THOUSANDS DUE BT REFUND
If you used the BT directory enquiry number 118500 at any time between 1
September 2011 and 9 January 2014 you should be able to get the full cost of the
calls refunded by BT. If you used it a lot you could be owed hundreds of pounds.
The telecoms giant has been fined £225,000 for not explaining clearly the high
cost of its directory enquiry service and for prolonging calls unnecessarily
which earned it extra revenue.
To be fair to BT, all directory enquiry services are very expensive. Especially
if you agree to the request ‘shall I just put you through to that number’ which
means you will pay a premium rate for the entire call. But the regulator
PhonepayPlus found in January that BT failed in two respects to keep to its Code
of Practice.
First, it did not make clear in its promotional material what the cost was. For
example, on the front of its Phone Book it simply says “Call BT 118 500. You can
see what it costs to call at bt118500.com’. The regulator ruled that did not
‘fully and clearly inform customers of the cost’. In fact the cost is 59p plus
£2.39 per minute. If the customer accepts the offer to be put through then the
whole call is charged at £2.39 per minute.
Secondly, PhonepayPlus ruled that the recorded message at the start of the call
was too long. It lasted 20 seconds – and therefore cost 80p – even though much
of the information in it was not necessary to the number search.
People who complained to PhonepayPlus said the pricing information was unclear
or inaccurate. Many complained they had got what is called ‘bill shock’ when
their phone bill arrived – one person ran up an £81 bill for one call.
On top of the £225,000 fine the regulator ordered BT to reimburse customers for
the whole cost of calls made between 1 September 2011 – when the current
PhonepayPlus Code of Practice began – until 9 January 2014 when the ruling was
published.
Anyone who used 118500 in that period can apply to get the whole cost back on
the grounds they were kept hanging on for too long and, of course, if they did
not fully understand what the cost would be. Although BT can refuse payment it
would have to show ‘good cause’ to do so.
Register your complaint by email
118500.complaints@bt.com.
Say you are claiming a refund following the PhonepayPlus tribunal decision
17976. Give as much detail of the call as you can remember – the number you made
it from, the provider you used, and when you made it – if you actually have the
old bill that would be ideal. If you are a BT customer give your account number
Also give your name and address and a current contact number.
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