Change of contract question.

[regulo]

I recently signed up to BT's unlimited evening and weekend plan, having been on their light user scheme, which will soon only be available to those on certain benefits. The contract is for 12 months. BT have just written to me saying that from April 1st, evening will now run from 7pm to 7am, not 6pm to 6am. Why are they allowed to unilaterally change this fundamental part of the scheme, and can I do anything about it?

[northernmonkey]

Firstly, the diffrence is an hour, I don't think that it is a considerable amount of time which you are set to lose. BT is a obviously, very large company and I am sure that if you found a solicitor who was daft enough to waste his time and take your case on, you would end up walking away from court, owing alot of money in legal fee's. Not to mention how much time you would have wasted, It is one of them things which, however annoyed you may find it, is alot more trouble than it's worth. On a slightly more positive note which you will probablly prefer to the one above, ring BT and voice your point, if the customer service agent fail's to provide you with the answer/soloution which you are satisfied with then, ask to be transferred to somebody whom is superiour to them, ie, preferablly the manager.
Try at all costs to avoid them getting someone to call you back, as this is usually something which never happens! (same with most places).

Hope this gives you some kind of answer in which you was hoping for.

Lastly, I am a virgin media customer and upon becoming a customer with them, the service seemed of slightly poor quality for the amount that the bill's were. (Usually the phone calls alone was costing anything from £50 and upwards, therefore I decided to ring customer services and see if anything could be improved, they tried to offer me the XXL package which I was not interested in, mainly due to the fact I am not a big TV watcher, more of a net sufer. I then explained to the agent that I was not happy with the service I was getting, especially for the amount of money I was spending. He then transferred me onto a manager, who gave me, Large TV package, Unlimited 01,02 and 03 calls at all times, and broadband, for £19.99 a month. This has continued at the same price for the past 2.5 yrs.

End of essay, haha!

[regulo]

Northern monkey,
Thanks for your reply. Not really bothered, as you say, still getting same 12 hours of freebie call time, just wondered why the customer signs on for 12 months with one set of terms, then BT can change their side of the bargain with no comeback. Usual case of Big Boys doing as they please, I suppose.

[Skyline D]

In effect you have lost an hour, even if the actual facts are that you haven't.

Given the working hours of most of the population, the chances of you wanting to make a call between 6pm and 7pm are much greater than the chances of you wanting to make one between 6am and 7am. BT know that and aren't daft.

I don't know about the legalities but I'd imagine there's something in the small print that allows for adjustment of the hours at their discretion. You might have the option to cancel if they do though?

[regulo]

Thanx for your input, Skyline, as I say I'm not that bothered, but I need to get some gripes off my chest, and this is the place for it!! Why does it seem the bigger the business, the worse the service?