Complaint against BT - not a BT customer

[wtf2021]

Looking for some advice as told I can't put a complaint against BT if I am not a BT customer.

Backstory as short as possible.

10 year customer with Sky tv and broadband - Get a notification that my line is being switched to a new provider as someone is moving to my property. This was not the case so I called them to correct it, and make sure my line was not transferred twice. Yet on the 26/7 I was transferred to BT without my consent. Called Sky immediately and was told I would have to wait 2 weeks to be transferred back.

I've received multiple letters and two routers from BT to my address to a name not my own. I called BT to let them know that it was a mistake and their customer had their address wrong and they did nothing to fix it. The 2nd router they sent me, was sent to my address again, but in the delivery notes section had the correct customer address - a flat on my road. I went to the correct BT customer address to give him his router and ask what's going on. He explains that he has a complaint against BT as he had just moved in and set up an account for broadband, supplied the correct address but BT have gotten it wrong and have not corrected it, despite multiple requests.

Sky obviously are at fault, letting my line be transferred twice after I explicity told them not to is pretty bad service and I am awaiting a compensation settlement.

But I feel BT are most at fault here  and have something to answer. They've gotten their customer details wrong, despite him requesting the correct address multiple times, this caused my line to be cut off and caused havoc for me as I work from home. They're still sending letters to me in his name! This is completely unacceptable, ultimately it's their mistakes that have caused this entire situtation to happen and I feel I am owed compensation from them as well.

I looked at contacting the Ombudsman service, but can't use them as I need to have logged a complaint, which BT won't let me do if I'm not a customer.

Any advice would be welcome, thanks.

[NigelB72]

Tbh it's sounds like it's the Openreach database that needs updating. You should be able to raise a query with your Telco for them to get the database updated

[wtf2021]

Thanks for your reply Nigel - do you mean my telephone company? So I need to request Sky to update the openreach database?

It's not been an issue in the past with the previous tenants of the correct address so not sure what it would be now.

Either way, its a big issue that has been caused by BT, whether it Openreach or otherwise, so any advice on complaints procedure would be helpful.

[imjolly]

If BT receive a request for service and the line is currently in use then OFCOM rules say the must wait 14 days and also notify your existing ISP who in turn should notify you that you are leaving and if not the case to contact them immediately.  Assuming SKY notified you and you responded immediately then it is up to SKY to notify BT Retail 

the 14 day delay is fixed by OFCOM

This has nothing to do with openreach who act to instructions from the ISP whether BT Retail or SKY etc

[wtf2021]

Thanks for your response @imjolly 

I flagged the issue with Sky immediately,  and they said they could block it from going through, but couldn't speak to the new service provider (in this case BT retail) about the issue, and that it would continue to happen until the new service provider and/or the customer fixed the issue of them having the wrong address. Clearly BT retail continued to keep trying to take over the incorrect line, despite it being blocked by Sky.

Sky are in the process of compensating me for their mistakes. But BT are just as accountable and need to explain to me why they took over a line that wasn't their customers.

Is there a BT retail rep or moderator that I can copy in for clarification?

[imjolly]

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@wtf2021 wrote:

Thanks for your response @imjolly 

I flagged the issue with Sky immediately,  and they said they could block it from going through, but couldn't speak to the new service provider (in this case BT retail) about the issue, and that it would continue to happen until the new service provider and/or the customer fixed the issue of

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This is a set put procedure by OFCOM and sounds like SKY just passing blame as BT Retail need to act if SKY made contact like they claim

[wtf2021]

@imjolly  sorry can't see a ratings button anywhere on the left hand side?

[-Richie-]

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@wtf2021wrote:

Sky are in the process of compensating me for their mistakes. But BT are just as accountable and need to explain to me why they took over a line that wasn't their customers.

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Nothing BT or any of the other 600+ communication providers that use Openreach can do to prevent this, someone went to a provider either online or via a call and asked for services at an address.

To prevent slamming there is a 14 day window to notify the customer of the working line takeover, if there's a mistake that person contacts the losing provider, in your case Sky who have the ability to stop the takeover, if nobody questions the takeover or the losing provider fails to act the takeover goes ahead.

This is how the industry works, this is the agreement with the regulator to make switching providers seamless and has done for many years, people hated having to get a MAC code previously.
You can read more about this on Ofcom's website Phone or broadband switching without consent 

BT couldn't help you, you couldn't be validated as you are not a BT customer, your issue lies with Sky who also are incorrect stating you have to wait 14 days, you don't as Sky have a priority back in service process for customers that were slammed, contact Sky again and tell them to follow that process, you'll get the service back in a few days.

[wtf2021]

thanks for your reply @-Richie- 

While I agree that Sky are at fault and shouldn't have allowed it to go through. BT have clearly made mistakes which have caused the whole issue to happen in the first place and caused an endless list of issues for me to face. In my opinion simply because I'm not a customer it doesn't mean they shouldn't answer these issues.

Are there any BT reps on this forum at all?

Also your response has been marked as solution? I didn't mark it as a solution so not sure why it has been if I still have an issue with BT?

[-Richie-]

@wtf2021  I can understand your frustration but BT have done nothing wrong in this case, they were asked to provide a service at an address, there is a process to follow and it was followed.

There is nothing BT can do to help you, you have no relationship with them, you could ask for compensation if there was a failure on BT's part but there wasn't, your contract is with Sky, if they failed to stop the takeover then Sky are who you should be speaking with.