Compensation - BT

[TedMaul]

At end of 2007, we had sold our house but the house we were moving to fell through. Rather than risk losing our buyer, we moved into rented whilst looking for something else. No issue with gas, leccy, water but BT have been stunning in the field of incompetence. Potted history:

Rental house we moved into had been empty for a month, despite promises it took BT 4 weeks to connect new phone. They also didnt update their database (whatever one that is) to allow our broadband provider to connect us, a further weeks delay. Also didnt bother disconnecting our old line on the requested date until I threatened to escalate to Ofcom/Oftele a week or so later on day our buyer was due to move in.

Disconnected our new phone 12 weeks later for non payment of bill as they had sent bill to 1st house (yea ok, I though 3 month redirect was enough - more fool me). Reconnected after long debate.
Then sent me revised bill with reconnection charges, I refused to pay it as it was their fault so they said they would refund charges from next bill. I said no, I want a revised bill, they refused, I said I would pass it on to my solicitor and Ofcom at which point they relented. Also got a cheque for £10 by way of apology.

Moved into our 3rd home 8 weeks ago, again, took them 3 weeks to get the line working, despite having 2 months notice and again, stuffed up the broadband database, so we had to wait another week or so for broadband. Phone disconnected again last week for non payment of bill, again sent to 1st house (not even 2nd one). refused to reconnect unless i paid by credit card then and there (which I did). Lots of apologies and offered free line rental for a couple of months.

Phone connected, BUT with wrong phone number. Problem with the exchange means we wont get our proper number back for a further week. To cap it all, I got a bill Saturday with connection charges for the new number AND line rental, even though its supposed to be free as per above.

I have asked for compensation/apology for;

Inconvenience and disruption to service
Endless hours on the phone to BT
Inability to work from home
Cost of travelling to work when I could work from home
Cost of calls to and from mobiles whilst landline out of action

I have asked for £500 and a years free line rental, which I have been told is unreasonable. I'm awaiting for a call back from their Complaints Management Team (they were supposed to call on Friday but maybe someone disconnected their phone line too). Personally I think as they have been stuffing things up for almost a year, I think I have been quite reasonable. I have been very polite and I only lost my temper once when someone suggested it was my fault the bills went to the wrong house as I had moved without telling them, even though they, obviously connected the new and disconnected the old

So am I being unreasonable?????

[anonymous-user]

This is BT, good luck! They treat business customers who spend thousands each month like st.

[TedMaul]

Dave_ST220 said:

This is BT, good luck! They treat business customers who spend thousands each month like st.

Well yes, sadly I have dealings on that front too..... Thus far I have not let my personal experience cloud my professional judgement.... thus far.....

[Andy Zarse]

Ted, BT huh? Hmm, last year one of their sales folk kindly signed on my behalf a renewal contract for my BT internet. This was news to me as I was thinking of moving away and I wrote to them threatening criminal prosecution for forgery/fraud. The customer complaints service took ages to respond (email them every day, it's the only way) but eventually I got a year's free broadband and a free wifi hub off them. Which was nice.

[MitchT]

TedMaul said:

So am I being unreasonable?????

Not if you're asking them to reimburse costs and losses which you have incurred as a consequence of their incompetence. It's their fault so it should be their problem.

[mel]

you'll be lucky to even get a phone call (thats any phone call from anyone) let alone compensation, BT are the biggest crock of shyte that any homeowner will ever have the displeasure to deal with, we had huge problems when moving into a new build last year, I'd go into the whole story but can't arsed enough to say it went on for months and we got FA not even a sorry.

[Neil_H]

TedMaul said:

I have asked for £500 and a years free line rental, which I have been told is unreasonable.

Very optimistic I think.

If you're very, very lucky, you may get some chocolates.

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

[Road2Ruin]

I will be amazed if they offer you anything. I had them cut my business phones off by mistake a few years ago and it took them 24 hours to re-connect them. Compensation they offered me.....£1.50

Thanks very much.

[carmonk]

I only skimmed through your post but it may be relevant to state that you will never, ever, ever get anywhere with BT unless you email one of the big knobs directly. Then it's 90% certain you will get it sorted to your requirements. If you don't you will be lied to, fobbed off, misled, ignored and generally fked around til doomsday.

Edited by carmonk on Monday 27th October 12:55

[mel]

Road2Ruin said:

I will be amazed if they offer you anything. I had them cut my business phones off by mistake a few years ago and it took them 24 hours to re-connect them. Compensation they offered me.....£1.50

Thanks very much.

They do actually have a standard compensation rate for business customers of £25 per line per day which they credit onto the bills without batting an eyelid.