[Jo Jo]

I have been trying to call BT from New Zealand, but I can't do it because the only numbers I have are 0800 numbers, and I can't call those from New Zealand.

Does anyone know how I can call BT from here?

I have tried emailing, but am getting nowhere with them, so really need to call.

(I am trying to cancel my UK BT account. I first asked that it be cancelled in September, and have since asked another 3 times, but the account is still open, and every time the manager of my flat calls them, BT say that I need to contact them to cancel the account. Which I have done. 4 times. I am getting a little cross about this.)

[holland]

To get telecom here ( I don't know whether it is BT) I dialled 123

Hope this is of help?!?

[holland]

They may be able to give you a diff number...or offer advice as to what to do...

I would put it in writing, with a date and keep a copy

[Jo Jo]

I called Telecom here in NZ, and they gave me a number that turned out to be some completely random department in BT who couldn't help, and couldn't give me a number to call either.

I have emailed BT four times about this, and have had responses to 3 of the emails, but for some reason they STILL have not cancelled my account. I submitted a complaint today as well. But I just don't understand why on earth they haven't cancelled the account - oh, it is SO frustrating!

[Dom]

arrrgh ! This sort of thing REALLY makes me mad. What's wrong with these people ? How do they run a business !!!! I have all this joy coming up as we hope to move end of Feb.

[holland]

When you say they havent closed your account...do you mean they are still charging you??

[holland]

If so, the quickest way to get them to contact you is to CANCEL all direct debits going there way...

[Rusty]

According to the ask Emma lady on the BT.com you can call these numbers from outside the UK - good luck.

Telephone Billing: 00 44 114 202 0289
Broadband Billing: 00 44 179 359 0308
Sales: 00 44 132 445 0590
Consumer Repair 151: 00 44 207 555 4151
Credit Management (including Monthly Payment Plan/Direct Debit): 00 44 800 616 776

[holland]

aghhh...good info Rusty I had a quick search and came up with nothing!!

[Jo Jo]

Thanks, Rusty. I couldn't open that Ask Anna thing on my computer for some reason.

In the end I called OFCOM. The woman there was really helpful - gave me a case reference and a number to call at BT.

I called BT, and was on the phone to them for 40 minutes. I was passed to 8 - EIGHT! - different people. Then I was put through to another department and got a message saying "The number you have dialled has not been recognised. Please check, and dial again."

So I called back and spoke to a bloke who had no idea what he was talking about. He said I couldn't cancel my account in writing, only by phone. I asked to speak to his manager. He said his manager wouldn't say anything he hadn't said. I said I didn't care, could I please just speak to his manager. He put me on hold, and I got cut off after 10 minutes.

So, I called back again, and spoke to someone and told her the whole sorry story, and said I had contacted OFCOM. Apparently, my account will be cancelled in 5 hours' time. Although I'm not so sure she wasn't just saying it to get me off the phone - I probably sounded slightly crazed by that point.

Tomorrow I am submitting a formal written complaint to OFCOM.

[Rusty]

They are really poor, but there i see no choice but to use them.
I was without phone/internet for 4 weeks a couple of years ago - the initial fault was not their making, but digging a wrong hole; Twice, was.
I have now changed to minimum line rental and get free calls with broadband elsewhere. I could even get free line rental in the new year from Tiscali, but it is a 12 month contract and I don't plan being here that long. But the thought of not paying BT really appeals to me though. :yes

[IanW99]

Hopefully you have got this all sorted now, just a few comments that might help others?

We didn't have any problems disconnecting from BT we just contacted them that we were moving home (http://www2.bt.com/movinghome).

A tip for calling 0800 numbers in the UK is to use Skype Out. Because the phone part of the call originates in the UK, there is no problem calling any UK phone number. AFAIK, the actual call charge with Skype would actually be free as well in this case (you do need to have registered and applied some credit though).

Ian

[jubjub]

Jojo, I feel your pain, I hated BT and we also got the "oh it will be done today" and well, you guessed it, it wasnt.

Lost count the amount of those little complaint forms I filled in! It must be costing you a fortune in calls to them!

Hope they really did sort it for you this time.

[Jo Jo]

We didn't have any problems disconnecting from BT we just contacted them that we were moving home (http://www2.bt.com/movinghome).


LOL, that's how I contacted them in the first place (in September!)

[IanW99]

LOL, that's how I contacted them in the first place (in September!)

Sorry, didn't know if you had just asked to be disconnected, or had told them you were moving abroad. Before we told them that we were moving to NZ they were doing their very best to keep us with them at our new home (weren't taking no for an answer). Other than that, we didn't have any problems with them.

Hope you get it sorted soon.

Ian

[jo b]

Jojo, I feel your pain, I hated BT and we also got the "oh it will be done today" and well, you guessed it, it wasnt.

Lost count the amount of those little complaint forms I filled in! It must be costing you a fortune in calls to them!

Hope they really did sort it for you this time.

Hey I hate BT and I work for them.............Jo if you are having any more problems let me know I can try and sort it out for you.

Jo

[Smiler]

If you need to ring 0880/0870 and also premium rate numbers, this site is good. It gives a normal landline number to call. You can then call the number given via skype or any other VOIP, or your normal NZ Telecom line ($$)

www.saynoto0870.com

It's really useful when calling back to the Uk from here. :D

[jubjub]

JoJo, did they do it in the end???

[Jo Jo]

It does look as if they have FINALLY closed the account. Hurrah!