Bt Billing Complaint

cassette50

Just had the bill for the period ended 08 August. I had been connected to there broadband service but I had to return the modem as I could not get a connection to the service. I've just been charged E176.These charges are made up of BT Anytime, Broadband Plus + Installation charges. I've paid up till October 08, but as I've sent back the package I tried to have my account refunded for the advanced payments, after being intially told I was entitled to be refunded the rep came back on the line and told me that they cannot refund advance payments and that nothing could be done about it. I felt a bit pissed of as I've been charged in advance for a service I cannot receive, also I've had to pay for the Anytime package as they failed to cancel it when I upgraded, sales rep told me it would be automatically cancelledupon upgrade. Surely I must be entitled to some kind of refund. Any help appreciated. Sorry for the lack of cohesion.

Thanks

RangeR

Keep at them. I'm sure they can't just keep your money. Especially when some of it wsa their fault [not cancelling your Anytime]

Also, contact ComReg and/or small claims court.

You have to complete Esat BT's complaints process before contacting ConReg or Small Claims Court. This is generally a written letter of complain where they have 10 business days to reply. Check up on this, though. Ask BTIreland customer care what the complainst process is.

Best to keep to written correspondance after you ask, so you have a record.

dub45

cassette50 wrote:

Just had the bill for the period ended 08 August. I had been connected to there broadband service but I had to return the modem as I could not get a connection to the service. I've just been charged E176.These charges are made up of BT Anytime, Broadband Plus + Installation charges. I've paid up till October 08, but as I've sent back the package I tried to have my account refunded for the advanced payments, after being intially told I was entitled to be refunded the rep came back on the line and told me that they cannot refund advance payments and that nothing could be done about it. I felt a bit pissed of as I've been charged in advance for a service I cannot receive, also I've had to pay for the Anytime package as they failed to cancel it when I upgraded, sales rep told me it would be automatically cancelledupon upgrade. Surely I must be entitled to some kind of refund. Any help appreciated. Sorry for the lack of cohesion.

Thanks

If you are going to make a case to BT you are going to have to be more coherent.

How long have you had bb with them? Did you ever get a bb signal at all? (Was there a dsl signal present during all this time?) did you report your difficulties to their technical support?

If so what response did you get? Was it agreed with BT that you would return the equipment or did you just take it on yourself to do so? For instance did they offer you a new modem?

You will need to lay out exactly what happened step by step and what deallings you had with bt at each stage to have any hope of getting a refund from them.

cassette50

dub45 wrote:

If you are going to make a case to BT you are going to have to be more coherent.

How long have you had bb with them? Did you ever get a bb signal at all? (Was there a dsl signal present during all this time?) did you report your difficulties to their technical support?

Yes. I had broadband installed since mid July. In that time I did get a DSL signal but I kept failing the Adsl loopback test and so I could not connect to the service. I spoke on numerous occassions over the course of about three weeks with there tech support staff, and despite all there efforts, I could not get it to work and so I cancelled the service and returned the modem. I even had the lines in the house checked and they were fine.

If so what response did you get? Was it agreed with BT that you would return the equipment or did you just take it on yourself to do so? For instance did they offer you a new modem?

Yes. I spoke with the support team and they agreed that I could return the modem and cancell the service. They supplied me with an address and I returned the modem, but since then they took 3 months advance payment for a service I did not received. I have no problem paying the connction fee and first months charge, but to be charged for an extra 2 months.

I'll get back onto them today and see what they have to say.

Thanks

jor el

cassette50 wrote:

I have no problem paying the connction fee and first months charge, but to be charged for an extra 2 months.

I'll get back onto them today and see what they have to say.

Thanks

So, did broadband ever actually work for you? If it did work, and you just want to cancel the contract because you believe it has stopped working (and there must be some reason for this, faulty line/modem maybe) then I don't think they don't have to refund you. Obviously if they can't fix the problem then they should, but if you don't want to investigate it and just want to cancel then you don't really have much choice.

cassette50

No, it never worked. I was never able to pass the loopback test, so I never got to use the broadband service. This is what annoys me the most. They have taken payment in advance for a service I could not receive, and have told me that they cannot refund advanced payments, in other words- tough sh*t.

Thanks

peckerhead

Write a (more coherent) letter of complaint, with all the details and CC it to the head honcho [email="Bill.Murphy@esat.com."]Bill.Murphy@esat.com.[/email] I'd similar hassle with them last year and this sorted it out pdq...

jor el

In the case of it never working then they don't have to right to charge you anything. Don't accept the connection charge either. Not refunding advanced payments for a service they cannot supply is called fraud. Let them know this and see how you get on. If you get no joy, report them to your bank or credit card providor for false charges on your account.