I was so angry with BT Customer Services that I set up a BT Complaints website for people to share and submit complaints like this. All complaints will be put into report and sent for investigation. I have added this complaint to the list. The website is www.btcomplaint.com
BT comes under scrutiny for increasing cancellation fee
Leave BT Broadband without applying for a Mac code and transferring to another provider and you will now be charged £25 – that's the finding of a PC Pro reader from Edinburgh who contacted the magazine after finding the fee had been raised from £18.11 to £25 in June with very little in the way of advertising.
Applicable even if customers have worked through their minimum contract period BT's new terms and conditions now state: “When you end your broadband service and do not request a migration authorisation code (MAC) or another recognised transfer process to move to another service provider, from 12 June 2009 you will have to pay a cease charge of £25.00.” The only exception to this increased charge is if BT can no longer provide a service to the new address if the customer is moving home.
Although cease charges aren't uncommon among internet service providersl this recent fee increase seems to have slipped by most. Speaking to PC Pro a BT spokesperson explained the reasoning behind the charge as being to “encourage customers to use the correct migration process and cover the technical costs incurred when this process isn't used.” It added: “The charge has increased in line with the costs of the work. This is the actual cost of the work required within an exchange to recover equipment and amend records.”
More information on how to switch broadband provider and avoid cancellation charges can be found using Broadband Genie's Guide.
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I was amazed when bt told me they would be charging me £25 for leaving them as I am going to Virgin for broadband and I don't nead a mac address to go to them.
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I am amazed, shocked and angry for the same reason, too-- installation was free, but who thought about asking to de-installation fees? I never heard of it before now. I can't believe it is legal.
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I am just entering dispute with them for a £25 charge too. Firstly, the Homemoving team told me they couldn't upgrade my Broadband to the new faster one, as part of the move so I had to cancel then reopen at the new address. This I did, it was a painful process, and then they said I didn't qualify for the 'new customer' offers, which is fair enough. But now they say I have to pay cancellation even though I am still with BT! My argument is they can't have it both ways.
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Unbelievable how they can get away with this stuff, I have been with them for years, paying £24.99 /month for 1.5mb speed only and now they want to charge me £25 for just leaving them..Just trouble..
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I didn't know this about BT. I am thinking of switching to Virgin Media in March when my BT Contract ends, so looks like BT will be charging me. BT really do suck.
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After my end of contract. Rang BT to cancel. They said OK, you will receive a letter in 10days to confirm. No letter. Rang again. They had no record of last phone call.This time I obtained a proof of cancellation order. It appears they "forget & don't record " phone calls when its not in their favour. You have to ring to cancel (So I am told by every BT dept)
So yes BT I will have a good day - When I am NOT with BT -
The roling contract scheme came into play in 2008.
I have cancelled BT to go to Virgin Media in Aug, but BT notified me on Aug 16 that as I was leaving when I am still in Contract which was automatically renewed in July 2010, I have to pay a cancellation fee. They adviced that a end of contract notice was sent 30days prior in June 2010. (which I have never seen).
I wrote to refute stating that I have not agreed to sign for this contrct in 2008, have not agreed to renew in 2009, nor in 2010.
I was not aware of such a contract.
BT's response :
1. In my Bill, it is clearly printed the type of contract (Free Evening & Weekend, Automatically Renewalable Contract). So it's my fault for not reading my bill.
2. BT does not have any proof of delivery of the 30 day notice but they do not need to.
3. I had the chance to stop the cancellation when I received the 16 aug 2010 letter but did not. So it's my choice to leave with the understanding of a cancellation fee payable.
I rang BT this morning with the following response:
1. In the bill no start date or end of contract dates were printed.
2. Since there was no proof of delivery of notice, either by email or letter and nothing printed on my bill, How am I to know when my contract was due.
3. Please provide the contract BT claimed I agreed to in 2008. BT said there is no written agreement.
No matter what I said, the call center staff refuse to accept the fact that an agreement needs the consent of 2 or more parties. In this case, I was never made aware of the 'contract' Have not agreed to be bound by it, but the main thing is I have never received any notice warning me of the end of my contract.
This contract is essentially one-sided!
I urge all of you who are affected by this to cancel your direct debit immediately at least they will have to chase you for payment and not you for the refund.
Please make a complain to OfCOM at 020 7981 3040.
Please also email BBC Panorama at panorama.reply@bbc.co.uk
asking them to investigate.
Twit, Blog and email all your friends warning them of such dishonest practise. spread the word.
Please if there are any lawyers out that. Please advice. -
Just cancelled BT account. Also subject to this 'fine' of £25. However, their service has been so crap that I either had to cancel or risk my ability to communicate with clients. Going over Virgin. Fining leaving customers is a GREAT way of ensuring they never return. Thanks BT. Good to be rid of you even if it costs me £25 for the pleasure.
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I am with BT broadband and land line phone.What my PC breaks down and I decide to not get a new one,do I still have to pay to cease my BT broadband.?
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Sorry for the delay.Just an Update, yes , they told me i have to pay the 25 cancellation fee, but straight away i wrote a letter to my MP, who spoke to the Chairman's office then someone from there phoned me up to tell me that was a mistake. you wont be charged. DONE. If you worked hard for a penny then do not let them take from you that easy.
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I have phoned BT to disconnect my service as i am moving in with my partner and he already has a service (funnily enough he wont touch BT!) and ive been told i have to pay £25 disconnection fee. I'd like to know what exactly they have to do that warrants a fee of £25. I was told that it wasn't them who charge it it's an external company when i asked for their details i was told it's openreach, isn't that part of BT? Unbelievable and when i asked to speak to a manager he said well you didn't pay a connection fee like i'm supposed to be grateful to them for ripping me off. The years of custom they've had out of me, i wouldn't have them again if they were the last providers on the planet!
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I agree with the sentiments expressed on these pages. BT are acting more like organised crime than a reputable corporation. Every slight change you make to your services is counted as a change of contract.
Weird or what?
As soon as I have the chance, I will dump BT and go to another provider. Hopefully, before December. Happy Christmas, BT! -
Just been told it will be £30... Told the call centre lady that it was a joke. Slight pause then continued her transcript! Good job my insurance company didn't charge me a cancellation fee for removing my policy document from the database!
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Search Facebook and you can join groups like I have. Maybe we'll become a huge mass to oppose the 'daylight robbery' of BT and its kind.
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I'm so bloody angry. Signed up for Virgin and cancelled BT due to the attrocious speed and connection problems, only to be told there would be a £30 cancellation fee.
I said, how can that be? I'm outside of my 12 month contract and no longer contractually obliged to stay with BT!
They said this was charged by BT open reach.
The reason? An engineer had to go to the exchange and remove some broadband equipment!
My argument is that I'm liable for averything within the boundaries of my property, and they are liable for anything outwith those boundaries.
I mean, if the water main at the end of the street requires the attentions of an engineer, I dont get charged for that do I?
Apparently BT open reach charge BT retail for the engineers work who then pass the cost on to you the customer.
I've told them, by all means place the charge on my last bill, but the bill will be £30 light.
They can whistle for it!!!!! -
Just had exactly the same outcome after cancelling my BT. a £30 charge supposedly coming from Open Reach (whoever they are). It's disgusting ... after receiving a letter from BT a few days ago saying there would be no termination charge. Apparantly Open reach are nothing to do with them so the letter is factually correct ... or at least so the rip off merchant from BT told me. AAAaggghhhhh
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Exactly the same experience as others on here.
Changed address and switched to the SKY broadband package. Caled up BT who confirmed that I would have to serve my one month notice period and that would be that.
Just found a D/D taken almost a month later for £30. Called up the call centre who initially gave me incorrect information (they said it was a fee payable because I was breaking a yearly contract - I have been with BT for years and am on a rolling contract) before explaining about the cancellation charge. Apparently it's in the Terms and Conditions of the contract extension (which was agreed over the phone and not signed). Obviously this was not explained to me at the time.
It's daylight robbery.
I will be cecalling the D/D, making a complaint and asking them to take me to court for the payment. I will never ever use BT again. -
we've just got stung for this £30 broadband disconection charge aswell,dont think BT will be getting it as to be honest its a joke of a charge,we honoured our 18mth contract to the exact day,and still get penalised for it.They are even trying to add a charge for Direct Debit cancelation,though just to make you laugh our final bill arrived through the post on Saturday with all these 'extra' charges on them,and low and behold at the top of page one it states, 'We are unable to accept payment by Direct Debit for your final bill'
Go figure!!!! -
I cancelled BT after completing the 18m contract period. i've also been charged this ridiculous £30 'broadband cessation' fee. Tried to speak to a customer service operator who kept me on hold for so long that the line eventually disconnected. Disgusted with them. Have now moved my home, and my company phone & broadband service to Southern Electric. I will NEVER use BT again - and I will ensure that as many people I can influence as possible, will also never use them. May they rot in hell.
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Just got stung for £30 for cancelling out of contract as well. Had enormous trouble getting the service set up in the first case and being charged for cancelling it after serving my 18-month contract beggars belief. No chance of me ever going back to these cowboys.
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BT just told me I'd be charged £37 cancellation fee (£30 for broadband and £7 for who the f**k knows), not because I'm terminating the contract early, just because that's how BT works! Is there anything I can do?
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Received my final bill today and incl. was this £30 cessation charge. It was explained to me that this was because my new provider had not issued a mac code to BT and they were now entitled to charge.
I spoke to the new provider who were obviously aware this would occur as they had already placed a £30 credit on my account which at my request and without question have refunded to my account. Which is excellent service compared to theT*****s at BT who are incapable of even being able to bill me on one bill for broadband and phone services, but instead choose to send 2 seperate and confusing documents. Will never go back to them. -
Received a bill for £35.78. £5.78 for broadband classic charged in advance for the period 21st October - 27th October and £30 Cancellation fee for turning off the Broadband on 27th October.
We transferred to Sky on 21st September 2011 and have been happily using Sky Broadband since that date. The transfer was seemles made all the more easier by BT providing us with a MAC! Our online bill shows our account usage as NIL in the last month. Our previous bill showed that we had cancelled and they still want to charge us. Direct Debit cancelled and they can take us to court where we will be pleased to accept any damages awarded! -
I just received my final bill to find the same £30 cancellation charge for broadband... So I called them told them I'd been reassured there would be no such charges the last time I called, and so they credited my account! Quids in for telling a little white lie... Serves them right the Robbing t*@ts!!!
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