Supplier Broadband Cease Charge

I have just migrated from Naims to BT broadband without using the mac key( i have also got a new telephone number). Naims have now sent me a bill for a Supplier Broadband Cease Charge of £31.12 which they say BT are asking them to charge. I have phoned BT and they are saying they should not be asking me for this.
Has anyone had this problem or heard of it before.

The charge is not raised BT Consumer division, i.e. who you talked to on the phone

But by the supplier of Naims who is most likely BT Wholesale, who raise this cease charge if you change providers without using a recognised migration process, i.e. a MAC or the correct method for moving onto or off of a fully unbundled service.

If the reason for not using a MAC was because you could not obtain one, i.e. Naims refused when it was technically possible i.e. BT Wholesale based or SMPF broadband service then you could chase through the small claims court, claiming it was Naims fault the charge was raised.

Thanks for the reply Mr Safron, Naims didn't refuse, i just told them i was terminating the broadband contract with them and i was getting a brand new number off BT due to the huge number of nuisance phone calls from debt agencies asking for the previous holder of the telephone number.
Does this mean i will have to pay as it was my choice?

Yeap. Unless the potential for the charge was not detailed in your contract with Naims.

Something we're seeing a lot of in the last few weeks, every single 'migration' to FTTC via BT Retail (from any SMPF or FTTC service) has been done without a MAC or even with us issuing one.

(although not directly related due to the new line, is still not normal)

Matt

Edited by uno (Fri 22-Aug-14 17:30:27)

Are you getting cease charges raised towards you?

Yes. It wouldn't be so much of an issue as far as the customer was concerned but if they had been told to get a MAC as expected, they'd have avoided it regardless.

We've not managed to get to the bottom of it yet but we're aware of others who are seeing the same too, all with lines off to Retail.

Matt

Hi Matt/Andrew,

We have managed to get to bottom of it. BT are claiming they are running "One day only" deals in getting customers from Sky and TalkTalk. The deal started on August 1st. In order to do this, they are putting cease/reprovides through, thus keeping the customers current number, though in most cases the broadband is down for days.

The customers are not aware of the impending cease charges, as BT don't mention this in there sales patter. Likewise, whatever the powers above have told them, this deal is for new provides, not migrations....so the call centres clearly are getting around a loophole to get commission....just ram them through as cease/reprovides. Likewise, if the intended customers were Sky/TalkTalk, this is not being checked and other providers are getting caught up in it. There also telling customers they will contact old service providers directly to settle any contracts that may need sorting.

So far we have caught every PSTN cease, spoken to customers and explained cease charges. The above story has been told in all cases. Everyone but one has stayed with us. We presented his final bill....BT are now claiming they did not state they would settle contracts. Customer is returning to us and now taking legal action against BT.

The whole thing smells of bad sales practices.

I presume this has been reported?

In reply to a post by MrSaffron:

I presume this has been reported?

We personally opened a case on Tuesday morning.