry to hear of your experience with this. I've sent you a private message to get some information from you. Could you take a look at your community inbox and get back to me please?

Thanks

Chris

Re: Billing after cancellation

Kodikid — Sun, 28 Sep 2025 00:32:33 GMT

Thought that was the point of one touch switching?

Re: Billing after cancellation

Kimberlin — Sun, 28 Sep 2025 08:28:31 GMT

If you use OTS, then as long as you’ve completed your initial 24 month contract and have moved onto the monthly rolling contract, then from experience of successfully using OTS, you don’t give any notice by phone or email, OTS just takes care of it, otherwise, as appears to be the case in this story, the whole process is unnecessarily complicated by further customer involvment.

When I switched using OTS, I did it the very next day after my contract with BT had expired. I then had no further involvement in the process and the switch was completed 5 days later.

As for direct debits, no one should cancel a direct debit, in this case with BT, until confirmation that all equipment has been received as returned and any refunds by BT have been actioned.

Re: Billing after cancellation

zulu17 — Sun, 28 Sep 2025 12:08:50 GMT

The issue that I see in this customer experience is that the industry has not explained its transfer/cancellation process clearly. So my view is that Ofcom , BT and the potential new supplier all should look at themselves and consider how to improve the customer experience.

If a customer were to ring BT to request/discuss cancellation or move, then did BT inform them that under OTS the new provider would handle things.

Re: Billing after cancellation

Kimberlin — Sun, 28 Sep 2025 12:19:31 GMT

@zulu17

https://www.bt.com/broadband/switch
Whether or not a customer chooses to look for the information rather than diving in straight for the phone, is another matter. Plusnet also have an equally good web page explaining what will happen using OTS.

I get it, I’m just one individual who had a great trouble free experience using OTS without the additional faff of transferring a landline.

Re: Billing after cancellation

nanjay1 — Sun, 28 Sep 2025 16:57:14 GMT

yes, I do now wish I had not let Community Fibre come in before 4 September when my two year contract ended. however, I was unaware that I could have a rolling contract; thought it had to be another fixed term.

Re: Billing after cancellation

Kimberlin — Sun, 28 Sep 2025 18:25:05 GMT

@nanjay1 Well that’s the thing, you are automatically moved onto a 30 day rolling contract if you choose to ignore any ‘offers’ either via email or via your MyBT account, or if you’ve got loads of spare time on your hands, by calling Retentions.

Lesson learned here, unless you accept the kind of inducement EE are currently offering at time of posting to the tune of £300 to assist with the payment of early termination fees, then don’t do anything at all until your BT contract expires, else it will it seems, just get complicated. Obviously whilst on a rolling contract, you would lose any discounts etc associated with a fixed term contract. The trick is not to be lazy and just sit there paying obscene amounts of money for something others are getting for much cheaper.

Re: Billing after cancellation

gg30340 — Sun, 28 Sep 2025 19:04:28 GMT

@nanjay1

I would suggest if you have not already done it that you respond to email that the moderator has sent you. They will investigate what has happened to see if there is anything that can be done to help you.