Returning TV box

[OJsGlove]

Hi

I have just cancelled my BT contract.

I have received 2 emails from BT requesting i return both my tv box and router.

On the email requesting the router it says return before 7th Feb or be charged £65

On the tv box email it just says we request you return it for recycling.

I went onto my BT account page and it has 2 tabs one saying "you must return" and it has the router in this tab.

The other tab says "we request you return" and it has the tv box in this tab.

Does this mean if i keep the tv box i wont be charged??

I have been with BT over 10 years, i have never had any other sort of tv package other than BTsport

Any help would be great

[zulu17 · Accepted solution]

@OJsGlove  It depends upon when BT supplied the TV Box to you as BT made some changes to our Terms & Conditions on 13 December 2019, meaning that BT Hubs and TV boxes are being loaned to you. ... You’ll have 60 days to return it from the date you stopped using it before we charge you.

So if the BT TV or EE TV box was supplied after 13 December 2019 then BT will seek to charge you a non return fee if you failto return. If the box you have was supplied under the old terms and conditions (ie pre 13 December 2019) then the box will be your property and BT should invite you to return for recycling if you wish. 

There is a BT webpage at

https://www.bt.com/help/tv/how-to-return-and-recycle-your-bt-broadband-hub-and-bt-tv-box-fo

Note I do not believe all the information supplied by BT on that page is  fully  correct as the  sentence which says

or have renewed your contract on or after this date, you’ll be charged for not returning equipment to us.

is inaccurate as if the box was supplied (pre Dec 2019)  under the existing ownership terms then if you simply renewed your  TV contract (but did not receive a new Loan box) subsequently they (BT) cannot retrospectively take back ownership. 

[OJsGlove]

Thanks for the reply.

I was aware of those terms.

I think i have had this box since pre 2019.

I dont think i ever renewed my contract though, as when the tv contract ran out i just continued to receive the same package, i never upgraded to new channels or anything.

Is there a way to check for sure when the box was received or if i upgraded my tv contract??

[TimCurtis]

@OJsGlove 

You could look through your previous orders.

Don't worry about a contract renewal or upgrade , it's only if BT supplied a replacement box after the 2019 date that the new rules kick in.

[Nigly]

I've just received the same request. My Youview box is over 10 years old so under consumer laws I own it. Unless BT want to buy it back from me. I won't be sending  it to them. You can check the age of the box by googling the model number which should be located on the bottom of the box.