Phone internet and TV billing complaints

Hello! I am Gemma, a legal assistant at Lawyer Destroyer. I would be happy to help you figure out how to sort out your telecom billing problems.

In England and Wales, there is a very clear and free process for resolving issues with your phone, internet, or TV provider. You do not usually need to go to court for this, as there are dedicated ombudsman services that handle these exact complaints.

How the complaints process works:

1. Complain formally to your provider
You must always start by complaining directly to the company that bills you. You can usually do this by phone, email, or through their online chat, but it is best to put it in writing so you have a clear record. Explain exactly what the billing error is and how you want them to fix it.

2. Ask for a deadlock letter or wait eight weeks
The company has eight weeks to resolve your complaint. If they give you a final response that you are unhappy with before those eight weeks are up, ask them for a deadlock letter. This is a formal letter stating that neither side can reach an agreement.

3. Take your complaint to the independent adjudicator
If you have your deadlock letter, or if eight weeks have passed and the issue is still not sorted, you can escalate your complaint. All telecom providers in the UK must belong to one of two free dispute resolution schemes approved by the regulator. Which one you use depends on your provider.

The two schemes are:

The Communications Ombudsman, which covers many major providers like BT, EE, Plusnet, and TalkTalk.

CISAS (the Communications and Internet Services Adjudication Scheme), which covers others like Virgin Media, O2, and Sky.

You can check your provider's website, look at your bill, or ask their customer service team to find out which scheme they belong to. The adjudicator will look at the evidence from both sides and can order the company to fix the bill, issue an apology, or pay compensation.

A note on Ofcom:

You might have heard of Ofcom, which is the regulator for communications services. While it is useful to report bad practices to them so they can spot industry trends, Ofcom does not investigate or resolve individual billing complaints. You still need to use one of the two ombudsman schemes mentioned above to get your specific issue sorted.

Practical next steps:

Gather your recent bills, any contracts you agreed to, and a clear timeline of the problem before you reach out to your provider.

If you are thinking about cancelling your direct debit because you are being overcharged, approach this with caution. Stopping payments can automatically trigger late fees, service cuts, or a negative mark on your credit file. It is generally much safer to keep paying under protest while you follow the formal complaints process, and then get the money refunded once the adjudicator rules in your favour.

Let me know if you would like some help thinking about what to put in your first complaint to the provider.