An Aberdeen couple spent 16 days without an internet connection after BT cut them off “in error”.
Flora and Ronald Valentine, who live in the Sheddocksley area, were shocked to see an extra £70 taken from their account at the end of last month.
After they called the company to question why, they were unexpectedly disconnected from their broadband.
“We got in the bill and they had taken all the money,” Mrs Valentine said. “We were only £23 in credit rather than £93, and there was no mention of where the £70 was.
“We’ve been with BT for 40 years and never been behind. We always pay the bills and are always in credit.”
When the 62-year-old first called BT she was told the money was taken for “future charges”.
It was then confirmed their bill had been raised from £138 to £248 without any notice.
She informed BT she could not afford to pay more and they agreed to change her package.
“I was told nothing would change and then the next day we were cut off,” she added.
‘Stress made me ill’
For 16 days, the couple were unable to use their internet service or their TV.
“I must have spent 35 hours on the phone trying to sort it out,” Mrs Valentine said.
“Each time I thought it was fixed, then I would get another message to say it was cancelled and to call back. I spoke to people in Belfast, Dundee, Newcastle, Lincoln, and got a different story each time.
“I felt like I was on a merry-go-round, going in circles and getting nowhere.”
Mrs Valentine also received about 100 text messages and emails about engineers visiting her property but nobody ever appeared.
She was sent three routers for Fibre broadband – which was never ordered or part of the agreed package.
“We’re not set up for Fibre so I would never have ordered it,” she said. “Then I received messages saying if I did not return the routers I would be charged £50 for each one.”
Mrs Valentine, who is diabetic, had to phone the doctors because of the toll the stress of trying to fix the problem was having on her.
She added: “I was physically sick three times because of the stress.”
Connection finally restored
The day after the Press and Journal reached out to BT, the Valentine’s internet connection was restored.
A BT Group spokesman, said: “We apologise to Ms Valentine that her service was disconnected in error and her account has now been credited.
“We are working to place a new order for broadband for her as quickly as possible. We are dedicated to supporting all our customers who are worried about their finances and to provide a solution for eligible customers to ensure that we can keep them connected.
“We will be speaking to Ms Valentine about offering her another package that meets her needs.”
Mrs Valentine said she was told her connection had been switched off due to a “fault”.
She said: “I felt like I was going through it for a year, being on the phone all the time and waiting in for engineers.
“I would have understood it if I did not pay, but I did. They took more money and then cut me off.
“I shouldn’t have had to go through all that.”