Bt problems getting connected

[Harmony]

Hi can anyone please help, advise me what to do next I already wrote a post about this but I lost it if it appears somewhere else my apologies. not sure if this is right place either. but here goes.
My son and wife moved house about a month ago they are both profoundly deaf so I phoned BT to cancel old house line and start a new line at new address. engineer had to connect a new line as there had been no connection in the house to exchange. BT said it would cost £122.50p my son agreed to pay this. so engineer called 1st sept. to fit line. Ihad to phone BT to get it connected which I did they told me new number etc. I kept checking cos Ihad to arrange broadband from sky for him which got connected on the 10th sept. but on 11th stopped working. I phoned the bband tech guys who said there was disturbance on the line and bb not holding.
So I phone BT to check line and was told line was cancelled cos unpaid bills first we knew of this.
My son had chose to pay by debit card on net but his computer had been packed away due to moving house for about a month he was unaware that there had been a problem them getting paid they never told him.
So I ask how much they say £284.04p he doesn't talk on phone or does his wife cos they're both deaf only need phone line for broadband. I ask for paper bill to be sent so I can see whats been going on he said 7 days to wait my son has no patience and wants his pc on so he instructs me to pay for him with his debit card I did they said 48hours it would be on.that was on monday 14thsept on wed.16th sept it not on so I phone again the girl says line not been ordered I said about monday she say that happens so she arrange to get line connected then credit checks my son and wants another £50 before they'll connect. so i paid that and that was wednesday she said 48hours and I know I didn't sound happy but she changed it to monday 21st before it be connected.
Paper bill arrived
Rental charges .....£6.78
One Off Charges...£193.81
VAT.......................£17.00
brought forward...£66.45
total....................£284.04
summary detail
rental charges £3.57 1st sept -10thsept
one off charges orders£106.52 date 1st sept connection charge for unlimited weekend plan
cancellation charges £87.29 date 13th aug charge for stopping be4 min term expired
rental charges £3.21 date 1st sept -9th sept new charge for unlimited weekend plan
I'd appreciate any thoughts on this
they disconnected him apparantly due to unpaid bills but there is no mention of that on this. I can't understand this and have they charged him £87.29 for disconnecting him when he never asked to cancel this Ithink the brought forward £66.45 could have been outstanding but for gods sake they don't need to be like this.
I phoned 150 today to get all this explained to me and Yes I did all the talking more or less what Ive written here Mr BT hung up on me so I phoned back 150 and it connected me to nuisance call woman so I asked her for billing when it connected it immediately went dead so I'm at a loss what to do now. except wait for monday and hope they connect my son's line.
I'd appreciate anyones thoughts on this to help me .
thank you I'm not an ogre I'm normally quite polite

[Amethyst]

Re: Bt problems getting connected

this '' cancellation charges £87.29 date 13th aug charge for stopping be4 min term expired '' is basically the part you have a dispute over.

standard phone line with BT on unlimited weekend plan

''
Unlimited Weekend Plan
No minimum term, unless you order a new phone line or switch to us from another provider, where a 12 month contract applies to line rental.''


Also you retained the plan just moved the service to the new house and paid the installation so had it been on a 12 month contract this would not have been terminated in your sons case.


Your son has paid the £284.04 by debit card already. So its a matter of asking that to be refunded or credited against the next bill.


How often does he usually pay his bills, and does he usually pay by debit card or direct debit.


To me it sounds like BT have cocked up, do you know where this other £50 has come from - a reconnection fee after disconnection due to unpaid bills is


from BT ''

We always charge a fee if we didn't receive payment before your line was restricted or disconnected.

• To lift Partial Restrictions from a line we charge £10 (plus VAT).
• To lift Complete Restrictions from a line we charge £20 (plus VAT).
• To reconnect a line that has been cut off completely we charge £30 (plus VAT).''

You need to look at his previous bills and payments, which if he was checking bills online he should be able to do from your connection.

As you don't seem to be getting anywhere over the phone i would put everything in writing.



Outline the complaint, list dates and contacts with BT, and tell them what resolution you want.

[Harmony]

Re: Bt problems getting connected

Thank you Amethyst for your help in this I'm hopeless at dealing with these things i get so stressed with them. I'm also recovering from a heart attack and really could do without it
My son paid every month online by debit card
The girl that was sorting out the problem after the new line was disconnected was quite aggressive like spouting regulations talking so quickly I couldn't keep up she said she needed to credit check him and then said he would need to pay another £50 which if he pay on time for 6month he get back.
I'll get him to see if we can access his bills here. but that disconnection charge is definately wrong and how can they disconnect a line that wasn't connected.
bill says Orders£106.52 date 1st Sept
Cancellation charge £87.29 Date 13th aug
So how can they disconnect a line thats not in till 1st sept hope they don't disconnect it again cos I'm arguing with them
thanks for your help I don't feel so alone Do you think the new line fee they said was £122.50 is in the £284 total cos broken down on bill orders is £106.52 . Is it any wonder people just get lost among it all. sorry for going on but its helping to tell someone. thank you for being there.

[Amethyst]

Re: Bt problems getting connected

''he would need to pay another £50 which if he pay on time for 6month he get back.''


I have absolutely no idea what that would be for, sounds completely random. Do you know how much their monthly bills usually are ?

Its less stressful dealing with it in writing, if a bit tedious. It is paid now, fingers crossed on Monday it will be all connected up, then its a matter of sorted out the bills.

It does help to write stuff down too, they make things so confusing that putting it on paper helps clear things up in your own mind - also with complaints it is best to do it in writing once the immediate connections sorted out so you have a nice paper trail to fall back on and forward to the relevant people if bt continue to be crap.

[Harmony]

Re: Bt problems getting connected

Thank you so much for help where would I send the letter to complaining about the charges? I have started to keep notes of times and dates but only since they hang up on me I've not tried phoning again.
normally bills were between £40 to £60 a month not exactly sure but will try check online here. He's been BT customer for years. If he has unpaid bills why are they not included in final bill that came or is the part on bill says" Brought forward £66.45 date 14th aug description Brought Forward."its so confusing. thanks again Amethyst

[Amethyst]

Re: Bt problems getting connected

this one might help

Customer Service Director
BT plc
Correspondence Centre
Durham
DH98 1BT



when you log in his online billing it should show if there were any arrears built up - I suspect its just the July/August bill got missed in the moving palava.

[enaid]

Re: Bt problems getting connected

''he would need to pay another £50 which if he pay on time for 6month he get back.''


I have absolutely no idea what that would be for, sounds completely random.

It is what BT charge when they have done a credit check and find its a high risk address or where there has been an unpaid bill.

[Harmony]

Re: Bt problems getting connected

About" high risk address " that may explain why we've had this treatment from them . The previous tenants were evicted, and there wasn't even a line connected to the exchange.
all utilities have massive debts from previous tenants but only BT has gave us problems. they had an immediate attitude towards me and I couldn't understand why.
I tracked the order today and it's scheduled for close of play tomorrow.
Thank you for being there I'll update tomorrow you're all marvellous help I'm just staying low key till lines connected then I'll need all your help to challenge charges. thanks again x

[Amethyst]

Re: Bt problems getting connected

When I started up with Virgin Cable i had to pay a £100 up front deposit which, if i was a good girl for a year, they then refunded.

£50 a month for six months seems rather excessive on top of your bills. Especially if you are struggling anyway and thus have a poor credit rating, finding an extra £50 would knacker people.

[enaid]

Re: Bt problems getting connected

When I started up with Virgin Cable i had to pay a £100 up front deposit which, if i was a good girl for a year, they then refunded.

£50 a month for six months seems rather excessive on top of your bills. Especially if you are struggling anyway and thus have a poor credit rating, finding an extra £50 would knacker people.

Unless I have read it wrong it is a one off payment that gets returned after 6 months if you pay on time etc.

[Amethyst]

Re: Bt problems getting connected

ahh thats not so bad then.

[Harmony]

Re: Bt problems getting connected

Hi, yes it's just the one £50 that will be refunded after he pays bills on time for 6months. It was just on top of the £284.04p was bit hard to swallow when we felt it wasn't his fault but no-one listens. Multi million £ companies are so uncaring and are constantly making mistakes and are so lax to admit it
Phone line got connected today. just need sky to connect Broadband now. Another wait.
they do scare me wish I was like all you LB team your all brilliant.
his bills normally £30-£40
With your help I will pursue the disconnection charge,"what a cheek" they have.
thanks for all your kind help so far. You're doing a great job . x