Releasing my exdirectory phone number and address

[#1]

Hi there Plusnet customers, I have been a happy Plusnet customer for several years.  I have been Exdirectory for 35years and promised by Plusnet that that would always be the case.
BEWARE
PLUSNET HAVE NOW RELEASED MY PHONE NUMBER AND ADDRESS IN THE LATEST PHONE BOOK  This is causing us stress as a very nasty person has found us and Plusnet are refusing to cover the cost of a small CCTV system that the police have advised me to install.

[#2]

That seems strange.
Looking at the order history for your line, there have not been any orders put through since you migrated to us in 2011, other than the one put through when you called us last week. From what I can see the order didn't make any changes.
It changed from:
Main Line Directory
    Type = Ex-Directory (Not Published)
To:
Main Line Directory
    Type = Ex-Directory (Not Published)
From what I can see
I am sorry to hear your number has now been published and I can see a colleague has offered a goodwill gesture, however we unfortunately would not look to increase this to the amount requested for a CCTV system.

[#3]

I dont know what you mean by "orders put through" however if you are talking about being exdirectory I was assured at the time of switching to plusnet in 2011 that I would remain exdirectory and since this gross error I have been advised by at least two members of plusnet team that all customers are treated as exdirectory unless otherwise requested. This error is costing me £236.59 for a very basic CCTV system that the police advise I fit. If I don't fit this I will now not be covered by my house insurance. Your advisor says "you can not put a cost on this unfortunate error" but this is a cost that I am having to pay for PLUSNET's ERROR. I have not asked for anything more - all the worry and my wife's tears I am having to cope with - SHAME ON YOU PLUSNET.

[#4]

It will be highly relevant to establish (a subject data access request will establish this) how the "phone book" you refer to got your details.
There are several "phone books" available. What exact source is it that has published your details?
Once established a claim through the Small Claims Court may be appropriate and result in a response from those responsible.
It may not actually be PlusNet that has done this so it's best to check. Unless they have identified and owned up to doing it.

[#5]

Quote from: derek1117

I dont know what you mean by "orders put through" however if you are talking about being exdirectory I was assured at the time of switching to plusnet in 2011 that I would remain exdirectory and since this gross error I have been advised by at least two members of plusnet team that all customers are treated as exdirectory unless otherwise requested.

I mean from what I can see, the line was ex-directory when it came over to us and there have been no orders to change this.
It is correct that all our customers default to ex-directory as standard and looking at the order history I don't see anything to change this on your line.
I agree there has been an error somewhere if your number has been published. However looking over the information on your account account/the order history for your line, I don't believe the error to be ours.

[#6]

Imeadiatly I received the nasty call I checked the BT issued "The Phone Book" and there it is Name, address and phone Number. I phoned BT and after 35mins a person in India answered and after another 10mins passed me to her manager who I was able to understand. He said very the info had come from Plusnet and to call them. I did this the next morning and I was advised to communicate via the Member Centre. The third person I commuicated with, (who was very understanding and sympathetic), admitted that it was a traning issue and she offered her personal apologies. I remained calm and appreciated that there is now way that this wrong can be "righted" and eventually I was offered, (after 2 previous offers), three months full free servicies which I was advised amounted to around £100. I am not the sort of person who "flies of the handle" and I dont want to go down the legal route as I am having enough trouble as my wife is worrying herself to tears and don't want to be thinking and spending any more time that is necessary one this issue, but I do feel that it is not fair to be left out of pocket to the tune of £135 is not fair.
I sincerely hope that these people at Plusnet who have stated the following:
Copy of final response:

"Thank you for your time on the phone today.
As discussed I have made you the offers outlined below;
1 - A free number change with a choice of number and 1 full free months service
2 - 2 months full free services
3 - 3 months full free services.
Unfortunately, you have declined all offers made to you and you have outlined that you would be requesting the cost of the CCTV system that the police have advised you to install at a cost of £236.59 + VAT (you have advised that you are able to claim the VAT back and therefore would only be wanting the £236.59).
I have spoke to the team about this and we are not going to be able to go up to that unfortunately as advised on the call whilst we appreciate the distress that has been caused to you what you are requesting is not justifiable.
You have therefore advised that you are going to take this further with legal advise.
However, should you change your mind and wish to accept the offer that I have made to you then please respond to this message and I will get this arranged for you."
can sleep at night because we can't.

[#7]

Plusnet: You offered a free renumber. Fat lot of good is that when it's the release of the address that is at issue.
In the same spirit as your offer of a free renumber you should be offering to pay to cover the cost of them moving to a new address which would address the issue appropriately.

[#8]

With all due respect, I have no idea why you were advised this was a training issue.
As mentioned previously, the line was initially moved over to us in 2011 and was ex-directory. No orders have been placed since the move back in 2011. Other than one that made no changes:

Quote from: HarryB

Looking at the order history for your line, there have not been any orders put through since you migrated to us in 2011, other than the one put through when you called us last week. From what I can see the order didn't make any changes. It changed from: Main Line Directory     Type = Ex-Directory (Not Published) To: Main Line Directory     Type = Ex-Directory (Not Published) From what I can see I am sorry to hear your number has now been published and I can see a colleague has offered a goodwill gesture, however we unfortunately would not look to increase this to the amount requested for a CCTV system.

[#9]

Harry,
The users contract is with you, it has been with you since 2011. You are responsible for the line and everything associated with the line. It is your responsibility to find out how the details came to be published. (If it is taken to the small claims court it will be Plusnet he will be claiming against)

[#10]

Quote from: derek1117

I phoned BT and after 35mins a person in India answered and after another 10mins passed me to her manager who I was able to understand. He said very the info had come from Plusnet and to call them. I did this the next morning and I was advised to communicate via the Member Centre. The third person I commuicated with, (who was very understanding and sympathetic), admitted that it was a traning issue and she offered her personal apologies.

While I'm sure your reporting of those conversations is correct, I suspect that there is an element of uncertainty in how definitive those statements by BT and PlusNet were. You really do need them documented and confirmed in writing.
It would be very easy, for example, for a worker in a foreign call centre to say "it was ..." when they were told "it must have been..." just to close down the call.
As I said above, a subject data access request is one way to do that. See: https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/guide-to-data-protection/principle-6-rights/subject-access-requ...
Someone senior at PlusNet needs to investigate and give a definitive statement as to whether and how the information was (or wasn't) passed on by them.

[#11]

It's no good Plusnet just saying "it wasn't us". As the user's contract is with them, Plusnet will have to prove it was someone else to have any chance of defending a claim in the small claims court.

[#12]

Thanks for your assistance "spoon whittler" and others. It's much appreciated as I feel I am being bullied by the "Big company"  who have no genuine feelings for us.
Kind regards
Derek

[#13]

I'm migrating to PN Phone service shortly; I hadn't realised that by default, you become ex directory 
Is there something on portal to enable this to be reversed?
Presumably you still get the annual BT Directory?

[#14]

Re directory - no you don't unless you specially request it

[#15]

Thanks oldjim; hopefully that's just a one off request & doesn't require annual requests