Automatic Compensation

SCHEME TEMPORARILY SUSPENDED

We are, as always, doing everything we can to keep your broadband and landline connected. Due to the current Coronavirus outbreak, our engineers need to prioritise repairs for our most vulnerable customers and for critical national infrastructure. This, together with the fact that engineers can no longer easily enter homes, means that services are taking longer to provide and to repair than normal. This has led us to temporarily suspend the Automatic Compensation Scheme (as described below).

 

Ofcom is aware and understands that these are exceptional circumstances. The scheme will be reapplied as soon as things get back to normal, but in the meantime please call us if you experience any problems with your service.

 

  • Automatic compensation for services activated later than the date we committed to you will only be paid for eligible orders completed on or before 31st March 2020;
  • Automatic compensation for late repairs, as defined below, will only be paid for eligible faults closed on or before 31st March 2020; and
  • Automatic compensation will only be paid for missed engineer appointments up to and including 31st March 2020.

 

We will update this message with further information as the situation develops.

We know you need your broadband and landline to stay connected. So if we’re late when activating or repairing your connection, or if we miss your engineer appointment, you’ll automatically get compensation.

That’s true for all BT customers who aren’t on a business contract, and has been since 1 April 2019. Business contract customers can claim BT Customer Service Compensation.

For help with compensation on incidents before 1 April 2019, take a look at our Customer service guarantee.

  • If we don’t activate landline or broadband on the day we promised, you’ll receive £5 compensation automatically
  • Plus you’ll receive another £5 for every extra day you have to wait, not including the day your service is activated
  • You are eligible for compensation if your service isn’t activated by one minute to midnight on the activation date we sent by email or post.

 

Reasons you wouldn’t get compensation

  • If you cancelled your engineer appointment or weren't at home
  • If you turned down an earlier appointment
  • However, if your activation is late because you missed an appointment, but then on the day of the second appointment your activation doesn’t happen, you can receive compensation from that day on.

 

Here's how it works...

If activation was meant to happen on Wednesday, but was delayed until Thursday, you'll be paid £5. That's £5 for the missed activation day (Wednesday). But if your service isn't activated until Friday, you'll be paid £10 – £5 for the missed activation day (Wednesday), and another £5 for the other full day (Thursday) you had to wait.



 
  • If you experience total loss of service and it’s not fixed within two working days, you’ll receive £8 automatic compensation
  •  You’ll receive another £8 for every day you have to wait after that, not including the day your service is activated
  • You are eligible for compensation if your service isn’t activated by midnight on the second working day after you reported your fault.

 

What is total loss of service?

  • Total loss of phone service is when you’re unable to make or receive any calls, or your phone service only works one way, but should work both ways
  • Total loss of broadband service is when you can’t access the internet.

 

Reasons you wouldn’t get compensation

  • If the fault was caused by something on your property
  • If you turned down or cancelled an engineer appointment or weren't at home
  • But if your activation is late because you missed an appointment, and then on the day of the second appointment your repair doesn’t happen, you’ll receive compensation from that day
  • If you haven't experienced total loss of service.

 

Here’s how it works…

If you report a fault on a Monday, you'll get £8 compensation if it hasn't been fixed by midnight on Wednesday. That's £8 for the missed activation day (Wednesday). But if your service isn't activated until Friday you'll be paid £16 – £8 for the missed activation day (Wednesday), and another £8 for the full day you had to wait (Thursday).




 
 
  • If our engineer misses your scheduled appointment or cancels with less than 24 hours’ notice, we’ll give you £25
  • We'll pay you £25 for every other missed appointment.

 

Reasons you wouldn’t get compensation

  • If you’re given more than 24 hours’ notice that your appointment slot has been changed or cancelled.

 

 

Have a question?

  • We add it as a credit to your next bill
  • You will be able to see the amount on the My BT App and BT.com after your bill has been generated.

You can be compensated for total loss of service, or for delayed activation, for up to 60 days. If we can't fix your service after 30 days you have the right to leave with no termination charge.

We'll arrange your compensation as quickly as we can.

  • If you want to query compensation for a missed appointment, please wait 7 full days
  • If you want to query compensation for a delay in repairs when you had a total loss of service, or for late activtion, please wait 15 full days from when the fault was fixed or the service became active
  • If you haven't heard from us after that, please give us a call on 0800 800 150.
  • If an order is cancelled before it's activated, automatic compensation will stop on the cancellation date
  • If a service is cancelled while you're waiting for repairs, automatic compensation will stop from the service end date.

Thanks for your feedback

Please select one feedback option

Submit
Print these instructions

Related Articles

Need more help?

 

More options

Ask the BT Community

Make a complaint

Contact us