Cancellation Charges - No longer in Contract but they want to penalise the account holder

[delectabledi]

I'm out of contract have a MAC coded and they still want me to pay £30 fee!  It's my understanding that once I'm out of contract there should be no fee to pay.  This just reinforces my belief that I am making the right decision to leave BT.

[astar27]

If you're out of contract and migrating away via a MAC code then there should be no charge. If you're just cancelling and not moving to another provider then yes there is a charge. But since you've got the MAC code, challenge the call centre staff's decision.

[Ectophile]

I would add that it's not enough to have a MAC code, you actually have to use it.

[masona2]

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@Ectophile wrote:

I would add that it's not enough to have a MAC code, you actually have to use it.

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Can I ask a really stupid question...

Why?

[Ectophile]

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@masona2 wrote:

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@Ectophile wrote:

I would add that it's not enough to have a MAC code, you actually have to use it.

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Can I ask a really stupid question...

Why?

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In case my last reply wasn't clear, what I meant was that to avoid the £30 fee when ending BT Broadband, you have to give a MAC code to the new supplier.  I didn't mean that once you've been given a MAC code, you have no choice but to use it.

The MAC code process is intended to simplify switching between suppliers.  Without a MAC code, BT Wholesale treats it as a disconnect from one supplier, followed by a new connection to the other.  With a MAC code, it's just a case of switching the customer from one to the other without all the disconnection/re-connection bit.

[masona2]

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@Ectophile wrote:

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@masona2 wrote:

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@Ectophile wrote:

I would add that it's not enough to have a MAC code, you actually have to use it.

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Can I ask a really stupid question...

Why?

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In case my last reply wasn't clear, what I meant was that to avoid the £30 fee when ending BT Broadband, you have to give a MAC code to the new supplier.  I didn't mean that once you've been given a MAC code, you have no choice but to use it.

The MAC code process is intended to simplify switching between suppliers.  Without a MAC code, BT Wholesale treats it as a disconnect from one supplier, followed by a new connection to the other.  With a MAC code, it's just a case of switching the customer from one to the other without all the disconnection/re-connection bit.

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Thanks for the reply Ectophile, but thats not what I meant. Sorry if I wasn't clear.  What piqued my interest was this post -

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"If you're out of contract and migrating away via a MAC code then there should be no charge. If you're just cancelling and not moving to another provider then yes there is a charge."

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Why? What has it got to do with BT what you do after your contract expires? To go with another, or not? Whats that got to do with BT? I just don't understand. And a 30 quid charge if you don't? For what?

[pottyperson]

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masona2 wrote: 

Why? What has it got to do with BT what you do after your contract expires? To go with another, or not? Whats that got to do with BT? I just don't understand. And a 30 quid charge if you don't? For what?

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A reason is given here. All ISPs do it; I guess the costs referred to don't arise or are shared when it's a transfer rather than a cancellation.

[Ectophile]

The short answer would be that Ofcom allowed them to introduce a fee, and then increase it five-fold not long afterwards.

The alternative answer is that BT retail are just passing on a fee charged by Openreach.  Just as openreach charge £130 to connect a new line, they also charge £30 for disconnecting a broadband line.  Using the MAC code route means that the line is never disconnected, so the fee isn't charged.

[Ocean]

Mmmm, that`s good to know for future reference.

But, hypothetically speaking, what if the person who has the BT-BROADBAND contract - and is not the home owner - passes away and the home owner decides to sell his/her property. Who forks out the £30?

[masona2]

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@Ocean wrote:

Mmmm, that`s good to know for future reference.

But, hypothetically speaking, what if the person who has the BT-BROADBAND contract - and is not the home owner - passes away and the home owner decides to sell his/her property. Who forks out the £30?

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No one. Debts cannot be passed on from the deceased. Home owner or not. Why do you ask? Feeling ill lately?