Stupid BT

In case I've never said it on here before, I hate BT. I've had terrible service from them before, and don't even ask me about the last time I had to move my services to a new address.

What annoys me even more is that I have to pay them money for my line rental, and I can't escape the fact (oh to live in a cable area again) that I have to use them in some form.

One of my other bugbears is the constant junk mail and phone calls I get from them. I insisted on no mailings or sales calls when I transferred my services to this property (the person acknowledged it then promptly tried to flog my the BT Hub).

Despite this, I receive some rubbish from them each month, usually telling me how great their internet services are. I called them about three months ago and implored them to remove me from ALL mailing lists, the salesperson was quite polite and said they had no access to it on their system but she would send an email to the person that did it.

Unfortunately that clearly didn't work as the other day I got a letter from BT. Thinking it was important (their junk is usually just a flyer) I opened it to find them telling me once again how great their internet is. It came with a prepaid envelope so I have posted the envelope back to them (their cost, not mine).

They also clearly haven't realised that the previous tenant has moved out, as they still send him junk mail (clearly disconnecting and moving his services wasn't enough of a clue).

About two months ago they phoned me every day for a week, by the last day I was EXTREMELY short with the salesperson (very unusual for me).

Today I got a phone call asking for the previous tenant. I said he didn't live here any more.

"Are you in charge of the BT line then?"
"Yes"
"I'm calling from BT, our records show that you only pay for line rental from us and pay for your calls using another provider. I wanted to discuss why so many people are coming back to BT. Our call packages...."

I cut him off and politely said that it really wouldn't be a good idea continuing the conversation, as I have requested numerous times not to receive any marketing communications from them. He promptly hung up (without saying good bye).

Now, aside from the whole "continuing to trying flog me products I don't want" thing, why on earth would you want to engage the services of a company that doesn't even realise that the person they are phoning doesn't live there any more? When their own records should show that someone else is paying the line rental at that property? Yet can still see that that person is only paying for line rental?

Finally, I understand why I have to pay line rental to BT (although it annoys me). They maintain and upkeep the telecomms backbone of this country. But surely using their records to cold call people who they can tell use competitors is an abuse of their power?

To be honest, I've never bothered as I don't give out my number and I'm ex-directory. The only sales calls I get are from BT.

I had ANOTHER call tonight, so after saying AGAIN not to call me I rang them back and vented yet more frustration (today is not a good day, see the mobile phone insurance thread). Supposedly in 24 hours all phone calls and junk mail will cease.

I told the woman I'd be extremely grateful if she could make that happen, but based on their previous performance I won't get my hopes up.

n.b. I still have concerns about how they can see who uses competitors' services and phone them to try and make them "come back to BT".

OK, I think it's fair to say I'm at my wits end, email sent to BT today:

Congratulations BT, you have just woken up my son AGAIN.

I am going to write this in capital letters, as clearly requesting you to not contact me in anyway numerous times over the past year is not working.

DO NOT CONTACT ME ON MY HOME PHONE NUMBER FOR CALLS OF A COMMERCIAL NATURE.

I have requested this on more than one occasion, and on each occasion I have been assured that I will receive no more marketing calls.

I AM NOT INTERESTED IN PURCHASING ANY FURTHER SERVICES FROM BT.

This also extends to sending me junk mail about how great your broadband service is. I don't care, I'm not interested.

Several months ago you called me every single night for a week, each time with me telling you I wasn't interested. Now the calls are extending to a Saturday lunchtime and waking up my son in the process I am now at my wits end.

It is also concerning how you still call to attempt to sell services to someone who hasn't lived here for several years. What sort of state is your database in if you can't even realise someone is living elsewhere when it's my name paying for the line rental?

Secondly, are you not abusing your position by calling me to state that you know I am receiving my phone and broadband services from another company, but you can offer me a great deal to "return to BT"?

To make my position clear, I only want line rental from BT, and to be honest that's only because that is a necessary evil. I'm not interested in your call packages, your TV service or your broadband service.

I will put this one more time, as I am sick of being told about five times now that I will not receive any more marketing cold calls from BT:

I AM NOT INTERESTED IN YOUR COLD CALLS, STOP THEM NOW. NOW. NOW. NOW.

Please respond in writing, by email or by letter, to state that you will not be contacting me any more. At all. I was willing to give a 'grace period' where your database contact preferences were being updated in the past, but not any more as this is about the fifth request.

From today, 22nd August, I do not want to receive ANY marketing or sales calls from BT or any of their third party contact centres. If I do I will refer the matter to the regulatory authority. Please respond in writing to confirm. There is no need to call to confirm.

I DO NOT WANT TO RECEIVE ANY MARKETING OR SALES CALLS FROM BT, OR JUNK MAIL DELIVERED TO MY ADDRESS AT xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

And ANOTHER silent call from the same number as this morning. This is (excuse my language) ****ing ridiculous.

According to an internet search on the number, it's for BT Broadband. How many times in 14 months do you have to tell them you're not interested?? (When I got the line activated I had a very pushy woman insisting that BT Broadband would be best value for me and seemed surprised when I said I wasn't interested

Well, I'm beyond angry now. I opened up my email to be told:

Thank you for your e-mail dated 22/08/09 regarding the Marketing Calls.

I am sorry that you are unhappy about the marketing calls from BT. I certainly understand your annoyance in receiving marketing calls despite of the numerous request to BT. Let me sort it for you.

I have activated the Telephone Preference Scheme on your account. The Telephone Preference Scheme (TPS) prevents all sales and marketing calls from UK based companies. Telephone Preference Scheme is administered by the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) not BT. All the Marketing Calls from other companies including BT will be stopped within 28 days. This can take up to 28 days to be effective. The reference number for the activation of the Telephone Preference Scheme is xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The scheme that allows customers to stop sales and marketing calls being made to their home and mobile telephone number. All companies are required by law to remove customer details, from their calling lists within 28 days of the customer registering on Telephone Preference Scheme.

If you are still receiving marketing calls more than 28 days after registering for Telephone Preference Scheme, you can ring to register your complaint. The complaint can be registered on their website TPS Registration or you can contact 0845 0700707 and choose option 0 then option 2.

Please let me know if I can help with anything else and I will assure you that the matter will be dealt to your satisfaction.

Thank you for contacting BT

Yours sincerely,

xxxxxxxxxx
Digital Care Advisor

Click to expand...

I have replied (having to use more capital letters to emphasise my point) demanding to know what right they have to add me to the TPS without my consent

Excuse me, at what point did I give permission to be registered to the Telephone Preference Service?

I do not wish to end all sales and marketing calls, just those from BT. The only nuisance marketing calls I get is from BRITISH TELECOM. If you were to read my complaint properly and not just send me a copy and pasted reply you would see that I only have issues from YOUR company.

I will decide whether I want to be added to the TPS list, and I am frustrated that you have decided to do it on my behalf. Please cancel that request IMMEDIATELY and confirm that I have not been added. I am concerned that a company can chose to do this on behalf of an individual.

I HAVE NO WISH TO BE ADDED TO THE TELEPHONE PREFERENCE SERVICE.

As stated in my complaint yesterday, this situation has been ongoing for more than one year, therefore I refuse to accept a period of 28 days for BT to stop calling me.

STOP CALLING ME IMMEDIATELY, AS PROMISED ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION.

Update all your systems NOW to state that I do not wish to be contacted. I know as a company you record phone conversations, simply listen back to mine and you will hear me being promised on more than one occasion that I will not receive marketing calls again.

If you do not cancel my registration to the Telephone Preference Service or I continue to receive marketing calls I will report BT to the Information Commissioner's Office

Secondly, you have not confirmed that you will end all junk mail that is delivered to my address at all. This is another form of direct marketing from BT that I am not interested in, and from the day I took out the line rental said I did not want to receive. Please confirm that I will not receive any further junk mail to my address from the 22nd August 2009.

Click to expand...

They really are an amazingly frustrating company to deal with.

Part of my frustration is that having lived in houses on the TPS, I know it means nothing. Companies still call, they just hang up when you tell them you're registered with the preference service. The fines are nothing to them if they happen to get them... plus it's only BT I have a problem with.

Well, I've just had a phone call from BT confirming that they have cancelled the registration on the TPS and that I have been taken off all marketing lists - I've asked for it in writing because frankly I don't trust them.

Got it in writing on Sunday, and guess what happens today........ a phone call to inform me that I'm eligible to get free evening and weekend calls with BT.

When I mentioned that I have it in writing that I will not receive any calls, she said it is not a marketing call.....