Brief Banter By Ben

Hi Ben
Thank you for this - all very good news! I spoke with Plus Net this morning and asked a couple of questions I still had but it definitely seems the way to go. Only one prob left and that is how long I am tied to a contract with BT. They are v busy at the mo, so I shall try again later. It would obviously be silly to pay PlusNet and BT at the same time.............
Yes I would love you to set it up for me, don't think I really understand that one.
Will get back to you as soon as I get answer about contract.
Rosie

Dear Ben
I do try my best to be a good Christian girl but b******* is all I can think about BT at the moment! I am tied into a contract till 4th August 2010 and if I come out before that date, the penalty is £39.74. That means I save nothing by transferring to Plus.Net before then. However the nice Indian lady is making a note that I am unhappy about the 7.0pm free evening time and I asked if she was getting lots of similar calls. Her answer from Bombay or wherever, was definitely a resounding yes! I shall diary the date from which I can withdraw from their contract, cancel it, cancel my DD with the bank and change my package with Plus.Net.
Thanks again for all your help.
r

Hi Rosie

I would argue that BT have changed their contract thereby negating yours!

Discussing your predicament in the snug last night we all agreed the statement above is true. Apparently if you threaten media action like:

You and Yours: BBC Radio Four
Max Clifford
Watchdog
And similar, you may get your way and they will cancel your contract.


Best of Luck

Ben


Hi Ben
This is getting to be rather fun and I shall fight to the death! I stayed on the phone to BT for bout 1/2 hour last night and eventually got someone in sales who didn't care a tiddly toss about my contract. I have found the contract of 2008 (but they don't need to know that) and indeed it says 6.0pm to 6.00am for free evening calls. So I shall cover up the date, write a letter to the address at the bottom of it and plead my cause. I will use your media threat (couldn't listen to the radio programme as I was in work time) and say that I have taken legal advice (you do have a law degree don't you - or I'm sure one of those in the snug has) and suggest that my contract is now negated. If my letter is firm but polite you never know I might be able to get out of my contract sooner rather than later without paying £39.74. What is that amount to them?
watch this space
Rosie



British Telecommunications PLC
E&W Contract
Durham DH98 1BT


4 March, 2010

Dear Sir or Madam

Re: Account Number SD********

It is with deep regret that I now find myself needing to leave BT after many satisfactory and trouble free years of telephone communication.

The reason is because of your decision to change the free evening and weekend calls from 6.00pm to 6.00am to 7.00pm to 7.00am. This, to me and I am sure many others, is extremely unsatisfactory and unacceptable. I work in the daytime so have no need for the Unlimited Anytime plan and feel enormously disappointed and let down.

I am therefore changing to another provider which will allow me to make free calls from 6.00pm. However, I appear to be penalised - again - by being tied to a contract until 4th August 2010 and am required to pay £39.74 penalty if I cancel before that date.

I have taken legal advice on this matter and listened to a most informative and public consumer programme on BBC Radio Four, both of which suggest that by you changing the terms of your contract, it should negate the contract and I should be freed from all obligation to pay a penalty.
Quote: "all your UK calls between 6pm and 6am on weekdays and between 6pm on Friday and 6am on Monday are now included in the price of your line rental so long as they last for less than an hour". Nowhere does it suggest you have the right to change the terms of this contract.

I therefore respectfully request that I should be permitted to cancel my contract with you as from this month without further charge.

I look forward to hearing from you at your very earliest convenience.

Yours faithfully


R.G. Wyer (Mrs)

Ben - WE DID IT!!!!!!! BT called me this morning and said that they had the right to change the terms of the contract but that because I was so unhappy about the penalty charge, they would let me out of my contract! I understand all the implications of them keeping the line open till PlusNet take over and they take 10 - 15 days so I may have to go a few days without any free evening calls, but it'll all work out.
Please thank your friends in the snug! I owe you - and will buy you a drink when I next see you in the Fox.
Thanks for everything about AVG - I'm going to ask my son who's coming over Sunday to do that cos I could well mess it up! He never pays anything for anything if he can possibly help it.
Many, many thanks again for your constant assistance.
Rosie