Vulnerable pensioner nan mis-sold 900mbps

[natashajay]

Today an engineer from EE came to my nans house and informed her she had been misled into being put on a plan for 900mbps, with Halo 3 and free wifi package. As a vulnerable pensioner who lives alone, the sales team were made aware that she only uses two devices in a standard home, but somehow they sold her a plan that had the internet speed to power ‘a small business’, luckily I caught this during the 14 day cool off period and Ofcom’s General Conditions for Vulnerable Customers state BT are legally obligated to ensure she is on a fair tariff suitable for her needs, so i assumed this would be resolved quickly and fairly by simply calling customer support to issue a refund and switch to a more suitable plan. However, when I called the customer service team to ask to put my nan on a fibre 2 plan and strip the unnecessary add-ons I was repeatedly stonewalled despite stating she is in her cool off period and a vulnerable woman who has been sold an inappropriate plan. I spent three hours on the phone to multiple call centre staff who lied about how much it would be to move to a lower speed (£86), who refused to give me the call reference number and refused to pass me to their manager to speak to, some even hung up on me! I explained multiple times that she is a vulnerable old woman who has been sold the wrong plan and I am within my rights in the 14 day cool off period to amend this. After speaking to 6 sales people in the space of three hours and getting nowhere I asked for a deadlock letter because I was under the impression this customer service is violating Ofcom’s regulations, I was hung up on again and no one gave me a deadlock letter. I couldn’t even get them to revert my vulnerable pensioner nan to a fair plan in her cool off period, let alone ask for a refund for the year she has been overpaying for her broadband. I have been completely stonewalled and the only option would be to change providers, how can I get past this stonewall and ensure my vulnerable nan isn’t misled and sold the most expensive package again?

[Kimberlin]

@natashajay  Send your story to your local newspaper and to BBC Watchdog:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/2DQwStWpWjfYJQprQFN70TS/watchdog-on-the-one-show

[Ali_A]

HI @natashajay 

Sorry to hear that you feel your grandmother may be on package that is in excess of her requirements. 
 
We want to give all our customers an excellent service but if you feel your situation hasn't been handled the way you had hoped we want you to know how we can fix it. Please visit our Complaints code of practice page for details about our handling process.

If you'd like to raise a case please visit Make a Complaint where our dedicated team will look into the details, take ownership and get in touch with you. 

Ali

[imjolly]

@natashajay 

use the code of practice link and then send email to the customer resolutions team they are the Executive level complaints and you should get response and assistance

[iniltous]

Clearly EE is the appropriate place to complain, as BT are not the provider posting here is inappropriate , what is odd though is the statement that an EE engineer visited the house , even if this is a mistake and it were an Openreach engineer acting on behalf of EE , they are instructed to make no comment on the end users ISP or their relationship with them , else be accused of favouring or disparaging individual ISPs , this can land the OR tech in considerable trouble as it breaks Openreach ‘equivalence’ undertakings with Ofcom .

[garybs29]

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@iniltouswrote:

Clearly EE is the appropriate place to complain, as BT are not the provider posting here is inappropriate , what is odd though is the statement that an EE engineer visited the house , even if this is a mistake and it were an Openreach engineer acting on behalf of EE , they are instructed to make no comment on the end users ISP or their relationship with them , else be accused of favouring or disparaging individual ISPs , this can land the OR tech in considerable trouble as it breaks Openreach ‘equivalence’ undertakings with Ofcom .

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See, I'd say EE too but they specifically mention halo 3 which is a BT package not an EE one so I'm wondering if the mention of EE is an error

[Kimberlin]

This whole BT/EE thing appears on the face of it, to be a mess. EE are BT irrespective of what brand name they appear to be choosing to confuse some of their customers. This is clearly apparent from numerous accounts of folks calling BT only for some to be ‘guided’ (allegedly) to the EE side of the business. Funny how there aren’t any stories of EE guiding customers back to BT?

The apparent/alleged staff sharing from forums to call centres to engineers is all a bit dim. They really ought to get their act together.

[chrisjp]

I'm afraid this is what happens when you incentivise all your call centre staff with commissions for upselling. Ofcom should prevent ISPs from doing this.

[garybs29]

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@chrisjpwrote:
I'm afraid this is what happens when you incentivise all your call centre staff with commissions for upselling. Ofcom should prevent ISPs from doing this.

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What a fantastic idea. "Oh sorry customer I'm not allowed to upsell you the brroadband you want as Ofcom have said I can't"

[natashajay]

Unfortunately my vulnerable nan didn’t want 900mbps, Halo 3 and free wifi discs, she is with BT and the engineer was sent on behalf of EE who informed me of this, they misled my nan into getting this package and I have call recordings of calling the line listed online for vulnerable customers and getting through to the billings team who stonewalled me again.