BT still running up a bill despite changing provider.

[SleepySamurai86]

( PLEASE READ - This dates back to 05-12-2022 on post over on money saving expert forum )

Today I received a letter from BT, to my confusion I opened it and had a big £366.17 bill on it!

To my horror I was like surely this is a scam, nope its legit from BT, realised my account was still active despite I changed Broadband and Phone over to SKY around middle of MAY 2022 ( change over was 31.05.22 ). So I contacted BT to follow up and find out why I owe them. Short story is they told me there was a transfer of service made back in MAY however not a transfer of line.

Checking my emails I pulled up a BT email aptly named "Sorry to hear your leaving" it had my switch over date etc for BROADBAND & TELEPHONE, the email is dated 18.05.22........strange. BT confirming both services would be switching to SKY yet its now December 2022 and they send me a bill for the last 6 months. I press them as to why and they said they only cancelled my contract in 23.11.22 cause the bill was overly large then sent letter demanding I pay it. Yet I no longer have BT services, my account was still open and should've been closed after my final payment was made in MAY. Someone at BT hasn't closed my account and was still charging me £70.79 per month however with my DIRECT DEBIT cancelled during the switchover I'm left to believe BT knows this and is trying to swindle money out of me at the worst time possible.

I'm waiting for contact back from SKY as BT has requested SKY to foot the bill as isn't my fault.....but my belief is BT is at fault given they sent emails out regarding my leave date and confirmation of both services being switched to SKY.

Curious as to if anyone has any insight to this or has experienced the same thing? ( I was informed by SKY that the switch over would be effortless as the SKY TEAM would contact BT to arrange everything and save me the hassle of waiting on hold via telephone )

[SleepySamurai86]

UPDATE: Today I woke up to find BT slipped me a pleasant email basically threatening me with DEBT COLLECTORS!

Now keep in mind I received their letter to pay this bill on the 05-12-2022 and its now 14-12-2022. I tried emailing SKY but got wrong section since couldn't get through on the phoneline. Only days after complaining to BT where I setup a complaint and was given a complaint reference, days later email stating Complaint has been resolved and now closed? 

So my initial thought was someone looked into it at BT and resolved the issue.....apparently not as they sent me a email threatening to hand this off to debt collectors. I am really not in the mood right now given BT is now beginning to get on my nerves. They claim its SKY's fault and some of you say contact SKY but why is BT acting so fast and aggressive. Almost makes it look like a SCAM is at play here and BT is trying to defraud me for someone else's mistake.

I will continue to try get through to the correct SKY representative but have been flat out at work and wont have any free time to sit down and pull my hair out over a phone call till at least next Monday ( 19-12-2022 ) but by then I'll probably have a DEBT COLLECTOR letter in the mail trying to force me to pay this triple digit bill despite BT rep I spoke to claiming "Don't worry, its not your fault, were here to help." 

Then why are you threatening me with Debt Collectors? Seems like even BT doesn't want to acknowledge there is a giant muck up between them and SKY, sure I'm not the only one who has encountered this nonsense.

What are my options if SKY gives me the cold shoulder and says not our problem?, I know I could take this up with the financial ombudsman and hand them all the emails and proof I haven't been with BT for the last 6 months despite them ringing up a bill in MY NAME ( surely that's some type of corporate fraud? )

Or am I doomed to be harassed by debt collectors until the day I die?

[SleepySamurai86]

This is really annoying and infuriating knowing BT has passed on my personal details to a debt collection agency without my knowledge given the situation. I owe BT nothing and until I can get in touch with SKY to try find out if the fault is there side or BT is just straight telling fibs to me.

I've never been in debt and now this is looming over my shoulder, BT should be ashamed for jumping the gun so fast on this, not once did they contact me back in June when they rung up bill IN MY NAME ( which I'm sure given they had no permission from me after the direct debit was terminated end of MAY 2022 so surely that's corporate fraud to some degree.

I have Email from BT stating my termination dates for BROADBAND AND LINE and sorry to see me go yet here we are 6 months later and BT shoving a bill down my throat....correction soon to be harassed by debt collectors for no fault on my behalf, I used to enjoy being a BT customer but cost became to high given I was out of contract and paying £70.66 for slow broadband!

I'd really appreciate any help from anyone on this matter as I now have a DEBT COLLECTION agency probably about to start harassing my phone for the rest of December 😞 and sending letter after letter.

Really is last thing I wanted right now is to be hounded by a company that has messed up somewhere and trying to make me pay for THEIR mistakes. Lucky if I get any sleep tonight.

[garybs29]

If the transfer never completed properly it's not BT's fault as they don't have any control over it, it's all gaining provider led/managed

[RobbieMac]

Hi @SleepySamurai86

Welcome to the BT Community and thank you for your post!

I am sorry that you've received this large bill given the fact that you moved your line and broadband to another provider earlier in the year.  I also understand that you've received a letter from a collection agency off the back of this.

I can understand your concern.  We can check this out further to find out exactly what happened.  I have sent you a private message with instructions on how you can send us over your details and we'll look into this for you. See: Private messages

Thanks,

Robbie