Concerend that my elderly mother has been mis sold a BT package

[LisaCardy]

I am posting this on behalf of my mother who is 87 years old and has imapired hearing. She has been a BT cutomer for many years. She currently has Fibre Halo 3+ costing £55 per month, which she was sold over the telephone last summer. She has a very small house, uses a laptop to check emails and FaceBook messages, does not have a smart (or even mobile!) phone, she does watch TV via the interenet but just BBC etc (she does not have Netflix or any other streaming packages) and does not do any internet gaming! So, her interent use is very minimal and she does not need wifi through her small house. Surely Fibre Halo 3+ is superfluous to her requirements (being twice as much as a more basic package) and she should have been offered a range of cheaper options? Why didn't the BT person assess the most appropriate package based on her actual use? SHe is now locked into this package until the summer of 2026.  Lisa Cardy

[edbostan]

There is a section on  vulnerable customers on the Ofcom website and the way media companies should treat them.

[graybag]

Hello Lisa,

        Just to say I had a very similar experience.I'd had an email towards the end of my last Contract which appeared to offer me the same deal for £5 a Month cheaper.I spoke to a nice Young Man on the phone and in the conversation told him I lived in a small Flat and don't use Wifi.However he said that Halo3+ was a "no-brainer" and that I'd also receive a box to get me back on-line should my Broadband fail,also a "no-brainer"- just put it in a cupboard (where it still is,unopened) in case I ever need it.Although I stressed throughout the conversation that I did not want to pay any more I have ended up paying aboout £25 MORE per month than before.This was about a year ago  - I'm 75 years old and was too embarrassed to query it at the time.

                   Reading here,it seems like I'll be tied to the high Halo3+ Packet going forward.

         However,I will add that,in general,I am pleased with my BT Broadband experience and EETV Box Pro performance and use.Also I would imagine that,for some people,the Halo3+ is probably very suitable and useful,but I do feel I was mis-sold it!

         Graham

[Christopher_G]

Hi @LisaCardy 

Welcome to the community.

Do you know if your Mother's has been registered as vulnerable on her account? I'd definitely recommend having a chat with our Customer Support team so that they make sure it's flagged going forward. They can also look into the way the contract was sold at the time and take a look over the account to see if there's anything they can do.

Please keep us updated here on what happens.

Chris

[celdor]

I would agree with @Christopher_G . I went that route for my 84yo sis in law. They were very helpful her bills were over £100 p m and are now half that. As above she was "upgraded" on a phone call and didnt know any better.