Why is it so difficult for BT to cancel my account...

Question

Hi
Please can someone help me I really am at my wits end
At the begining of November I took advantage of the 10 days notice that was offered in BT’s price increase announcement to leave. The notice clearly said I could leave without incurring any penalty. So I arranged with YourCalls.net to take over both my phone and broadband service. This was duly actioned by YourCalls who gave the necessary notice to you and used the migration code you provide. Nice and straight forward wouldn’t you think!
My broadband was active with my new company on 2 Nov and this is where the problems started. I was emailed with new orders; I noted the order numbers VOL012-************ and VOL012-***********. I called to say I had not placed any new orders and could this be looked into. I was firstly told not to worry just ignore them its all part of closing your account. On Saturday 3 November I called again at about 9am a Scottish man called John, I understand, as there were 2 Scottish called John but this one was McGuiness I believe. Now he really worried me by saying my broadband had not stopped I was still being charged and that YourCalls have not used the MAC code therefore I now have a running bill as I’m still being charged for the line rent. He also told me that I now have to request a manual stop to my broadband and as the engineer has to physically go to my exchange and turn it off I will be charged a £30 cessation fee. I tried to explain that this can not be so but he was adamant YourCalls had not used the MAC code and this stop must be generated. I would therefore get a £42 bill as a result!
I worried about this until the afternoon and called back again and spoke to a lady whose name I never noted. She also agreed my broadband was active and forwarded my call to firstly the cancellation section and then onto the billing department who will talk through my newly created bill Andy confirmed I would be charged £42! I also later spoke to a Gary who said the opposite agreed my account had in fact closed, my company had used the code correctly and he would cancel the second order which was still showing as active on my account.
Monday I received a call from an Indian chap as I had put in an email query as I was still not sure if my account was open or closed. At this point I had been told yes you have active broadband to no you don’t to yes you do again. The Indian chap again agreed I have active broadband even though Gary said he had arranged to cancel the order, close my account and remove any cease fees.
The Indian chap transferred me to a very helpful man called Matthew, who actually listened to what I said and confirmed I was right all along my company had used the MAC code correctly and my broadband was with them. He said BT could not have it as well only one company can provide you at a time! He apologised for all the wrong conversations I was given and explained that BT do not have one central computer with all my calls logged so when I called and spoke to the rude Scotsman his screen did not show my broadband had been transferred. When I spoke to billing their screen said different to the cancellation department. From my observations only this seems to have caused the majority of my problems. BUT the major cause was my cancellation had not been actioned correctly an error had allowed to show I had broadband when in fact I had not, Matthew explained. He personally emailed me with confirmation that he had spoken with the relevant departments to finally get my problems resolved. This guy needs to receive some praise as he was the only one who seemed to actually genuinely care! The Scottish guy needs to go on a customer service course because he was dismissive and not interested in the slightest.
So I am hoping this is the end of it. I also received a text yesterday asking me to call BT, that was it, no explanation, no person or department to refer too!. So I dialled the 0800 number didn’t know what option to choose as I never knew which department had called me, got through to someone who after putting me on hold for 13 minutes decided she didn’t know who had sent the text or what BT wanted. Again this text was not registered as being sent on the computer she was looking at!
So all in all a pretty frustrating and stressful time. And reading your forums it seems I am not alone in my situation. It is actually a shame because BT does provide a satisfactory service in regards to the actual phone and broadband. What lets everything down is the disgraceful customer service, your live chat never worked the times I wanted to use it, your customer service agents actually have no idea what is going on with the account it seems and the Indian call centre is not helpful.
After my last 2 phone calls I agreed to participate in the survey that follows after you’ve called BT, even this didn’t work the man repeated several times how I could rate the first question by pressing my number between 1 and 7. I pressed this number 5 times and still he asks me to rate the question!
I’m sorry this has turned into a massive essay but I want you to know what it is like for an ordinary person like me and the frustration it has caused. I think the next hurdle will be my final bill I am expecting the £42 will still appear and I will have another set of calls to make all over again.
Further to the above, I have now been issued with a £86.14 bill. So even after being reassured by BT on at least 4 occasions I am STILL charged further.
I have written to BT twice and this time enclosed:
The original price increase announcement which states I can leave without penalty. As I never received this by email (BT confirmed I was actually never sent it) I called and checked and was told as it is available to view on the BT website I could leave.
Confirmation from my new company that the MAC code was correctly used.
Email confirmation that I would not receive any charges.
I respectfully request that the £55.48 contract charge be removed and also the £30 cessation charge be removed and the advance charge for broadband I no longer have £9.49!. I have this morning been assured (yet again) that these charges will be removed. I am now officially making a complaint as this is now totally unacceptable.
I have spent so much time on the phone, repeating the same information over and over again to just go round in circles. Please once and for all close down my account and do not continue to bill me further.
Ruth Hart
Solved!
Go to Solution.

Answer 1

Hi Ruth
Welcome to the community.
I have edited there is no need for you to do so.
I can have this looked into for you, to resolve it once and for all.
Please send us an email using the contact us form in my profile you can click on the link for this form in the section 'About Me'.
Thanks
Stuart
BTCare Community Mod
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