I ordered BT Broadband for my deaf, elderly Father, so he could keep in daily touch with us via e-mail.
The activation date for the service was the 10th of June, so, armed with the software and modem that he`d received a few days earlier, I went round to set everything up for him. Unfortunately nothing happened...ie we couldn`t connect/get online. I phoned BT and they informed me that we might have to wait until 8pm that evening. Living 12 miles away and having 3 kids to look after, I, unfortunately, had to leave my Father to check for himself later that night. I went back the next day and was disapointed to find that nothing had changed, there was still no connection available. I phoned BT again and went through a "diagnostics" procedure with a "technical help-desk" person. No improvement. He did some more checks and then informed me that "the service would be available from midnight that night". Needless to say, I couldn`t wait around until then, so I returned a couple of days later. Nothing had changed...still no connection. This time, BT told me that there was a "problem with a server" which was affecting the "whole area" and that "no one can get their service authenticated". That was a new one on me. Having been told that there was nothing more I could do, I left it as was. When I went back, guess what...still no connection to the net. I phoned yet again and succeeded in having the problem elevated to a "fault"...well I never! This then meant that the "engineers would start work on the problem immediately". This also meant another wasted round trip.
I returned to my Father`s house today and...yes, you guessed it...still no connection. By this time, my Father had had enough and asked me to phone BT and cancel broadband. This I did...or rather, this I attempted to do. It took approximately one and a half hours of phone calls...two of which were disconnected by BT...and much grinding of teeth before I could get anyone at BT to agree to cancel broadband. During one of the calls, a "manager" informed me that my Father`s service had become active at precisely 12.57pm today. I checked on the computer and found no change...no great surprise. I told the "manager" this and he told me I was mistaken. Needless to say, this didn`t go down too well with me and I continued insisting the broadband be cancelled...I was cut off not long after this.
I eventually got to talk with a gentleman at a call centre in Glasgow..(made a change from India)...who proceeded to tell me that I was correct with my "no service has been provided" stance. He told me that due to this, there would be no charge for cancelling. Shortly after this I was put on hold, while "some details" were being "checked". When he came back, he informed me that my Father`s service had been active since the 10th of June and therefore, BT would be charging my Father a grand total of £236.88, including £45 for early cancellation. When I pointed out that no such active service existed, he stuck to his guns and told me I was wrong and that the charges would stand. By this point, I`d had enough and told him BT would have to sue me for the money. Needless to say, the call didn`t last much longer.
Surely this can`t be right.
I`m aware that my Father entered into a contract with BT but they didn`t provide the service that he`s now looking at having to pay for. Anyone that looks into this...courts etc...will be able to see that no use ever was made of my Father`s net connection purely and simply because...it didn`t work, ever!
The last thing I want is for my elderly Father to have to go through the stress of having BT chase him for over two hundred pounds...he doesn`t need that at all.
What can I do?