View Full Version : BT a tale of woe woe woe
Our direct debit comes out of our account on 28th each month and has done for years. The DD was taken on the 28th May but for some inexplicable reason BT went in and tried to take the DD on 15th June, - there wasnt enough money in so they tried again on 23rd June. The first i knew about this was on the 26th June when i found our phone line was restricted to incoming calls only. I phoned BT and after being told i hadnt paid my direct debit when it was two days before it was due I was given a gushing apology and told my line would be reconnected and my DD set up again.
Line duly reconnected and I relaxed. Three weeks later line is disconnected again - this time no incoming calls and cant even phone BT. I phone them on my mobile and use about £10 of credit. Because my line is disconnected when i put in my phone number it wont give you the option to speak to a real person. The options are "pay it", "tell us you are paying it" or tell us you have "paid it". BY holding on and not pressing anything i get through to a customer service person who shouts at me and tells me - YOU havent paid your bill. Who is going to pay it. I cant seem to make this person understand what has happened. I hang up in disgust. I phone and use the "we will call you back service" - no call back. I call again and the assistant says they cant help me but someone will call me back -no one does. I phone agin the following day and get a young man who says he cant understand what happened but he puts me through to Terry - a nice scouse laddie. He is very apologetic and says that the previous person didnt set up my direct debit whichis why i have been disconnected again. He reconnects my line and promises he has set up a direct debit.
I then get a letter saying You must pay this whole bill by 11.8.2010. I phone BT and wait and finally get to speak to a real person. They say they cant deal with my query and they will get a manager to call me back - no one does so iphone again. They say "Oh im sorry madam but your direct debit hasnt been set up". They then takes my bank details again and set up my direct debit. Yesterday I tried to make a call and i am once again cut off. I phone BT and speak to someone who says "Im very sorry madam but this is our policy" I explain politely that i dont give a flying fig for their policy andi dont want to hear it again. I just want them to put me through to someone who can help me. They say they cant do that and they will get amanager to phone me back within 24hours. Guess what - no one has phoned.
I am taking deep breaths before phoning them again. Any ideas how i make this whole frustrating and unpleasant roundabout stop? I cant afford to pay my bill all at once.
You could always pay BT the way I do. I have a BT Card and everytime I am in the Post Office to collect my Pension I pay some money over the counter with the BT Card.
I have paid BT like this for about 12 Years and I have never had a problem and usually when I receive my Bill I am in Credit. If I am not in Credit I will only owe just a few Pounds, usually less than £10.
I find this a real easy way to pay and you also have complete control. You do not have to worry when money is taken out of your accont, or if there is money in your account.
If a month comes around that you have less money for any reason, no problem, as you just make up your payments next month. There are no set amounts to pay as you pay what you can afford.
Another good thing is that you can check on your Paymebts online as well as your calls. This way you always know if you have paid enough for when your bill arrives.
Give BT a call and ask about there Payment scheme via the BT Card, it is really easy to use and in my opinion much better than DD.
Our direct debit comes out of our account on 28th each month and has done for years. The DD was taken on the 28th May but for some inexplicable reason BT went in and tried to take the DD on 15th June, - there wasnt enough money in so they tried again on 23rd June. The first i knew about this was on the 26th June when i found our phone line was restricted to incoming calls only. I phoned BT and after being told i hadnt paid my direct debit when it was two days before it was due I was given a gushing apology and told my line would be reconnected and my DD set up again.
Line duly reconnected and I relaxed. Three weeks later line is disconnected again - this time no incoming calls and cant even phone BT. I phone them on my mobile and use about £10 of credit. Because my line is disconnected when i put in my phone number it wont give you the option to speak to a real person. The options are "pay it", "tell us you are paying it" or tell us you have "paid it". BY holding on and not pressing anything i get through to a customer service person who shouts at me and tells me - YOU havent paid your bill. Who is going to pay it. I cant seem to make this person understand what has happened. I hang up in disgust. I phone and use the "we will call you back service" - no call back. I call again and the assistant says they cant help me but someone will call me back -no one does. I phone agin the following day and get a young man who says he cant understand what happened but he puts me through to Terry - a nice scouse laddie. He is very apologetic and says that the previous person didnt set up my direct debit whichis why i have been disconnected again. He reconnects my line and promises he has set up a direct debit.
I then get a letter saying You must pay this whole bill by 11.8.2010. I phone BT and wait and finally get to speak to a real person. They say they cant deal with my query and they will get a manager to call me back - no one does so iphone again. They say "Oh im sorry madam but your direct debit hasnt been set up". They then takes my bank details again and set up my direct debit. Yesterday I tried to make a call and i am once again cut off. I phone BT and speak to someone who says "Im very sorry madam but this is our policy" I explain politely that i dont give a flying fig for their policy andi dont want to hear it again. I just want them to put me through to someone who can help me. They say they cant do that and they will get amanager to phone me back within 24hours. Guess what - no one has phoned.
I am taking deep breaths before phoning them again. Any ideas how i make this whole frustrating and unpleasant roundabout stop? I cant afford to pay my bill all at once.
so you were reconnected and then after 3 weeks you stil hadnt paid the bill?
insted of relaxing for 3 weeks you should have paid the bill. then youd have no probs
Hope this page helps you, I have found in the past that only a call to the CEO is the only way to get problems sorted at BT..
Good Luck !!
http://www.btcomplaint.com/2009/09/complaint-to-bt-ceo-ian-livingston.html
ciderally
20-Aug-10, 16:44
insist on speaking to a manager now ...they will try and put you off , but you have to insist, then file a complaint that you want to esculate on how you have been treated ...
Welcomefamily
20-Aug-10, 16:47
Perhaps Pegasus it would help if you read the post, you do know what a direct debt is and how they work. All three of ours were all taken out early as well.
so you were reconnected and then after 3 weeks you stil hadnt paid the bill?
insted of relaxing for 3 weeks you should have paid the bill. then youd have no probs
No pegasus you misunderstood me - i have paid my BT bill for the last five years by monthly direct debit. At all these phone calls I was assured my direct debit would continue. I didnt sit there not paying - As far as i knew I was paying it - I was told my direct debit had been set up again. I have continued to be told this and today i have spoken to someone and they have told me again that it will be reconnected and my direct debit set up. Watch this space.
Hey ho.....
No pegasus you misunderstood me - i have paid my BT bill for the last five years by monthly direct debit. At all these phone calls I was assured my direct debit would continue. I didnt sit there not paying - As far as i knew I was paying it - I was told my direct debit had been set up again. I have continued to be told this and today i have spoken to someone and they have told me again that it will be reconnected and my direct debit set up. Watch this space.
Hey ho.....
my mistake. sorry
Welcomefamily
20-Aug-10, 19:00
I think it was an error with BT as they were meant to be changing peoples multi accounts (internet / vision /phone etc) across to one last month with one DD coming out on the 28th according to our letter. Instead three came out on the 26th.
Just ask for the cancellations department! It's funny how quick companies can fix a problem when you no longer wish to give them your money!
achingale
20-Aug-10, 19:29
What an absolute nightmare!! I do hope you get it sorted out. Can the bank not help somehow? I do not know what they could do but you never know...Now, take another few deep breaths and keep calm. Then give them what for!!! ;)
orkneycadian
21-Aug-10, 03:56
Any ideas how i make this whole frustrating and unpleasant roundabout stop? I cant afford to pay my bill all at once.
Get e hell out of there and sign up to another provider. I got fed up of BT and their £9 charge simply to pay their bill. Post Office phones charge nothing to pay the bill, which is an awful lot less than it was with BT. And their call centre is in the UK, not India.
Simples.
What an absolute nightmare!! I do hope you get it sorted out. Can the bank not help somehow? I do not know what they could do but you never know...Now, take another few deep breaths and keep calm. Then give them what for!!! ;)
The bank will help by charging £5 now (used to be £30) for each returned payment :eek:
purplelady
21-Aug-10, 14:08
have been having the same problems with bt for months now i have mine set for the 5th and guess what they try to take it out early i wud move but you still have to have a bt line i belevie x
cuddlepop
21-Aug-10, 14:46
have been having the same problems with bt for months now i have mine set for the 5th and guess what they try to take it out early i wud move but you still have to have a bt line i belevie x
Its not a brilliant speed for your broadband but we moved to vodafone which costs us £25 a month with nothing to pay to bt its all with vodafone.
Good luck.:D
Really is just disgusting what these big compaines put us little folk through, they think we'll stand and take it. Your most likely best off switching to another company who gives their customers the care and attention they deserve.
Really is just disgusting what these big compaines put us little folk through, they think we'll stand and take it. Your most likely best off switching to another company who gives their customers the care and attention they deserve.
I agree it sends shivers down my spine.
Whitewater
22-Aug-10, 21:58
Got shot of BT years ago, keep getting regular letters asking me to return but that is out of the question as ther call centre is now in India.
Just come back after staying with elderly (even older than me!) friend in south and was worried I couldn't contact her even after leaving message. Finally spoke this morning and found she is having similar problems except that she is with Talk Talk. She finally got throught to someone and was told problem with direct debit. Apparently same thing happened last year.
What is it with these people? Do they not want customers? Do they think of the effect on the old for whom it is very worrying. My friend cannot phone out and is off to the bank to try and sort it but I doubt if they can. Fortunately she is mobile but there must be people who would be completely cut off and unable to deal with this sort of nonsense.
orkneycadian
10-Dec-10, 22:00
The latest phone bill from the Post Office through the door today. Thats about 9 months I've been with them since "sacking" BT for being hopeless, useless and worthless, and charging something like £10 to pay your bill.
Post Office - £30.64 for line rental, £3.70 for calls (2 hours 47 minutes worth!), both ex VAT. The simplest laid out bill you could ever ask for (2 sheets of paper, 1 of which has hardly anything on it) which will get paid the morns morning at the Post Office, with cash, at no extra charge.
Does anyone still actually use BT?
I do and... I'm cancelling lol.
lindsaymcc
10-Dec-10, 22:30
We do for line rental only. Everything else is with Sky. I needed to pay BT for 12mnths before Sky can take over as we had just moved into the property. Roll on April when I can get rid of them!
That aside though, I havent had any trouble with the direct debits unless the 4th falls on a monday..... in which case I always make sure the money is the right account by the thursday night, as sometimes it can be taken on the friday or latest the saturday!
orkneycadian
10-Dec-10, 22:33
I havent had any trouble with the direct debits
Advice from Trading Standards over here has been to never give out your bank account details to anyone untrustworthy.
Thats BT and Direct Debits scuppered then!
Used the dirty word contact offcom, once you been in contact offcom, they will contact BT, by god BT will answer you, my OH been in contact with offcom, overseas call centre had poor english, got an apology from BT and a call from a british call centre, the overseas call centre had to go on an proper english speaking course, we only deal with BT via email and if we also demand a british call centre to deal with our complaints,not an overseas centre.
Our direct debit comes out of our account on 28th each month and has done for years. The DD was taken on the 28th May but for some inexplicable reason BT went in and tried to take the DD on 15th June, - there wasnt enough money in so they tried again on 23rd June. The first i knew about this was on the 26th June when i found our phone line was restricted to incoming calls only. I phoned BT and after being told i hadnt paid my direct debit when it was two days before it was due I was given a gushing apology and told my line would be reconnected and my DD set up again.
Line duly reconnected and I relaxed. Three weeks later line is disconnected again - this time no incoming calls and cant even phone BT. I phone them on my mobile and use about £10 of credit. Because my line is disconnected when i put in my phone number it wont give you the option to speak to a real person. The options are "pay it", "tell us you are paying it" or tell us you have "paid it". BY holding on and not pressing anything i get through to a customer service person who shouts at me and tells me - YOU havent paid your bill. Who is going to pay it. I cant seem to make this person understand what has happened. I hang up in disgust. I phone and use the "we will call you back service" - no call back. I call again and the assistant says they cant help me but someone will call me back -no one does. I phone agin the following day and get a young man who says he cant understand what happened but he puts me through to Terry - a nice scouse laddie. He is very apologetic and says that the previous person didnt set up my direct debit whichis why i have been disconnected again. He reconnects my line and promises he has set up a direct debit.
I then get a letter saying You must pay this whole bill by 11.8.2010. I phone BT and wait and finally get to speak to a real person. They say they cant deal with my query and they will get a manager to call me back - no one does so iphone again. They say "Oh im sorry madam but your direct debit hasnt been set up". They then takes my bank details again and set up my direct debit. Yesterday I tried to make a call and i am once again cut off. I phone BT and speak to someone who says "Im very sorry madam but this is our policy" I explain politely that i dont give a flying fig for their policy andi dont want to hear it again. I just want them to put me through to someone who can help me. They say they cant do that and they will get amanager to phone me back within 24hours. Guess what - no one has phoned.
I am taking deep breaths before phoning them again. Any ideas how i make this whole frustrating and unpleasant roundabout stop? I cant afford to pay my bill all at once.
I say cancel and go elsewhere if you can. It's not worth the hassle.
Martin's idea is also a good one as its worked for my partner a few times ;)
orkneycadian
11-Dec-10, 13:49
contact offcom, they will contact BT, by god BT will answer you
Been there, done that, got the head shaped hole in the wall to prove it....
Far easier to switch.
Before I switched to Post Office phones, I phoned up their customer support line to see what happened. It went something like....
Ring ring, Ring ring....
Post Office "Hello Post Office Phones - How can I help you?"
Me - "Hello - Are you in the UK?"
Post Office - "Er, yes we are - Why do you ask?"
Me - "I'm thinking of switching to you from BT and wanted to see what your customer service was like first."
Post Office - "Oh right! Well, yes, I am based in [wherever]"
Me - "Ok, so if I had a fault on my phone, who would I need to speak to?"
Post Office - "That would be me"
Me - "And if I had a query on my bill?"
Post Office - "Me again"
Me "How much do you charge me to pay my bill?"
Post Office - "Nothing"
Me - "Do you effectively blackmail me to give you my bank account details, and financially penalise me if I don't?"
Post Office - "Nope."
Me - "How come you dont have an automated answering system with press 1 for this, press 2 for that, etc?"
Post Office - "Cos we don't - We like to speak to our customers"
Me - "Ok, you've sold it for me, where do I sign up?"
Post Office - "Give me your details and I'll arrange it all for you!"
BT were not long in trying to poach me back after the switch. The call to them explaining why I had left, and why I was not coming back was great fun! A bit like the above, but with lots of err's, umms and subject changing from the BT rep! [lol]
The post office are brilliant - check out their broadband deals too ;)
Where / how do you contact Post Office? I never knew that side existed (don't get out much!) What's their number etc, how soon can you be connected, as I'm sure bt will want a severence fee as I'm contracted to and connected to their broadband and supposed 'free' evening calls, cant remember how long I've left on that, so any advice will be gratefully received thanks. G. :(.
orkneycadian
11-Dec-10, 16:57
You can find more info, and contact them via here (http://www2.postoffice.co.uk/broadband-phone/home-phone-broadband/home-phone?RMGPOPPC=Post%20Office%20Phones)
These guys just do Broadband up here, but by far the best customer service I've had with an ISP (and believe me I've tried a lot) is Andrews & Arnold (AAISP) (http://www.aaisp.net.uk/).
The problem with the Post Office etc up here is they still have to deal with BT, If you're somewhere that can get a BE line or even a Virgin line then I'd go with them over BT. Unfortunately BT is your only option up here.
Regardless of who your phoneline or broadband is with BT ulimately control the backend.
These guys just do Broadband up here, but by far the best customer service I've had with an ISP (and believe me I've tried a lot) is Andrews & Arnold (AAISP)
Regardless of who your phoneline or broadband is with BT ulimately control the backend.
They don't here.
They don't here.
Yeah when I was in Dundee, it was heaven not having to put up with BT, I've no idea how one company can fail so much, at some point even if just by accident they have to do something right.
Thanks for that folks, I'm off to have a look see, thanks again. G. :D
orkneycadian
11-Dec-10, 20:50
The problem with the Post Office etc up here is they still have to deal with BT, ..... Unfortunately BT is your only option up here.
Regardless of who your phoneline or broadband is with BT ulimately control the backend.
Not fairly (but not far off it!). Its Openreach that operate the network. Sure, they are a subsidiary of BT, but they are not the same bit of the company you deal with as a consumer, and live on the other side of a Chinese wall from the division you get if you dial 150/154, etc
If you are a BT customer, and you have a fault on your line, BT raise it with Openreach who sort the snag out.
If you are a Post Office customer, and you have a fault on your line, Post Office raise it with Openreach who sort the snag out.
The advantage with Post Office is that you deal with a human being in a call centre in the UK, then they go and tackle it with an automated system, or a call centre in India on your behalf. I would rather that than have to deal with Robo-Call or India myself!
I fell out with BT some while ago over them helping themselves to my money whenever they felt like it and not on the due dates.
Now with PIPEX for free calls 24/7, unlimited broadband and the phone line, which I pay all inclusive to them monthly. On the breakdown for the bill the landline is less than a tenner, with BT it would have been far more. Any problem with the line PIPEX get in touch with Openreach direct and it is sorted.
Will look at Post office deal now to compare. Previously there was nothing to compare my package with.
Personally I would do without a landline if BT was the only option........and they know it.
Not fairly (but not far off it!). Its Openreach that operate the network. Sure, they are a subsidiary of BT, but they are not the same bit of the company you deal with as a consumer, and live on the other side of a Chinese wall from the division you get if you dial 150/154, etc
If you are a BT customer, and you have a fault on your line, BT raise it with Openreach who sort the snag out.
If you are a Post Office customer, and you have a fault on your line, Post Office raise it with Openreach who sort the snag out.
The advantage with Post Office is that you deal with a human being in a call centre in the UK, then they go and tackle it with an automated system, or a call centre in India on your behalf. I would rather that than have to deal with Robo-Call or India myself!
When I used to work at BT at uni and before that I used to give out and post online the direct dial to UK call centre numbers. That annoyed them no end. Well it goes via Wholesale who then go to Openreach, which always seemed kind of annoying, like an extra layer of abstraction that wasn't really needed.
OMG they have done it again. Switched the DD dates and I'm here with no phoneline AGAIN and waiting for a call back AGAIN.
I think I am going to offcom this time. Sigh
OK you've signed an arrangement to pay your DD on a given date. Your agreement is to ensure that sufficient funds are in the appropriate account to meet the DD. However for whatever reason the DD fails and you get penalised, they cut you off, discontinue service, whatever.
Nine times out of ten the reason the DD failed is because the Service Provider requested their payment three says early, this is not uncommon. Either the funds wheren't available at that time or the customer's bank blocked the payment.
Service Providers commission their bank to call in payments by DD from their customers' banks. You have a right to access the appropriate information to track when your payments where requested and when they were paid.
In the eight years I worked for Subscription Processing at Sky TV this sort of problem was very very common.
My advice; don't arrange a DD to take place during the first three days or the last five days of any month. Instruct your bank not to deviate from the due date. Inform your SP your payment will only be available on the due date and have them note this on your account. Make sure you have sufficient funds in the appropropriate account.
orkneycadian
31-Jan-11, 18:23
Or switch to someone like Post Office phones, and pay the bill at the PO quarterly! :)
I have a broadband, calls to 01,02 and 03 free 24/7 and line rental all inclusive from Pipex. The direct debit is payable on or AFTER the 15th of each month. Never had a problem and always have a reminder email on the first of the month (even bank holidays) to say how much will be taken and a statement of all calls made and a breakdown of the bill. International calls at four pence per minute and a big discount to call mobiles are also included in the package. I have never regretted the day BT were told where to go.....
Gronnuk this is not about them requesting a payment a couple of days early ...they have just changed the date completely. I had set it up for the 28th. They took it on the 28th in September and October.... No problem. In November they took it on 28th then went in to my account on 7 th December for a payment, it failed and they went back in on the 15th December then the 7th January. All failed because I expected it to be taken out on 28th. Didn't check my bills online cos i knew I wasn't due one til January. Then today .... No phoneline.
This is the second time they have done this in the last few months and they can't give me an explanation. Sigh.
orkneycadian
31-Jan-11, 23:27
Ah well, you will give them your bank account details and a mandate to "help themselves"! :)
If your contract is for BT to receive payment "on or after ##" they can`t just dip into your account whenever they like. They should honour the agreement. If you incurr bank charges because of this and you have proof they tried to access the money early you have a claim against BT to refund these charges. You will need bank statements to back up your claim, as you will for OFcom...........so if I were you I would get the letters written to both parties with copies of your proof and hope it is sorted out.
We did this every month for thirteen months before I got fed up with the hassle and departed company with BT.
Good luck!
It really won't stop until you complain, I'm always surprised when people accept such bad service - Complain to BT (multiple times, departments and e-mail addresses), Ofcom and the media. Then vote with your money and go somewhere else, granted up here other companies still have to rent the infrastructure from a part of BT but with any luck that'll change soon.
orkneycadian
01-Feb-11, 21:37
It really won't stop until you complain, I'm always surprised when people accept such bad service - Complain to BT (multiple times, departments and e-mail addresses), Ofcom and the media.
To be honest, you'll have more success appealing to the Egyptians to "run along now, theres nothing here for you to worry about"
Complaining to BT must be the most futile pastime waste of time on the planet. Every single one of their customers does it, so its water off a ducks back to them. OFCOM meanwhile have so many complaints to deal with from them, that a minor issue over a Direct Debit will be something like number 27,913,384 on their priority list.
Don't delay, switch today! And if you want someone to help themselves to your bank account, by all means give them your bank details. If however, you would rather be in control of your finances, don't!
no-ones got even close.
http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/publications/ombudsman-news/27/27-directdebit-guarantee.htm
dx
Whitewater
02-Feb-11, 00:25
Squidge, just get shot of them, they are not worth the effort or the stress they cause. There are a few good providers out there, hassle free and cost less. Just go for it, the new provider will get shot of BT and do all the set up work for you.
orkneycadian
02-Feb-11, 12:17
no-ones got even close.
http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/publications/ombudsman-news/27/27-directdebit-guarantee.htm
dx
If you can be bothered with the hassle, then the above link can be a useful resource. But theres no surer way to ensure that you don't have direct debit troubles is not to have direct debits!
I recall a lot of grief with one of the few I had years ago. Sure, there were ways to go and chase them, but the hassle in doing so was more than the benefit of the direct debit. So for my phone bill, its so much easier to pay it in cash, in the passing at the post office than it is to spend days trying to resolve erroneous DD's. Oh, and the days is not an exaggeration - That's a realistic amount of time spent on phones, on hold, being passed from pillar to post, writing letters, etc, etc. I can pay my phone bill in around 5 minutes say (depending on how busy the post office is!). Thats 20 minutes of my time a year. To recover the, say, 24 hours spent trying to resolve just 1 errant direct debit, I can pay my phone bill at the PO for 72 years before its taking me more time. I reckon by that stage, I'll either be deid or no caring about a phone anymore!
Typing "Direct Debit" and "trouble" or "fraud" or some other word of your choosing, the number of pages found are in the hundreds of thousands. Yet folk still think they are a good idea... Only a good idea for the companies that can take your money erroneously, and hope you don't have the patience (or stubbornness) to argue for it back!
i agree that DD is certainly not the way to pay fleecing debt collection people, there you should NEVER EVER set up a DD to a DCA. use a standing order [ that cannot be changed even by advising letter!]
however, if a DD has been taken on the wrong date or for the wrong amount and you have NOT been advised IN WRITING that this was going to happen
then phone your bank and envoke the DD guarantee - THEY MUST REFUND IMMEDIATELY.
its for THEM to investigate in THEIR OWN TIME why it has happened, but they MUST refund the amount within 48hrs or sooner of your complaint
they CANNOT withhold repayment.
dont be fobbed off - many minions at the call centre know very little about the DD Guarantee - ask to speak to a supervisor if you get no joy.
dx
hells_belle
07-Feb-11, 14:35
Good afternoon,
I work for BT and was wondering if you want me to get someone from Ian Livingstons office to pick this up so we can try and get this resolved for you.
If you want to mail me and I will pass your contact detaisl on to the chairmans team and hopefully rather than you going through any further problems we will get this resolved for you.
I completely understand how frustrating this is but if you want me to help then feel free to PM me your name and contact details and I will pass them on to Ian Livingstons group for you.
Do not pm me with your account number etc as I do not need this info.
If you want me to arrange this pm me your details and I will contact the team on your behalf.
I am based in the Thurso office and saw your thread so would like to try to help get this resolved.
Please feel free to PM me and I will see what I can do for you.
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