Bt Charging

[EvianBaby]

I'm angry and confused.

I was paying £50.50 a month for phone, TV and bb (for dads house). Figured this was a bit much and called in march to change my package. We agreed a fee of £36 for what is essentially the same package.

Today I noticed the amount taken from my account since then remained at £50.50 (actual bills go to my dads so hardly see them but I knew he hadn't been making any excessive calls). So I call and they tell me I'm paying for phone, bb, BT vision & BT replay, which they tell me are the same things so I don't need replay, whatever that is. With all those he said the total came to £41 a month but he could remove the replay that shouldn't have been added and that would take it back to £36.00. Then I got cut off as he said he was changing it. Ggrrrrrr!

So, I call back, regale the whole story to some woman who clearly doesn't understand and told me that although my monthly costs only totalled £41 (even thiugh it should be 36) they still take £50.50 'just in case' I make extra calls in the future. She then said she could reduce my bill to £40 (not 36) a month but the 50.50 payment would stay the same. So we had an argument and I'm now waiting for a manager to call.

But this really doesn't make sense to me. Firstly, my dad hardly uses the phone so never makes excessive calls, evidenced by the fact the account is over £60 in credit!

Does anyone else pay a random amount in advance, just in case they make more calls? Surely I should be charged the fee for my package and then if I make additional calls be billed then?

Sorry for the rant.

Confused of Bucks.

[gingejbee]

Somebody needs to change their service provider....!

[EvianBaby]

As I said, it's my dads, not mine. I just look after it for him.

[gingejbee]

...but, in answer to your question - I've never been charged any amount in advance "just in case". Sounds daft!

[Jan1957]

I'm with BT and think I was paying about the same as you, approx £51 for Broadband, BT Vision, including ESPN, and free weekend calls. I recently updated to BT Infinity so I could get BT Sport and my monthly bill has gone down to £45! Don't ask me why but I have never known them take any more than the exact amount of my bill which includes any phone calls I have made.

[EvianBaby]

Exactly,sounds like a load of baloney to me.

[EDDIE51]

If your Dad qualifies as 'low income' he can get BT BASIC this is the cheapest option for a BT line not sure if it includes internet and tv
http://www.bt.com/includingyou/other-products-services-bt-basic.html?s_cid=con_FURL_calls_basic

[gingejbee]

EDDIE: telephone only on BT Basic.

[EDDIE51]

BT Basic costs just £14.85 for 3 MONTHS ! that includes £4.50 for calls ideal for a pensioner who just needs to stay in touch. It is so cheap they don't like people to find out about it . May even be worth getting Dad a basic line for calls only and a second supplier/line for the BB and TV . Plus net are cheap give them a Google

[EDDIE51]

what TV channels does Dad watch? You can get a free-view box that gives loads of channels ( over 100 I think) and there is no monthly fee at all . Freeview box's have delay tv and catch up tv now still no monthly payments.
The BT Basic and freeview would cost £14. 85 every 3 months , then he just needs a BB . For that there are G4 dongles now that are as fast as cable and from under £20 a month.

[EvianBaby]

He's not objecting to paying the right amount, in fact I haven't even told him I'm being over charged, (he pays me 35 a month for it). It's the fact they can't seem to work out why I'm laying for two identical services that I didn't agree to and being charged in advance on the assumption ill make some calls when I'm already in a decent amount of credit that's my problem.

[EDDIE51]

Dongle prices here
http://www.uswitch.com/broadband/mobile_broadband/?gclid=CP_CyLSkt7gCFRMQtAodfUAAJA
They are as fast as any other broadband now

[boxtops]

I don't understand at all - my direct debit for BT Infinity never varies from the agreed amount.

[Hopkirk]

Tell them you are off to Sky or Talktalk.

If the price doesn't tumble, then do just that.

[craft1948]

Sign up under your dad's name and account number to My BT. If you are in credit you can opt to have a payment holiday or reduce your monthly payments all online, done by yourself. At the moment I'm on a 2 month payment holiday.............

[EvianBaby]

I can't leave them as when we agreed the new package in march that started a new 12 month contract.