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What a mess

greengrass
Grafter
Posts: 83
Thanks: 6
Registered: ‎24-02-2016

What a mess

I have left BT and gone to Plusnet. I specifically asked the advisor [mremoved] to please make sure I will not gEt billed by both companies after the changeover date.
I gave 27 days notice and received a letter from BT acknowledging this, "sorry to see you go etc".
The BT letter was dated 20th Feb 2016. I also received an email on the changeover date of March 17th 2016 with an order number VOL012-119291539146
"These are the services that have stopped:
BT phone line
BT Broadband
These services have also stopped:
Unlimited Weekend Calls
BT Privacy at Home
BT Privacy Caller Display 12 months offer
A note about your bill
If you're cancelling everything with us, we'll send you a final bill within 14 days of you telling us (or you can look for it by logging in at bt.com/mybt). We'll take this payment in the same way we took your previous payments. So, if you've been paying by Direct Debit or Monthly Payment Plan, please don't cancel it until we've taken your final payment. This means the credit or debit balance you have can go towards your final bill, and you'll get any refund due to you faster by Direct Debit than cheque. If you're keeping something, you'll carry on getting your usual bills."
The changeover date was 17th March 2016.
I left my direct debit open as requested and today received a bill from BT for advanced charged from March 17th to April 16th for phone and BB. The funds have not been taken yet.
This morning I called PlusNet, was on hold for 11 minutes, explained the situation to the advisor, he put me on hold again, got through to another advisor in the provisioning team who did not know why I was put through to him, on hold again and got cut off. All that took 38 minutes.
I called again and spoke to another advisor who confirmed that a SIM 2 order was placed and BT acknowledged the changeover date of 17th narch 2016 and I should not have been billed.
This was not even a final bill so it looks like BT will carry on billing me each month despite acknowledging I have stopped thier service.
dick:csa

9 REPLIES 9
PeterLoftus
Pro
Posts: 2,599
Thanks: 182
Fixes: 5
Registered: ‎27-05-2011

Re: What a mess

To be clear. Was this a migration? In which case there was no need to contact BT at all PN should have dealt with everything  Huh
To do is to be - Neitzsche
To be is to do - Kant
do be do be do - Sinatra
pwatson
Rising Star
Posts: 2,470
Thanks: 8
Fixes: 1
Registered: ‎26-11-2012

Re: What a mess

Reading other posts, this does seem to be a migration and PN have done what they needed to do.  BT acknowledged the migration and sent the OP the details he quoted.
The issue is now for the OP and BT to resolve - There's nothing that PN can do (or should be expected to do!) to resolve a billing problem between the OP and BT.  I'd suspect that this will be simply sorted out and is likely to have occurred due to a migration close to a billing date.
greengrass
Grafter
Posts: 83
Thanks: 6
Registered: ‎24-02-2016

Re: What a mess

Quote from: PeterLoftus
To be clear. Was this a migration? In which case there was no need to contact BT at all PN should have dealt with everything  Huh

I am not sure what you mean by "migration" Peter.
I decided to change telephone and Broadband provider from BT to PlusNet, I initiated the changeover 27 days before my BT 12 month contract ran out, the changeover date was 17th march 2016.
One advisor did tell me it was a SIM 2 order which means very little to me.
Mustrum
Community Veteran
Posts: 3,554
Thanks: 1,055
Fixes: 76
Registered: ‎13-08-2015

Re: What a mess

I believe BT requires 30 days notice to cancel their services, and they bill in advance so I don't see an issue so far. They will issue a credit note in due course, and will then refund the extra they have charges, and if you are really lucky won't charge you £30 as you cancelled your broadband service. Which, if like me, you then will need to spend time on the phone explaining and quoting their own T&C's that you have not cancelled, but have moved to another provider.
HarryB
Plusnet Help Team
Plusnet Help Team
Posts: 5,199
Thanks: 1,466
Fixes: 256
Registered: ‎25-03-2015

Re: What a mess

Looking at the orders, the correct order types were placed and the services did move over to us on 17/03/16.
As pwatson has said, unfortunately this is something you will have to discuss with BT.
I have seen this type of thing happen in the past, where the losing provider are adamant that "Plusnet have not taken the service over" or "Plusnet didn't tell us they were taking the service over" however the facts are that we have placed an order, which prompts them that another provider is taking over the service and provides the completion date of the order.
The advice I have given in the past is, when calling the previous provider to discuss this, if they try to fob you off saying the service hasn't migrated and is still active with them, tell them they can check the TAGS on the line and check their back end systems (I've got to assume their account is still active and they're not doing anything to check back end system for the orders)
I hope you can get this resolved quickly and easily with BT.
If this post resolved your issue please click the 'This fixed my problem' button
 Harry Beesley
 Plusnet
PeterLoftus
Pro
Posts: 2,599
Thanks: 182
Fixes: 5
Registered: ‎27-05-2011

Re: What a mess

@greengrass as others have said BT should automatically give you a credit if their systems have overcharged you. A migration is when you initiate a change by undertakeing a new contract with an ISP who then inform the losing ISP without any necessary action from yourself. It generally works very smoothly if both ISPs are resellers of BT Openreach service but can be problematic if one or both is a LLU based supplier. Providing you haven't confused anyone by attempting to give specific instructions I can't see any  problems.  Wink
I normally wait till my contract reverts to a monthly billed  "out of contract" situation before seeking new suppliers, but that's just me  Smiley
To do is to be - Neitzsche
To be is to do - Kant
do be do be do - Sinatra
greengrass
Grafter
Posts: 83
Thanks: 6
Registered: ‎24-02-2016

Re: What a mess

Thank-you for the replies, I appreciate it.
It looks like you are all basically correct.
Mustrum, thanks for the information, I did telephone BT at 9a.m and got straight through and spoke to a helpful lady, she confirmed that they had received notice from another ISP on the19th Feb 2016 that I will be moving my phone and broadband on the 17th of march 2016.
I had a 12 month contract and had paid my 12 months line rental in advance.
It said in the  "Leaving BT" letter. "You wont have to pay any charges for ending the contact". The contract ran out on the 16th March 2016.
The advisor suggested that I cancel the direct debit which I have done so that BT do not take the £38.37.
Apparently the final bill takes up to 20 days to be issued. As I paid the broadband for last month in advance I should only be charged for my calls which total 26p.
HarryB, thanks for the information. The BT advisor could see that I am now a PlusNet customer and apologised for the inconvenience.
I also have the "Leaving BT" letter dated 20/02/16 and 2 sorry you are leaving e-mails from BT that arrived on 20/02/16 and 17/03/16 which I did not reply to.
PeterLoftus, thanks for the information.
The BT email said they will take the funds on 29/03/16 or before.
The BT advisor said they will take the funds by direct debit and then refund it at a later date, She advised me to cancel the DD. As long as I can get them to send me a final paper bill I can send them a cheque. If they try to take it by DD it will fail. I do not want to get a black mark on my credit rating even if it is only for a small amount.
I did not confuse anyone. I spoke to BT first and told them I am thinking of changing ISP and asked when I should initiate it, the BT advisor said "now", that was on 19/02/16.
I telephoned PlusNet that day and had a few questions about keeping my same number etc. I was satisfied with all the answers and asked when I should initiate the change and was told, we can do it now. So I paid the 12 months line rental in advance that day.
I did not contact BT or PN again giving any instructions.
Maybe I should have waited as you said, you live and learn Smiley
HarryB
Plusnet Help Team
Plusnet Help Team
Posts: 5,199
Thanks: 1,466
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Registered: ‎25-03-2015

Re: What a mess

Glad to hear it's all in hand Smiley
In my initial post, I thought I'd include some info from some of the more problematic examples just in case. In the time I've been working here, I've only seen it be a problem on a relatively small number of occasions Wink
If this post resolved your issue please click the 'This fixed my problem' button
 Harry Beesley
 Plusnet
greengrass
Grafter
Posts: 83
Thanks: 6
Registered: ‎24-02-2016

Re: What a mess

Yes thanks Harry.
The more information the better, it helps to know what I might have been told and how to answer it.
I was with BT since the early 90's and never really had to call them for anything, so now at least I can mention TAGS, back end systems, migration and SIM 2  if needed.  Grin