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Problem changing isp - From BT to plus net

runhare
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Registered: ‎09-10-2007

Problem changing isp - From BT to plus net

I'd be interested if anyone can clarify this query.

 

friends who have BT phone and broadband are paying nearly £180 a quarter (quarterly billing not paying via Direct debit) for their phone and adsl broadband. A quick check reveals the fibre broadband and phone from plus net is approximately half  that figure. 

We contacted plus net and a sales advisor apparently informed my friends that as bt quarterly customers they will have paid for the service in advance and that if they changed isp they would not get any advance payments already made refunded from BT . He helpfully suggested they contact BT to check and they were told this was the situation by bt s advisor, that advance payments made to bt are not refundable. 

However after a second call BT did knock £25 a month from their bill and change their account to monthly on an new 18 month / monthly contract. 

 

i think my friends were misinformed: am I right? 

If so what would people advise they do? 

 

Thanks  

 

graham 

 

 

8 REPLIES 8
Jonpe
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Re: Problem changing isp - From BT to plus net

I was on quarterly billing and changed from BT to PN a couple of years ago and got a refund from BT of the amount I had paid for the time after my migration.  I very much doubt whether billing frequency and method of payment matter in this case.  Are you sure they are not talking about Line Rental Saver which is usually non-refundable?  Also if they are still in contract, there will be a charge for the remainder of their contract.

runhare
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Re: Problem changing isp - From BT to plus net

I looked up BTs terms and conditions and there is no reference to line rental saver or cancellation charges if you are switching phone provider or ISP .  

I also know of others who have had pre payments refunded by BT when switching from  to another supplier. regardless of the length of contract remaining. 

Mav
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Re: Problem changing isp - From BT to plus net

Moderator's note:

Moved to Everything Else as it isn't a Plusnet billing or account issue.

Forum Moderator and Customer
Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear - Mark Twain
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Townman
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Re: Problem changing isp - From BT to plus net

This does rather sound like poor advice ... used to tie the subscriber into a new 18 month contract.  If I were in their shoes I would raise a formal complaint wit BT Retail stating that they were misinformed to induce them into a contact they did not really want.

If BT Retail do not resolve it to their satisfaction (for example let them out of the contract without penalty - charge them the same as what the service would have cost with Plusnet) then take the matter further to one of the industry complaint bodies and Ofcom.

Superusers are not staff, but they do have a direct line of communication into the business in order to raise issues, concerns and feedback from the community.

runhare
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Re: Problem changing isp - From BT to plus net

Just had exactly the same problem the other way now:

 

Another person I provide support for has decided to move to EE - without checking first to see if they are in contract with Plus Net.

Cost to leave Plus Net?

Take a guess .....

 

£350 !!

Townman
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Re: Problem changing isp - From BT to plus net

The OP makes no reference to being IN CONTRACT with BT, simply that they were on quarterly billing - that is they will have paid 3 months in advance for some services and advised (I suspect wrongly) that they would not get their advance payments refunded.  Therefore the OP's situation and your friend's situation are not THE SAME PROBLEM.

In the case of your friend's early exit from their PlusNet contract to move to EE, then the exit fees are very clearly laid out at the commencement of the contract.  Sadly many people do not read / understand / simply seek to ignore the early termination charges (ETC) and then get uppity when they face a charge for their choice to break the agreement.

The only way to avoid ETCs would be to pay upfront the real cost of commissioning services (and there are upfront costs) rather than they being spread across the life of the contract.  The need to raise ETCs is that people want things simple to understand, want to feel that it is as cheap as it can be and do not want to pay the real costs at the time they are incurred by the supplier.

IIRC Plusnet do offer no contract prices, but they are a bit more than those associated with fixed term contracts.

Superusers are not staff, but they do have a direct line of communication into the business in order to raise issues, concerns and feedback from the community.

runhare
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Re: Problem changing isp - From BT to plus net

To be fair ,  I now find the first OP was asked if they were in contract with BT by a Plus Net sales and advised that ETC could be payable. So in retrospect PN acted properly in her case.

 

The second OP was not asked ( she says this wasn't made clear  to her,  if she was asked,  by an EE sales rep in a shop) if they were in contract with anothr ISP and I now find she actually thought they were only setting up a Mobile Phone contract, until the rep said, "We can bundle your landline internet for you at a low additional cost , if that's OK - what's your phne number ?" 

Good sales technique,  eh? 

You are right that most people can't see the complexities of these matters, or understand the costs and simply go for the cheapest deal they can see.

Thanks for all your help - the way forward is now a little clearer!

 

Townman
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Re: Problem changing isp - From BT to plus net


@gpsmout wrote:

...I now find she actually thought they were only setting up a Mobile Phone contract, until the rep said, "We can bundle your landline internet for you at a low additional cost , if that's OK - what's your phone number ?" 

Good sales technique,  eh? 

 

 


Ouch!! That is a slightly different slant on matters.. That is tantamount to slamming - it is certainly high pressure selling, worthy of being reported to Ofcom.

Superusers are not staff, but they do have a direct line of communication into the business in order to raise issues, concerns and feedback from the community.