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Broadband/phone contract

(11 Posts)
agingbackwards Sat 19-Feb-22 14:01:17

I have just discovered that my Dad has managed to get himself locked into a BT 3 year contract (last June over the phone knew nothing about it!) that means he is paying £79.99 a month for his landline and the limited amount he uses his computer. BT wont budge, telling me to get him out of the contract is a £600 fee, they cannot help. My parents are late 80s terribly proud and not on a high income so now finding bills hard to cover - the new DWP deal is means tested, they wont consider it. HELP has anyone managed to extract themselves from these damn contracts?

midgey Sat 19-Feb-22 14:07:17

Watching with interest, my daughter tried to help me as my bill was high. I have ended up with with a much higher bill and an upgraded phone line that I didn’t want!

Esspee Sat 19-Feb-22 14:15:19

Make an official complaint and ask for your complaint to be escalated.
Say that your parents are elderly and did not understand what they had signed up for. The conversation will have been recorded and they will listen to it. If your father sounds as if he understood what he was buying then they understandably will try to hold him to the terms.
Your best bet is to go on the attack. BT are taking advantage of a very elderly and loyal customer who did not understand what he was agreeing to. If the matter is not corrected you will be going to the media etc., etc.
Always ask for the person’s name that you are speaking to then ask that their manager calls you back.
Another tac is to write directly to the CEO
Or go onto their twitter page and Facebook page and tell the world about it.
Good luck.

BeverleyJB Sat 19-Feb-22 14:15:30

I think the contract would be legally binding, so your best bet is to appeal to BT's better nature, if you see what I mean. After I was harassed into switching the 'deal' I was on by TalkTalk (someone in an overseas call centre clearly on commission) I vowed to never again agree something over the 'phone, no matter how great the new proposal was. And will never be a customer of TalkTalk again.

Start the BT formal complaints process. Emphasise your parents' age and particularly if they have difficulties hearing - it may not have been understood what was being agreed to over the 'phone. Then I’d emphasise their financial position - is it actually realistic for someone in their position to have entered into such a financial commitment at their age and in their circumstances.

You could also consider use of social media - no company wants poor treatment of vulnerable customers broadcast to the world.

If they really can't afford it then they may even want to consider defaulting……but take proper advice first. Sometimes Citizens Advice have legal advisors who'll give advice FoC.

rafichagran Sat 19-Feb-22 14:21:50

That is very high. I pay £68.00 per month for landline, broadband, BT sport, and my mobile unlimited calls and texts.
Ask to speak to a manager, say your Dad did not understand, and see if they can reduce it. I will also speak to them at the end of May as the football season comes to a end and I normally get a good reduction on that.

lemsip Sat 19-Feb-22 14:33:23

contact rip off britain, details below.

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Email
[email protected]
Other
Or write to us at:

Rip Off Britain, BBC Dock House, MediaCity UK, Salford, M50 2LH

Facebook
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agingbackwards Sun 20-Feb-22 10:03:43

that's how it started @midgey - he was he tells me paying £90 they did him a 'favour' by locking him in to this new contract - shameful!
I work from home need high speed and pay £59 how is this fair!

thanks everyone - I will start with following up with BT why my request to as they said 'Raise and Action' has yielded no action and email. If still no response yes I think RipOffBritain would be a good call.

agingbackwards Sun 20-Feb-22 10:12:23

@BeverleyJB I agree with you totally on not saying yes over the phone. They tell me they emailed Dad with the detail and a cooling off period, trouble is Dad cannot remember his password and never uses email.................. we can't reset his password because he can't remember his memorable words to identify him......... whole thing has been so super stressful and there should be a route for help with what is becoming a forgotten generation who don't seem to matter to big corporates - sorry to rant but I am so livid about this, the more people I ask the more I hear of people paying high charges because frankly a tech savvy young operator tells them its the best deal ever! When I was told "get Dad to use our App its brilliant" it was the final straw, Dad has a basic clam phone can only text OK - so if I need a yes or no our system is OK for yes and OK OK for no - no matter how hard I try

BigBertha1 Sun 20-Feb-22 11:32:46

What Espee said. DH recently had a wrangle with BT and when he was still not satisfied he out his complaint on Twitter. Guess what all rectified and a better package at a bit cheaper.

Franbern Wed 02-Mar-22 08:37:51

BT have a special low rate for limited broadband plus landline for those on certain benefits. Contact their customer services giving full information about your Dad and ask for their assistance.

Aveline Wed 02-Mar-22 09:50:04

BT complaints dept has been very helpful in my experience. Once you can penetrate to them via all the ways they try to divert you you do get to deal with kind helpful people. Good luck