BT dilemma

anthonymcg · 21-02-2006 12:35pm #1

Hi folks,

I've been with EsatBT for almost a year and a half now. Initially signed up for the free trial and continued to use the system as I was happy thereafter. Problem is that they have never billed me. I have the money put aside but I'm pissed about the fact that they don't seem to want to sort it out. I've been on to customer service who admitted it was a widespread problem and they promised to sort it out. I'm on hold at the moment trying to get them as it hasn't been and I'm getting increasingly disillusioned.

I phoned NTL last night to find out if their broadband was available and apparently it is now (it wasn't when I signed up to BT). Thing is I've had nothing from BT at all, not even a letter in the post. How do I know what contract I have with them and if I can cancel it? The speed hasn't been great of late but the service has been consistent. Cheers for any advice.

ai ing · 21-02-2006 1:17pm

Go with NTL if thier available as they seem to be though you will probably want to confirm that before you cancel BT.

As you have been with BT for over a year you are definitley out of the contract so all you need to do is contact them and tell them you want to cancel - get ready for the bill for the whole time you havent paid though, they usually sort it out when you are leaving.

skyhighflyer · 21-02-2006 2:20pm

BT could swing for their money if I were you. I know my contract law and I'm fairly sure there would be scope for arguing that 'a reasonably prompt and efficient billing service' is an implied term of the service contract with BT. As they have breached this implied term then you should be entitled to repudiate the contract or get damages...Get the right judge and he could say that it's BT's problem altogether...

cgarvey · 21-02-2006 2:57pm

Jaysus skyhighflyer, what the hell are you at?

Sponge Bob · 21-02-2006 3:06pm

BT use some very very scummy debt collectors who will threaten to skin your dog before your eyes after it has been made to eat your kittens first .

If you wanna go breach of contract (which it indeed is) you should give them a final warning by registered post that you expect them to bill you accurately AND in full by date xx 2006, nice and short and to the point. State that as you see it the contract between you will be null and void if their billing system is not up billing you accurately AND in full by date xx 2006.

On or before date xx 2006 you must unplug the DSL modem and never EVER use it again, if it is theirs send it back by registered post to HQ .

Get a solicitor to write that letter for you or at least to correct it.

skyhighflyer · 21-02-2006 7:13pm

cgarvey wrote:

Jaysus skyhighflyer, what the hell are you at?

I don't understand the question

parsi · 21-02-2006 10:47pm

Maybe he's saying that if you "know my contract law" then you should be more than "fairly sure" ?

istep · 21-02-2006 11:01pm

anthonymcg wrote:

Hi folks,

I've been with EsatBT for almost a year and a half now. Initially signed up for the free trial and continued to use the system as I was happy thereafter. Problem is that they have never billed me. I have the money put aside but I'm pissed about the fact that they don't seem to want to sort it out. I've been on to customer service who admitted it was a widespread problem and they promised to sort it out. I'm on hold at the moment trying to get them as it hasn't been and I'm getting increasingly disillusioned.

I phoned NTL last night to find out if their broadband was available and apparently it is now (it wasn't when I signed up to BT). Thing is I've had nothing from BT at all, not even a letter in the post. How do I know what contract I have with them and if I can cancel it? The speed hasn't been great of late but the service has been consistent. Cheers for any advice.

Am I the only one who can't see a problem here !!

dub45 · 21-02-2006 11:33pm

istep wrote:

Am I the only one who can't see a problem here !!

Hopefully:rolleyes:

dub45 · 21-02-2006 11:35pm

skyhighflyer wrote:

BT could swing for their money if I were you. I know my contract law and I'm fairly sure there would be scope for arguing that 'a reasonably prompt and efficient billing service' is an implied term of the service contract with BT. As they have breached this implied term then you should be entitled to repudiate the contract or get damages...Get the right judge and he could say that it's BT's problem altogether...

It is far from wise to lightly advise someone not to pay a bill (even if it has not been presented yet. The poster is in my opinion wisely trying to suss out his postion and he deserves far more than 'fairly sure' when there is the real possiblity of debt collectors being brought in.

cgarvey · 22-02-2006 12:46am

skyhighflyer wrote:

I don't understand the question

See dub45's post, if you genuinely don't

cgarvey · 22-02-2006 12:55am

anthonymcg wrote:

How do I know what contract I have with them and if I can cancel it?

Have you got any e-bills / online account details that will tell you when the trial ended? Any luck on the phone? Older signups were for a minimum of 12 months, and more recent sign ups are for a min of 6 months.

Contrary to other advice here, I think you'd have a very weak case were you to refuse to pay, given that you signed up to the service knowing the costs, and were prepared to continue to use it, even if you felt there was QoS issues.

Anywho, if you don't have access to that info online (logging into BT website), then your best bet is to keep trying to phone BT to at least find out whether you have any of your minimum contract left.

.cg

dub45 · 22-02-2006 1:35am

anthonymcg wrote:

Hi folks,

I've been with EsatBT for almost a year and a half now. Initially signed up for the free trial and continued to use the system as I was happy thereafter. Problem is that they have never billed me. I have the money put aside but I'm pissed about the fact that they don't seem to want to sort it out. I've been on to customer service who admitted it was a widespread problem and they promised to sort it out. I'm on hold at the moment trying to get them as it hasn't been and I'm getting increasingly disillusioned.

I phoned NTL last night to find out if their broadband was available and apparently it is now (it wasn't when I signed up to BT). Thing is I've had nothing from BT at all, not even a letter in the post. How do I know what contract I have with them and if I can cancel it? The speed hasn't been great of late but the service has been consistent. Cheers for any advice.

I know it may sound harsh but it really is your own responsiblity to know this. When you commit to bb or any contract you should take note of exactly what you sign up for and when. ISP's often dont make it easy I know and we are all too casual about it but it is our own fault primarliy if we lack this information. Are you sure that Esat have never made a bill available to you online?

As someone else has pointed out normally when you want to leave an isp (after you initial contract has expired and yours certainly would have if you are with them for 18 months) it is only a matter of giving a month's notice.

anthonymcg · 24-02-2006 1:27pm

Thanks for the replies folks. Sorry I'm only getting around to posting back now.

It seems that a friend I have in BT has chased it up since (tbh I didn't think he'd be able to considering he doesn't work in that department). I should have a resolution to it by Monday. I didn't really want to go down the dispute road as I've been happy with the connection for the most part and was aware I owed them money. Trying to get customer service on the phone at the end of last week and also this week was a nightmare. Somehow the callback service they use never really wants to call me back.

I'm still considering on whether to move or not as the speeds I'm getting since "the upgrade" are nowhere near what I should be getting but I'll leave that for another thread. Will post again when I get it sorted which should be early next week.

BT dilemma

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