Cancellation of BTTV under contract.

[OwenB1]

I have tried phoning BT to no avail and as a result I am considering a complaint to the ombudsman.  

I took out a contract for BTTV in August, I have since hit severe financial difficulty and can no longer even afford the essentials TV package, as a result I have tried to cancel and because I am unable to afford it but they are still expecting me to pay the termination fee, which I can't afford so I'm in a damned if you do and damned if you don't mind if situation.

I spoke to a supervisor on the phone who flat out told me that the contract cannot be cancelled, I am being kep in a situation that I cannot afford and as a result BT are knowingly putting me into debt.

I wish to cancel my BT TV package without charge and advise that if I can't I will take this further.

[stereohaven]

Sorry to hear you are experiencing financial difficulties, we are mostly customers here but hopefully a mod will pick up your request.

Sadly, I'm not sure there is much anyone can do. I guess you can raise a complaint (BT seem to use them to track everything whether it is a complaint or not), but they are not obligated to release you from a contract.

Your best hope may be to negotiate the exit costs down, hopefully the mods can point you in the right direction.

From BT's perspective, I suspect they have to make a judgement on what they believe is a real hardship versus someone who is just trying to get out of a contract they don't fancy any longer.

[rbz5416]

Unfortunately those are the terms you agreed to when you signed up. I suspect your only hope may be to complain to Ofcom that the two year term is unfair & unjustified. The first step would be to put your case to BT in writing, with any evidence you can provide of the change in your circumstances. Depending on their response you can then ask for a  deadlock letter & contact Ofcom. You can also escalate if eight weeks have elapsed from your initial complaint.

BT plc, PO Box 334, Sheffield, S98 1BT

https://www.ofcom.org.uk/complaints/complain-about-phones-or-internet-services/contracts

[Les-Gibson]

This is an old article now but you might still find it informative, don't be put off by the website name, it is a genuine site.

Whether it will help or not is another matter but it might be worth a try.

What is a letter of hardship?
This is a letter you write to a lender, credit card issuer or bank when facing financial hardship. The letter aims to notify the lender of your situation and request a modification or adjustment of the outstanding debt.

How to prove financial hardship | The Motley Fool UK