BT Customer Service Complaints - Submit Your Complaint

Switched Telephone and Broadband Provider - Not Good!

2012-01-25T13:39:00.000Z

An angry customer who switched telephone and broadband provider to join BT complains about pretty much everything! Not a good case study for anyone thinking about switching to BT services.

Dear BT

I‘m writing to tell you the tale of woe that your company has brought upon myself and my partner. I will quickly go through the whole experience has it happened:

Had a phone call from a BT sales adviser in October 2010, he asked me what I was currently paying my Sky and Virgin packages and worked it out that BT would be cheaper and my phone bill would work out a lot cheaper. I explained that I currently pay between £25 to £35 on my monthly phone bill for Virgin which includes the broadband.

He convinced me to buy the whole BT package, BT Vision, Internet, Phone and WiFi, even said we didn’t have to do anything because BT would take care of everything. Sounded like a good deal? He said it would take a couple of days to reconnect us at a minimum cost, I mentioned at the time that we had already got all the BT connection already around the house. Then it would take a few weeks to get the TV and Internet sorted and that BT would contact us. Again I asked if we needed to do anything and the answer was no BT would take care of cancelling all the other contacts.

BT customer services did get in touch with us within a couple of days and Tracey my partner arranged for them to come and do the reconnection. When he came it took him 5 minuets to do the reconnecting if that.
We then were still waiting for someone to ring about the TV and Internet, then the first bill came £127 reconnection fee and 3 months upfront payment on the unlimited anytime plan at £55.80. (nobody ever mentioned this and £127 for 5 minutes work, ridiculous!!)

I then made contact with your call centre abroad somewhere, and got nowhere trying to explain what had happened to a Asian guy on the phone who in the end advised me to write a letter of complaint. That was in December.

Throughout Christmas and the New Year and January still no word or call from BT regarding TV and internet.
Get another bill from BT for £56.02. Worked out the monthly average at £44.8, which is way over the costs we had which Virgin which included the broadband.

Ear ache from my partner eventually made me ring your phone call centre again this week, explained in detail the whole story, at one point I thought the guy from the call centre had nodded off because of the long pause, but he said he couldn’t do anything and would ask his supervisor to ring back within the hour ( I rung at 5-15pm ). I waited until 10-45pm last night before giving up and going to bed.

Lastly and not least, we were promised that BT would contact Virgin and sort out the phone, WELL YOU DIDN’T and we have still the standing order going off our bank account.

Can someone please give me an explanation on what’s going on, I feel sick on going back to BT, this has already cost me over £150 extra in payments than just keeping everything as it was. Your call centre is inefficient and the people don’t know how to deal with conflict, and you have salesman that tell customers a pack of lie’s!

Yours Sincerely, A very disgruntled customer

Andy Hallas

Broadband Complaint and Compensation Claim

2012-01-25T13:30:00.000Z

Here is another BT broadband complaint about troubles switching broadband provider and refund requested.

Dear Sirs

I recently moved my personal phone and broad band services form BT to Sky - due to huge cost savings available. Shortly afterwards a BT sales person contacted me to ensure that BT kept by business lines and Broadband with BT. He offered to reduce my broad band costs from £95 per quarter to £30 per quarter . I agreed to this and an order was set up.

The sales person insisted however that I needed to move by broadband from line 01452xxxxxx to another line of 01452xxxxxxx. As we have 2 lines with this number I asked which line our IT support people should use for connecting the ADSL router. he informed me either lines will work.

The work was scheduled for 19/01/2012. I booked our support company AL Networks to carry out the changeover in our offices on that date. BT then wrote the day before to cancel this date and gave me a new date of 24/01/2012. I rebooked AL Networks to attend on the 25th to carry out the network changes, router set up , new passwords, software etc (as per BT correspondences).

On the 25th, Al Networks attended. After an hour, they were struggling to access internet services given all the details that BT had provided and concluded that the ADSL line could not be working. On contacting BT , I was told that the order was live but not yet actioned. I then received a call back after around 30 minutes to say that the lines 01452xxxxxxx were not compatible with broad band. As my son in law is a BT broadband specialist I queried this with him. He confirmed within 10 minutes that the lines were fine for broadband. Further calls to and from BT disclosed the fact that I did not need to change lines at all and that I had been sold a limited usage broad band service - all this despite the fact that this is a business account.

Finally BT Reading called and confirmed that I should switch back to my old number to get broad band as the old line had not yet been turned off. He confirmed that it was not being turned off. Once Al Networks had reconfigured everything to the original set up we were able to start working again now that our broad band was working. Harminder confirmed that he could offer me a new price of £54 per quarter for broad band which I accepted at this time just to get the broad band working.

My complaint covers the fact that I was approached by BT to sign up for a new contract at lower price. The result has been that I now have to pay for 2 hours on site for Al Networking (£75/hr plus callout fee = total £225) just because BT is a disorganised shambles. We lost 2 hours of work (we are an on line retailer) which equated to around £500 of lost sales. Further we are now paying £24 per month more than quoted by BT for broad band per quarter. Over 2 years (the contract length this will cost me an additional £192.00. Finally my own time of 2 hours that would have been charged out at £75 per hour = £150

My total out of pocket costs for BT's inability to organise themselves is £1067.00 plus Vat.

At this time I would ask you to put me in funds to this value either by cheque or credit to our account. Failure to respond to this request or e-mail will result in an invoice being issued. Failure to pay within a reasonable time or to acknowledge the the invoice will result in the debt being handed over for collection.

The whole episode shows how poorly organised BT is.

I look forward to an immediate response.

Kind Regards
Vivian Blick

BT - What don't you understand? My house burnt down!

2012-01-24T19:20:00.000Z

This BT customer services complaint clearly highlights the fact that BT do not listen to their customers. This poor customer had their house burnt down so on top of the stress and worry of this, they had BT to contend with! Here is their complaint.

Dear BTcomplaint.com

On January 1st 2012 my house unfortunately burnt down. As soon as the Bank Holiday was over, I contacted BT and explained the situation. I asked for the phone line and broadband package to be set up in the rental accommodation I moved to. I explained that I needed to be able to communicate with a range of people involved in.insuring my home.

The woman I spoke to said that I was on the wrong package and that if I agreed to take BT Vision I would not incur any charges, although I was changing the contract. I was extremely stressed and distressed at this point and when I realised that BT Vision was not for me – I don’t watch that amount of TV to justify it, I telephoned BT the day after and said that I wished to cancel the BT Vision package and that I was thinking of moving to another, cheaper provider.

The operative I spoke to said that inn that case I would be charged £160 cancellation fee because I would be cancelling my original contract. Because I really could not afford this, I agreed to stay with BT. The operative told me that the original order for the phone and Broadband package, due to be installed on Jan. 18th would be cancelled and they gave me a new date – 23rd. January.

On January 18th the cancelled order appeared to have been filled as the phone line was working with the number the operative had given me and a home hub was delivered. Unfortunately, the Broadband would not connect. We contacted the helpline, which I believe is located in India. They allegedly made several checks on the line and assured us that the Broadband would be working within 48 hours – needless to say it wasn’t. We were then bombarded with texts to say a home hub would be delivered on the 23rd and that an engineer would call.

We waited AGAIN and on the 23rd. an engineer did in fact arrive, as did a second home hub (which I expect I have been charged again for) It then transpired that the number we had been given by BT and which was working, was in fact incorrect. We were then given another number (Of course we had advised everyone of the number we were first given). Eventually, 2 hours after the engineers visit, we were connected to Broadband.

Today, when I visited the remains of my gutted home, I found a letter from BT welcoming the new occupier!

This is after repeatedly telling BT that the house is inhabitable! BTs advertising campaign says ‘It’s good to talk’ – perhaps they should try to LISTEN a little more.

Mrs. J.W. Granger

Complaint to BT - Moving House - No Broadband!

2012-01-20T19:40:00.000Z

Yet another broadband BT customer services complaint about problems moving house. Why can't BT do the simple things right!

Dear BTcomplaint.com

Last month we telephoned BT to let them know we would be moving house on the 21st December 2011. We wished to continue using the services of BT at our new address. The lady on the end of the telephone assured us that everything would be fine. We would receive an email confirming as much. She explained the email would not mention Broadband but not to worry as she would sort that separately. We were given a date in January for an engineer to come tour new address and connect us.

The original date was cancelled, we were given a new later date of 11th January 2012, for an engineer to come out.

We were sent a BT message by text prior to 11th Jan telling us, the engineer appointment was cancelled as our phone line was now working. It was NOT working, so I had to re-instate the engineers appointment.

On the 11th, the engineer came out (a pleasant young man), he went to sort out the green phone box on our estate I believe, then about an hour later he came back and our telephone was working. I asked about our Broadband Internet connection, he said he didn't do that but it would just come on now the line was connected. However the Internet connection was not working. We received a message to say the Internet would start working after midnight. We waited up it did not.

The next day my husband telephoned BT, BT told us they do not do BT in the area! Bizarre as our old address is just 50yards away. We had BT Broadband there no problem. (We thought the problem here might be that our new house is a new build.) However our neighbours have had no problems.

So we decided to telephone SKY and see if they could off or us broadband.Sky told us our landline was with TalkTalk and not BT, even though a BT had recently visited the house to set up out BT phone line. Sky said it was definitely TalkTalk (we have never had any dealings with TalkTalk and have never even approached them) so be told that was bizarre.

On a separate note I have appeared to make contacting BT sound easy, when it was not. It involved lenghty waiting, being put on hold, transferred and being told to dial other numbers. As I write this apparently the people we need to speak to are not open until Monday!

We are still without Internet.We do have a line, but goodness knows who it's with. The most annoying thing is we have no person/point of contact at BT who we can speak to sort it out. No one at BT who we can speak to to sort it out. No one at BT so far will take up our issue so we're passed from pillar to post!

You will agree we have not received to date good service. Please would you contact us with regard to this matter asap. We are still without Broadband. We have a land line that BT connected but no idea who it is with.

Yours faithfully
Rachel Akathiotis

Waste Of Time - BT Customer Services

2012-01-20T19:29:00.000Z

I wish to submit this BT complaint having just spent another 40 mins on the phone to your broadband help desk. This now brings the total to over 5 hours! Every time I get told 'I'm an expert and will fix the problem once and for all'....yet again not done!

But the main problem is one of your BT engineers deleted my internet operating system saying I didnt need it anymore. I do need it as I cant use my laptop anywhere else apart from home any more. Which totally is the reason for a laptop to use away from home. In the last call I asked for over 20 minutes of how to complain to be told there is no number to complain you can only speak to a supervisor. As it was a supervisor who deleted my operating system. All I kept being told was "there is no other way to make a complaint" I said I have looked it up now and told dont bother it does not work! So I hope it does.

I have also been told to take my computer to a local engineer and get it re installed GEE THANKS.
I want to know what will be done and why i have to phone every other day with the same problem!! to be told its ok its fixed now!

But I would be able to do it myself if the system had not been deleted. Please will someone call me after 6pm tomorrow to resolve this matter if not will have to take it further.

G Kirkham

No Broadband - Help!

2012-01-20T19:13:00.000Z

Yet another complaint from an unhappy BT customer complaining about no broadband. Sound familiar?

Dear BT Complaint.com

My broadband starting playing up on Saturday. I contacted BT on Sunday afternoon because the hub signal keep going to orange then blue then orange.

I was told there was a billing issue which I know is not the case as my BT bill is up to date I spent over 1 hour on the phone to 3different people and the last a manager told me there was nothing wrong with the bill and billing would phone me between 10am &11am on Monday 16/1/2012 no call came what a shock I rang when I got in from work around 16-30 and once again I was told it was a billing issue after 45 minutes of hanging on the phone I was told there was no problem with my account.

I was told by a BT advisor they would keep an eye on my account for 24 hours and call me back Tuesday 17/1/2012 at 5pm what a surprise no phone call and still my Bt hub was showing orange I rang 150 again to complain about the service and treatment from Bt over 1 hour again being bounced from pillar to post and being cut off twice someone agreed with myself there was a problem with my hub.

They couldn't get onto the page they needed to get me a engineer out but assured me that I would get a call from that department this morning to get an engineer out ASAP it's now 12-45 in the afternoon of 18/1/2012 and yes you have guest it no call again I'm sick of being passed from person to person and I feel they don't really care about me having no broadband which I'm paying for I've spent over 3 hours speaking to different people and if it's not sorted out within the next 48 hours I'm moving to another company because I've had enough of Bt and their lack of service.

Stevie G.

Keep Telephone Number When Moving House - Easy Enough? Nope!

2012-01-20T19:00:00.000Z

I write to complain about what I see as appalling service from B.T. Customer Services. I am not confident that what I have been told is going to happen such is the information I have received from B.T. to date.

There are costs involved that I would claim should not be paid by me and other consequential costs that I believe should be covered by you as some degree of compensation such has been the upsetting and frustrating nature of dealings with you.

Let me set the picture for you:

• After 37 years living at this house and having the same (except for updating changes) no. for this time, my wife and I have decided to move home. My provider TalkTalk was contacted but informed me that they could not provide the same telephone number at my new home despite our new home being only ½ mile away.

• My choice therefore was to move with TalkTalk, change the phone number but at least I would keep one item of contact with us i.e. our e-mail address.

• Having discussed this my wife and we decided to go with the other alternative, namely, switching provider to B.T. in order to protect the telephone number and change our e-mail address.

• I therefore proceeded to cancel my TalkTalk contract and was told by them that this could be done but I would have to pay a cancellation fee as I had an 18 month contract with them. I must stress at this time that we have been very happy with the talktalk service for many years and would have preferred to have them provide the phone and internet service at our new hom.

• I placed an order with B.T. therefore with the express condition that the phone number would move with us.

• I then chose to have a new e-mail address but have since preferred to use another one.

• Eventually I received a phone call from your Home Moving department to inform me that in order to provide the service, I required BT would need to provide the service to our present home and then request that the BT service be moved WITH THE SAME NUMBE. to our new home at Glaslyn.

I remember this phone call very well as the lady had to call me back when I enquired what the cost would be. She informed me that there would not be any charge for the interim service and that the date for this service was December 6th 2011. I agreed to proceed and we have enjoyed the B.T. Internet and phone services since then as we have not yet moved but own our new home at Glaslyn.

• It has been so important to my wife and I that the service we needed was implemented that I checked on several occasions that all was as we had ordered. I was assured that all was well.

• On 19th December 2011 I received correspondence AT GLASLYN from B.T. stating: ‘We’ve ordered the transfer of your number(s) back to B.T., as you requested

• When I referred to this letter recently to one of your staff said that it didn’t mean that I would be keeping the same telephone number! When I asked what on earth it did mean, if not what it stated, I did not receive an explanation. Perhaps you can interpret for me? I also received a letter of the same date confirming the order and confirming our Direct Debit details.

• On 6th January I received an e-mail from BT to my old email address stating ‘GOOD NEWS your home phone no is 0292xxxxxxx

• I received a phone message on my mobile 07917xxxxxx stating that B.T. was ready to move my service with the same no. to ‘Glaslyn’. I was given a no. to call 0116xxxxxx and discovered this was Balfour Beatty who confirmed they were handling the order for B.T.

Previously I had received a ‘phone call from a B.T. Home Moving who transferred me to Portability Dept who stated that the number was on a different exchange and could not be moved with us. He did however state that he felt that if he spoke to the engineers directly he was pretty sure that this could be done. He said he would take a personal interest in this and call me back that day (he finished at 4pm) or certainly the next day. This was 9th Jan but nothing has been heard from him. You will understand therefore that I had to start my own investigations to see what was happening.

• My initial enquiries led me to believe that B.T. had cancelled the order and I would have to start all over again to place a new order!

• My explanation above has been long but I had to repeat the facts to: your Infinity dept, your Investigation dept, Home Movers dept, Portability dept and New Acct people.

• The latter was engaged because I was getting absolutely nowhere in knowing what was happening. I was allocated a new phone no at Glaslyn 029 xxxxxxx with a reference of 6017xxxxxx. I was also informed that once the service was set up I could apply to change the no. to 029 xxxxxxx !!!!! How can this be so if, as I was told, the different exchanges made this impossible.

• Yesterday I received an e-mail stating that the BT service at Glaslyn (which is not yet activated) would STOP. I telephoned again to be told that it didn’t mean that – it really meant that the new service would be provided on 9th February – I have no confidence left.

• I think that at that time my patience and exasperation reached their maximum. Presumably you can access these e-mails and fully understand how I now feel?

I would also like to inform you that my wife Jill Edwards MBE is a National and International President of an important sporting body who is halfway through her 2-year term. It is important therefore to advise a very large list of contacts what her contact no’s and e-mail addresses will be. I cannot yet do that can I?

I apologise for the length of this letter but I do not think you would appreciate the position without a full explanation.

Please let us know what is to happen and when before you address the position of covering our costs and providing compensation.

I will also try to send this by e-mail as well as by post I note you attempt to reply within 2 days if this is done.

I have asked that at a cost of £30.60 that calls are forwarded to our new address but this may not be necessary – depending what you have to state.

Yours faithfully

Alan M. Edwards

A Complaint to BT Customer Services

2012-01-20T18:43:00.000Z

This is BT complaint was recently sent to BT Customer Services and ourselves to publish here on btcomplaint.com

Dear BT

In March of last year (2011) I “returned to BT” I wish I could say this was a happy return, but unfortunately I did not find it so. I was constantly telephoned by BT Sales personal asking me to “come back”, I eventually said I would if BT could match what I was being charged by Talk Talk (with whom I had never had any problems); my bills at that time were around £33-35 per month. I required free evening & weekend calls, unlimited broadband and BT Vision. This was agreed. This is where the problems started.

I was told that I would be contacted by sales to confirm the order, no-one rang, I contacted BT and was told that no-way could I have the package I was promised, it did not exist and I was offered a more expensive option.

I eventually after quite a few ‘phone calls by me I spoke to a rather nice young man in BT Customer Services who shall remain anonymous in this complaint. He confirmed that BT would in fact honour what I was quoted, because of the problems I had encountered I would have my BT box free of charge and the one-off connection fee would be waived. I was told that when I received my initial letter it would state a higher charge but he would alter this for me (he could not do this prior the start date). I accepted this in good faith.

Unfortunately at that time I did not follow my order through as closely as I should have for personal reasons; for this I apologise.

The first time I noticed that something was wrong was when I was contacted by my Bank saying that my payment for BT had been returned. This I eventually found out was because the monthly payment was coming out of my account at different times of the month. I was expecting my monthly payment (the same each month) to come out on the same date each month, when the money would be available. This obviously was not happening.

I emailed the young man straight away (several times in fact but he never returned my emails.

I then spoke directly to BT and I was told that I had left it too late to complain about my new account and I was lucky to have a package for £42. I agreed (grudgingly to pay £55 (a rounded up figure) each month and for this payment to correspond with my salary.

The young man in BT Customer Services was sent an email and asked to contact me to discuss my account direct from BT, again no contact was forthcoming.

I again thought all was well until I became aware that BT had begun taking £89 each month, exactly why I am not sure. I again contact BT and spoke to someone in India. I again expressed my concern and anger at this and said that I was only prepared to pay £55 which was agreed earlier that year. The direct debit was then changed accordingly.

On going through my bills for 2011 it has been pointed out to me that I am in fact being charged for ESPN & BT Vision Gold Pack, both of which I do not require, have never used as you can see from my account, and which I never agreed to pay for.

The package that I agreed to pay for back in March 2011 was for:

• TV Essential
• Unlimited Broadband
• Free evening & weekend calls
• The cost for this is £43.60

I am constantly bombarded with letters being offering me a great deal to go back to BT along with seeing numerous adverts on the TV, all offering great deals i.e. money off for the first three months. I was not nothing offered or received any incentive.

I would therefore be grateful if you would look into this for me as a matter of urgency.

I am therefore requesting that BT:

• Amend my account accordingly
• Remove BT Vision Gold Pack & ESPN
• Refund my account with the amount that I have been overcharged since moving back to BT in 2011 plus my bank charges

I have since rung BT (Saturday 14.01.12) and after waiting in a queue (volume of calls) I spoke to two very pleasant members of staff who tried to put me through to the cancellation line, I was cut off four times. This again was not good customer relations. I was assured that the line was being staffed but was not able to speak to anyone regarding the above.

I look forward to hearing from regarding the above as a matter of urgency.

Yours faithfully

W.A. Barnes

BT VIsion Package nightmare

2012-01-04T13:50:00.000Z

We ordered a BT Vision Box and it was activated on 6 Dec. We also paid a fee for an engineer to come and install the box, and the only slot available for that was on 22 Dec. When he arrived, he could not install the box as there was no aerial socket in the room, just one in the kitchen.

Having spoken to BT today, as far as they are concerned, this order is complete. Yet we have been paying for the service for almost a month, but the box is still not installed. Not to mention the £35 fee for the engineer visit.

I have checked our contract and the BT website, and there is nowhere stated that we need to have an aerial for this product to work. The fee for an aerial to be installed is over £100, which we cannot afford at the moment.

BT have agreed to amend their website in the near future to add the aerial socket as a requirement for the package, but have offered me no compensation or advice on how to handle this. They will only talk to me after I have paid someone to come and install the aerial socket.

A disgrace!!!

Christmas and New Year with no Internet

2012-01-03T19:41:00.014Z

I'm writing to relay my utter disgust in BT broadband and BT customer service having ruining mine and my families Christmas and New Year.

We've had your BT total Broadband service installed at our home for a few months compromising of your phone and broadband package.

On the 21st December we lost our telephone line and broadband service. I have reported the fault immediately. I was then promised that fault would be fixed before Christmas. Unfortunately, we didn’t receive feedback or a call on the update.

I called from my mobile phone more the 20 times and the staff were totally incompetent as they gave me false promises. After calling every single day I was finally told on Christmas Eve that the fault would be fixed on the 28th of December. I have asked to speak to the manager but were told that there is no one senior available.

Me, my wife and our two daughters have spent the Christmas in Central London in the 21st century totally cut from the rest of the world, thanks to BT.

Our agony didn’t stop there after further number of calls to BT call centre, we got our telephone line back after nine dates, but not the broadband. We were told that our broadband will be fully re-instated within the 24 hours. Again this was big lie and a false promise. Finally after 10 days I was able to speak to the manager in the call centre.

To our horror, he didn’t have a clue about our problem and told us that BT is short of engineers. We were told that they would fix our problem on the 3rd of January.

Due to the BT incompetence, my daughters couldn’t study without internet; we couldn’t check our Christmas deliveries and couldn’t order presents online, even worst we couldn’t contact our families to wish them a Merry Christmas.

Their customer service call centres are a disgrace to BT brand and a direct insult to your paying customers whom, once locked into a contracts with you - have to suffer.

Mr D Portic

BT 'On Demand' Misnomer - Sporadic Service

2012-01-03T13:13:00.000Z

On demand is a misnomer. It's more a 'watch what you like when BT feel like it' service!

I've had at best a sporadic service which usually ends up with a discussion with someone in New Delhi who wants me to run up and down stairs switching off, unplugging, plugging back in again, with the end result of having still to wait a day or two for 'normal' service to resume.

They have excelled this time by ensuring, over the Christmas period, where I get the rare opportunity to veg in front of the TV, that my on demand fails - again! They first told me it was a fault at their end - I managed to watch one film - then hey presto, it was gone again - and remains firmly gone.

Further conversations with New Delhi resident and they say they are going to send an engineer out - 'why would this be' I ask as they had already told me it was a fault at their end!!!

I hate BT - my husband hates it even more... I can't express how frustrating it is to see all these films I could be watching but instead sit motionless on the sofa with phone in hand listening to sychophantic BT tech staff telling me how sorry they are.

I've gone through to the executive BT complaints department and had minor success there, but short lived and now the lady I was dealing with refuses to respond to my emails = no surprise there!!!!

Problems retaining telephone number - want to keep old number

2012-01-03T13:09:00.000Z

Having been on hold now with BT Customer Services for the best part of an hour, having already been cut off twice, I feel compelled to submit this complaint.

In September 2011, I contacted BT to inform them that I would be relocating my office at the end of October and would like to retain my number, I was reassured that as I was tied in to a 5 year contract this would not be a problem. I was simply reassured all I needed to do was to let BT know 10 days before my move and everything would be sorted.

When the time came, I followed this advice only to be told that the line wouldn’t be sorted for a further 4 weeks. Unhappy with the situation, I continued as best I could to manage my business with the use of a Vodafone dongle and an Orange I-phone, that kept cutting out and was unable to be taken to be repaired as all my business numbers had been diverted on to it.

Eventually a BT engineered arrived and told me that there was a problem with the phone line, that would require someone having to install a new line external at there wasn’t any connections available in to my offices despite the two other companies in the building already being linked in to the network. As a result I was told a surveyor would need to come out to assess the line.

A few days later a surveyor turned up at the office and informed me that he may need to apply for planning permission for a new pole to be inserted in the church yard next door, if he couldn’t get agreement for a wire to be attached to the front the building from the landlord.

Fortunately the landlord agreed and an engineer came to the offices during the week before Christmas. After several hours of working in the pouring rain, he informed me that the phone line needed to go underground as there was yet a further problem. This meant another engineer was going to be needed.

I explained to the Engineer, how I had been regularly in contact with BT and was worried of the impact all the delays were having on my business and he kindly agreed that he and his colleague would continue to work to get the phone line sorted.

Finally, the line was up and running. On the 28th December, I came in to my office to connect my broadband up, so I could put this series of unacceptable events behind me and get on with running my business, only to turn up for work today to find the line wasn’t working.

After being passed from pillar to post and people just hanging up on me, since finally speaking to someone who took my details and told me they would call me back, I have just received a phone call from someone at BT, who informs me that the reason for my phone line not working is ‘because the job has been closed’. Apparently this is something to do with an automated IT system that was implemented on the 31st December. I have been informed that the job will now need to be reopened and I will have to wait until then to get my phone line up and running.

Working in a business that ultimately generates it’s income through communication, I estimate, I have lost in the region of 15k over the last few months and had the privilege of paying £433 to keep a telephone number that has disappeared into oblivion, along with costs for wishing to transfer the number in the first place, for what can only be described as half truths and sheer incompetence on BT’s behalf.

Therefore is my telephone is not up and running by close of play today, and I have not be suitable compensated for this mess, I shall be forwarding this to my solicitor to see damages and full loss of earning from BT.

Your sincerely

Helen Spillards

Customer Services Complaint

2011-12-22T20:06:00.000Z

Another BT complaint sent in complaining about problems with BT customer service.

Dear btcomplaint.com

I am disgusted with the way in which my dear friend and neighbour has been treated by yourselves. Her name is Edena Davies which is where one of your customer services people told her they had her down as residing at. My neighbour has repeatedly told you she has had problems with a crossed line involving a lady called Mrs Ali. It is disgraceful that she has been told over and over again that this is impossible.

I am witness to this fact as on a number of occasions have been speaking to her when this third person has also come on to the line, I have spoken with Mrs Ali at my neighbours house when I have answered a phone call which was meant for Mrs Ali but had rang through to Mrs Davies. I can not believe that this matter has not been investigated and instead my neighbour has been cut off.
The fact that she has already paid one huge bill and has received another one which is even higher should have flagged up the fact that there is obviously some kind of problem which needs to be investigated, instead Edena has been treated like some kind of fool and told this is impossible.

I would ask you to investigate this matter as soon as possible and bare in mind the fact that there are plenty of witnesses to this impossible crossed line. Mrs Ali herself has told us she has complained to BT but still nobody has acknowledged this problem.

Mrs Davies as you should know from your records is a senior citizen and is very distressed by this matter which is why she has given me her full permission to discuss this matter with yourselves.

My name is Yasmine Arif and I am not a BT customer gladly.

MAC Code Complaint

2011-12-18T20:12:00.000Z

Dear BT Complaints

I have requested you to give me a Mac code a requirement to change services to Plusnet broadband and phone, and I did this on Sunday 4th of December, 2011.

I was asked all sorts of questions as you were trying to keep my business ect. which went on for rather a long time and finally was told you could not give me this code as your system was down ect. and I could be assured that you would email me with this within 5 days in accordance with Oftel rules which you have failed to do.

I rang you again this morning 11th of December and after the usual questions I was put on hold and the line went dead.

I don't think really this is the way to deal with your customers and I am glad I am leaving bt as you are not the sort of company a nice customer such as myself (and a good payer) wishes to deal with, sooner or later the penny will drop when your customer numbers are falling and your profits are down
that this is not the way to conduct your business.

I will now forward my complaint to Oftel and wish you goodbye. Any charges which I incur due to not having this code will be forwarded on to you of course with administration charges for my time on both these occasions.

Yours Sincerely,

Adrian Armstead.

Existing Dispute Complaint

2011-12-18T17:44:00.000Z

Dear BT complaints

I complained and raised a formal dispute about an incorrect bill after I had accepted a free offer for one year, and then cancelled at the end of the year as I had not found the service useful. I thought I had not been restored to where I was before the offer. This may be incorrect, but bills are obscure enough for this not to be clear, and I had a lot of trouble finding a bill old enough to throw more light on the situation (this delayed my response longer than I had intended). Also, my bills started coming monthly instead of quarterly. I was told by email that bills after the end of the trial could not be refunded; this may turn out to be correct if they restored the status quo ante, and I am awaiting clarification on that, in response to an email sent this morning (12 Dec 11).

However, I found that my phone service had been disabled this afternoon. I understand that this is not even allowed when a dispute is outstanding - it is blackmail, and it is certainly an inappropriate way to try to resolve a dispute. I am unable to communicate by telephone with BT at all - if I try to dial 100 or 150, the call is not put through; it is only possible to communicate with automatic services. The amount of the bill is disputed, although it may turn out to be justifiable (in which case I will pay it). The bill also arrived one month after the previous bill, when the agreed billing period is quarterly (agreed by BT, in an email received recently).

I write to complain about the unreasonable, and possibly illegal, disconnection of telephone service. Please ensure that I am not charged for the period when service was not provided. I don't know whether I should ask in this email for the general problem to be looked into also, or if this is being done in another department.

Thank you,

Michael Salem PhD

Appalling BT service

2011-12-18T17:37:00.000Z

I took a BT phone line, broadband and on-demand and it was the biggest mistake of my life having signing up for 2 years!

I've had problems since day one which is over a year now. Basically about 3 or 4 times a week I loose connection so can not use broadband or On Demand and this goes off for about 3 or 4 hours practically every other day. I work full time and cannot take time off for engineer to visit – I have had many engineers out who have told me quite simply I have a bad signal and there is nothing they can do about it.

I have called “Technical” in India on many an evening and weekend and have been driven to drink frankly – I must have spent about 30 hours + on the phone to BT and still my service has not improved in the slightest and they will not release me from the contract.

One of the technical advisors asked me if my home hub was connected by wire to my home PC which I said it wasn’t as it was wireless – he said it had to be wired in and when I asked him what wireless meant he hung up on me.

By far the worst day was when my phone line, on demand and broadband all went down so I called “Technical” on a Sunday (India obviously) and I was subsequently hung up on 7 times (I am not rude or obnoxious they just couldn’t be bothered) I then called sales (England) who did connect me again to “Technical” and stayed on the line until I had booked an engineer – who I might add came and didn’t fix anything and it broke again the same afternoon.

After not getting anywhere for months on end I eventually got hold of a name of a manager who I managed to get 1 email off – I have sent 8 emails back to this person with an array of faults I am still getting (screen shots of my 0.0/0.2 upload and download speeds) and I am still waiting for a response.

Does anybody know what I am supposed to do? I am completely at my wits end with the absolutely shocking customer service and also the actual services I am paying £45 a month for and am not receiving for half the week!

Leanne Hogg

No Customer Service from BT

2011-12-18T17:31:00.000Z

We run 4 websites and Ebay using BT Business Broadband and Phone. For the past 3 weeks we have had poor Broadband with at times whole days unable to use the internet.

Numerous Calls and numerous engineers on site and we still have interrupted service. This is like taking taxis away from a taxi company - we simply cannot operate.

At the moment we have broadband but now BT have cut off our phone, now our customers cannot contact us and WE CANNOT TAKE CARD PAYMENTS as this is linked to our phone line.

Despite pushing and pushing for a complaints department we are told they don't have one!

Neither will any one name take responsibility or ownership of the problem, they contunually give us new numbers for us to chase around.

APPALLING, THE WORST SERVICE I HAVE EVER HAD FROM ANY COMPANY!

Once sorted I will be shifting to another provider - if they have a complaints department they are already light years ahead of BT.

Getting reconnected - BT problem after problem

2011-12-01T22:20:00.000Z

Moving house and being reconnected to phone and broadband should be easy enough for BT to sort as it's their business. This following complaint shows this is far from reality.

Hello there

I'm emailing regarding my terrible customer service i've received. I've been with BT for 4 years and this past year has been horrendous with ourselves moving home and being reconnected to broadband and phone. I contacted BT in October 2010 and told them I was moving home and they said they would arrange this without any problems on the 5th Nov.

We moved house and contacted BT and got told we would not be connected until the 22nd November. I have spoken to about 50 staff members of which I have all there names telling me I would be connected on the 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th 11th 12th etc all lies as was never connected.

Eventually I got sent a dongle of which I got told I was not to be charged for but surprise surprise I got charged for it!!!

I got the money back my on my next bill after complaing but the dongle which was a waste of time as received this on the 23 Nov. Months went past without any problems until I received a phone call from BT asking if I wanted BT Vision. I said yes as I got told it was on offer and I would not get charged for it the first month but you guessed it, surprise surprise I got charged 3 months in advance plus a BT activation fee!!!!

Eventually after several phone calls I cancelled it but BT still insisted I pay the full amount I refused and cancelled my Direct Debit. This was getting out of hand as it was still on my September bill with only half the credits I refuse to pay the bill until you sent out the correct one. Eventually in October I had enough and informed BT was cancelling the service.

I spoke to customer support and got told I would be credited £144.17 and there would be no cancellation charge in my last bill. Before that you restricted my phone you cut off my broadband without notice no letters etc. Customer service put it back on for a week and you restricted it again, eventually I gave up phoning BT as they never listen or understand.

My November bill came through at £70.88 and surprise this was incorrect as they had not credited the full amount. My corrct bill should be £17.93.

Eventually I switched telephone and broadband supplier as I had enough. The other company was so professional in there service contacting me and the dates and put BT to shame.

Shocking service from BT!

lynda dalziel

No BT Broadband

2011-12-01T20:37:00.000Z

Dear BT Complaints

I moved house recently and had email from BT saying broadband and new telephone number would be installed today. No engineer turned up so rang BT and got through to UK who informed me there had been a problem at their end and they were not coming today but if I held on she would contact manager and sort problem.

Then after 15 minutes waiting 6pm arrived and line clicked and started ringing! I had been transferred to india as apparently at 6pm the UK go home! So now I had to start all over again.

After another hour of waiting I finally lost patience and told call centre I was going elsewhere as all he could do was cancel my order and start a new one.

The real insult is that despite BT not turning up or even bothering to let me know that they were not going to I still got a BT bill asking for the 3 months in advance! I expect now I will get a red for a service I haven't even got!

BT Vision Box Problems

2011-12-01T20:32:00.000Z

We've received many BT Vision problems sent in by customers experiencing problems with BT Vision Box equipment.

Dear BT Complaint Site

I write to ask advice on the constant problems I am having with by BT Vision Box. For some 6 months now, every so often, my TV keeps showing the ‘Please wait five minutes, if this screen still appears please carry out the following check’ and proceeds to list different things to try.
This is getting more an more frequent, namely 3 times this week alone.

I am constantly carrying out all these checks, sometimes with success, others not so successful. When they do not work I then have the tedious task of phoning an out of UK call centre, and asked to transferred directly to the BT Vision Department, apparently this cannot be done, I have to be transferred from one department to another, each time explaining my problem, each time answering the same questions. This is extremely annoying.

To add insult to injury, each time I go through the process of resetting my home hub, my telephone line reverts to my broadband line, this is not so much of problem but causes confusion when telephoning people as it shows the broadband telephone number and not my land line number. This also creates confusion when phoning BT for help.

It seems to me that BT are failing to provide the service for which I am paying and I am now at the point where I am considering contacting trading standards to see what my options are.
I am now at my wits end with this problem and would like any help possible on cancelling my BT contract or at least reducing it to the minimum possible package. I also feel that some considerable compensation is required.

All I have wanted from the beginning is for an engineer to come and check the equipment. This was arranged only once and even then the engineer failed to turn up which left me waiting in all day for nothing.

Kind Regards
Beverley Downes

Useless BT Customer Service

2011-11-01T22:27:00.000Z

Dear BT Complaints

Over the past 5 weeks I have contacted Customer Service/help five times, rang various BT numbers and still was put through to the BT call centre. It was not until the 19 October, I received any help at all. The problem was no broadband speed at all on and off during the day and from five pm onwards. Although the signal WAS SHOWING AS EXCELLENT. Speaking to the advisors at your call centre was impossible – they could not understand me and I could not understand them!

I asked again and again for a UK number so that I could get the matter resolved but it was not forthcoming. I was told that the Advisor I eventually spoke to on 19th October was a Supervisor. He apparently reset my line and said the Hub we was using probably needed replacing as it was old so he would order one. He did, however, insist we had no contract which we found amazing. After speaking to him he passed us straight on to somebody (u.k. speaking) who we assumed was the ordering dept. for the new hub. She advised that the new hub would be with us on Friday 21st October.

On Thursday the Supervisor ‘phoned us advising that he had ordered the new hub and we would receive it in 2/3 days. We tried to tell him that one was coming on 21st but he kept saying ‘he had ordered the hub’.

We did receive a new hub on the Friday against order no.VOLO11-56682054709 which was satisfactory. Confirmation documents were received by us on Friday although it states ‘thanks for asking us to change your B T service. May I point out it was in response to our not having 24/7 internet connection. On Monday the 24th October we received a second Hub. Having again tried to
contact someone by phone, we eventually went on to Live Chat and made several attempts to explain, having been asked did we wish to keep the hub!!! After a long time the so called Advisor told us he would arrange for a Jiffy bag to be sent to us and we still await this.

NOW this morning we have received a letter again dated 20th October stating thanks for getting in touch.we are sorry your Home Hub 3 was not working and you will be receiving a replacement. The letter also asked us to return the faulty Hub 3 in the returns bag that came with the replacement!!!!!! If it is not returned you may charge us for it. The Hub being replaced is the old White one.

Now perhaps you would like to advise what you wish us to. There has obviously been a mess up with ordering two Hubs. Do you want the old white hub back ? Can you also confirm that we will not get another set of documents against the second order and we will not be billed for delivery of another hub. It would probably be best if you ‘phone us. We might add that we understand mistakes can be made, the fact that we have no direct phone number or in fact an address is absolutely ridiculous, frustrating and in our case we paid for a full months broadband.

Hub 3.0 - Billed £233 and never asked for it

2011-11-01T22:22:00.000Z

This BT customer got a nasty shock when they received a bill for £233 for Hub 3.0 which they never even ordered!

Dear BT

What the hell is going on? I have just been shocked to find you have taken £233 from my account. Yes I accept I requested a 'phoneline installation' at £130. BUT! I never asked for a new Hub 3.0, even the engineer was surprised I received this, but went ahead and installed it. In fact when I arranged for the relocation of the line to my new address I specifically stated I DID NOT want to sign up for a further 18 months, just to receive the Hub 3.0. Thankfully, I have kept records of all of the transactions I AGREED to.

I will replace this item with the Hub 2.0 which I accepted when signing up for broadband, and return the Hub 3.0 to yourselves. Ensure the monies ( £91.90 + VAT) are returned to my account immediately. If not, then I will have to report you for deceitful and fraudulent practices to ofcom, CAB and Trading Standards.

This is yet another reason I wish to find a more efficient and honest supplier.

And a further reason for me to declare that you have broken the contract, yet again.

Please confirm if you are a member of "OTELO" or "CICAS" as I feel I do need to take this matter further.

PS - Please note that the survey on your website IS NOT mandatory, although it does not matter which of the 3 options you click on, it attempts to start the survey in another window! Just further examples of your ineptitude.

Broadband and Phone Contracts Renewed Without Customers Permission

2011-11-01T22:11:00.000Z

Dear BT Complaints

I signed up for the BT Phone Line and Broadband service in February 2010 on the phone and was told that my monthly charges would come to £30.00 per month and that throughout the Day Monday to Sunday Anytime i could make Unlimited Calls to 01,02,03 numbers up to 59 minutes but when my bill decided to come in it would be higher at around £45 - £60 which i didnt think anything about it as i thought there may of been any other charges that are not in the current call plan.

At the time of agreeing the contract over the phone with BT they explained that I will receice a phone with the broadband router which was fine.

I then noticed that down the line in October 2011 that after checking my bills which I was silly not to before that time, I was being charged for my calls which I thought was FREE.

My broadband speeds would slow down and after contacting BT to have this resolved they told me that they could not do anything and they hung up.

A company contacted me to provide me with a cheaper and excellent service on my telephone line and i agreed. A week down the line i received a letter from BT stating that a request has been sent to them and if i do not know anything about it i would need to contact them in order to cancel the request.

I ignored the letter because i was happy to move. I then received a email from BT stating that i owe them £165 and also they have renewed my Broadband Contract for 12 Months whereas i did not agree to this.

I called them up and they said that the contract was agreed and when i asked wheres the proof they said that a letter was sent to them to renew it which i have not got a clue about.

I asked them to cancel the service and this would disconnect Friday 28th October 2011 after which they decided to bill me for the Broadband and the 12 Months which i never agreed to.

My advice for other consumers or businesses is to think about their future Telecommunications companies as everyone knows they earn more money than anyone and all they are there for is to rip you off with 50% more on your Rental Services and Calls.

Thanks

Broadband Price Hike

2011-11-01T22:06:00.001Z

Dear BT Complaints

I have been with BT for 40 years and more recently Broadband for about 8 years. My annual contract recently expired, although they did not send me a reminder to say that it had gone past the date of 21st October, (I was away on business at the time), and on contacting them on my return (26th October) they offered me a new 12 month contract of £10 per month Broadband/evening and weekend calls and £13.90 for line rental as from 28th October, 2011, which I thought was a good deal and accepted over the phone, requesting confirmation in writing.

I received a confirmation letter today, 31st October 2011, and in the same letter an additional paragraph stated that the price would be going up to £10.50 and £14.60 respectively, as from 3rd December, 2011.

I have made various phone calls to them expressing my disgust but all you are able to speak to are Indian call centre operatives who I have a job to understand, and they won’t put you through to anyone in authority.

I think this is underhand and constitutes sharp business practise. They should have made me aware of the imminent price hike when I agreed to the new contract price.

It’s a one way street as I see it. They can put up charges and I have no comeback but if I don’t want to pay the higher price (which I didn’t agree to) I have to pay a forfeit to cancel. Although it’s not a large amount, it the principle involved.

Here’s hoping this can be submitted to Ofcom and Watchdog along with others with the same grouse with the result that BT are made to change their fraudulent sales tactics.

Thank you

BT Broadband Complaint

2011-10-25T17:06:00.000+01:00

When BT "upgraded" their Broadband service in my area (Sheffield) I was without service for 2 days. Numerous phone calls later service was restored. One delay was that after the upgrade their mail server apparently believed every email stored there (135,000) had never been delivered and kept trying to download them. I was told I would have to delete them on the server! Insistence resulted in my getting them to delete them, but that took them 5 hours further delay. I find it hard to believe that there is not a technician somewhere in the organisation who could reset something on the server, but I was not prepared to sit here for hours deleting a page at a time. After 3 hours I came back to my computer to find a message saying the technician had finished his shift, but had left me "just 37,000" to delete myself. I phoned again, waited in the queue, and insisted BT deleted the remaining 37,000 emails. That took a further 2 hours.

Last week my service became so slow I could not load web pages or download mail. There were no reported faults, but every call I made resulted in my being told it would all be resolved, until finally they admitted there was a problem requiring an engineer to come out. This was Saturday and they said I would have to wait until the following Friday. At one point, despite having explained I was 69 and had arthritis, I was asked to remove the plate on the phone connection with a screwdriver! I asked that a technician from a UK call centre call me back. They said they would do this. I received a message on my land line confirming the Friday appointment on that Saturday. That night my service ceased completely. I had no connection to my main computer with a hard connection, nor my laptop with a wireless connection.

During the ensuing week I phoned many times. I repeatedly asked for a call-back from the UK. I have not received one. On the Monday I got a message that my appointment had been cancelled. When I phoned I was told it had not been. By Wednesday they were saying the Friday appointment had been booked on the Monday, not the previous Saturday. I was talked over repeatedly. Always politely, but politeness is no substitute for competency!! I was also promised call-bacs from managers at the call centre in India, none of which happened, even though they insisted they had. I sat by the phone for 35 minutes waiting for a promised call back from a manager in 5 minutes. When I finally called back myself, she insisted she had called and my line was engaged. Not true.

On the Friday the engineer arrived. Said the problem was the filter I had installed as instructed by the call centre. No filter was required. He fitted a new modem, and said my service would be a little slower for a couple of days, as they made some adjustment when a line was out of service completely. NOW he had certified the fault corrected they would switch me back to full service within 2 days.

That night the server started rejecting my password. I waited an hour in a queue to get them to reset my password on their server.

Then I started getting timed out by the server because the speed was so slow. The next day, 22 October, it was just as bad. I phoned again. Again requested a UK call-back and was told because I had registered a complaint it had been "escalated to Level 2" and I could not even request a UK call-back now! I finally got through to a manager who said my speed was OK. I said it was not. (I had managed to get onto the Sky Broadband site for a few minutes that day and had a speed test via their site .. 2-5meg.) He then said he would take over my computer (I suspect to demonstrate how wrong I was). The connection was so slow we could not download the software. He then directed me to a speed test page. That wouldn't load either of course. He then changed tack and said I could expect slow speeds until October 30th, as .. I forget the technical terms used, but it seemed to me to be about bedding in and adjusting.

I cannot believe having a fault fixed and a new router fitted requires a process of 8 days bedding in. Today it has been better for much of the time, but rely that's beside the point.

I had no service at all for 8 days. I have been delayed, spoken over constantly, lied to even, and they seem determined that this is kept safely their side of the world. I can find no way to direct my complaints to a senior manager in the UK. I have been a BT customer for 50 years. They have been my ISP for over 12. This is not a way to treat loyal customers. If it takes 7 days t get an engineer out they have too many faults, too few engineers, or both. At one point I was told engineers were expensive and they couldn't respond more quickly. I haven't noticed any reduction in my charges. They say I will get a refund, but they said that when I lost 2 days during the line updating, and my latest bill shows no such refund.

I have set this out in the hope that it gets to someone who cares enough to

Give me a response to this series of conflicting messages, the errors, the insistence that all would be fine (which resulted in 2 days loss of time in booking an engineer).
Explain why it is impossible to get a call-back from a technician in the UK, something which BT Broadband's UK staff assure me I can request. One adviser said I could ask to be transferred.
Why I am left blocked from taking my complaint to a more senior manager in the UK. The website simply gives the telephone number which will I now take me straight back to the call centre I do not wish to speak to again.

If I have a problem that can be resolved by a technician taking over my computer, then I accept the call centre in India being my first point of call. If not, I am sorry but not speaking geek myself, I cannot follow someone who does, and does this at high speed in heavily accented English. I find it incredibly frustrating to be spoken over (however often they say they "understand" how I feel .. they do NOT), to not be allowed to explain what has happened.

A simple refund, if indeed it is forthcoming, will not recompense me for the time I have spent waiting in queues, getting nowhere. I use the Internet to order my groceries, to run a charity fundraising site. I am not a business customer, but I am a CUSTOMER who had been a loyal one. Being without Internet connection for over a week was a hardship for me, and impacted on MY customer relations with visitors to my website. No-one "understood" how I felt or they would have found some way to give me a better result.

Politeness is NO substitute for competency, for action, for resolving problems.

I do however feel sorry for BT Broadband customers in Popular, as they seem to have poor service continually. Every day when I have checked the service status update line, they are listed.

Caryl Burton