BT termination charge

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Wondering if someone can help. We got a letter on 15th Dec from BT saying they were putting their prices up. Letter says "If you want to leave and you're within your minimum contract term, you'll need to call us within 30 days of receiving this letter to avoid paying a charge for leaving early"

Letter is dated 'December 2017' (no day in December) & at no point in the letter does it give a more specific date as to when it was sent.

So today I contacted Sky who gave us a good deal to move across. I then contacted BT to say we were leaving to be told that we'd have to pay the termination fee of over £500!!!! as we were out of the 30 days.

They said the letter was sent on the 4th Dec & we should have received it within a couple of days & they go from this date plus 3 days.

We had bad snow around that time and din't get post for quite a while (not their fault, or ours!).

But the letter clearly states 30 days from RECEIVING the letter, which I am within. It also gives no indication of when the letter was sent other than December!

What do I do? I can't afford what they are asking, and I feel I have done what they asked, but they are not wavering. I have asked for a call back from a manager & raised a complaint.

Do I cancel the Sky & stay with BT even though it will cost me more? Sky have obviously contacted them because I've already had an email saying 'sorry your leaving' and that they will be collecting this amount next month.

Write to BT to say you are within the 30 days. I am sure someone like Ofcom would support you.

Oh and cancel your payment arrangements with BT so they cannot take any money.

I have spoken with the ombudsman who have kept a record but will not investigate until 8 weeks have passed. I received a call from BT this afternoon - it rang 4 times and then cut off as soon as I answered it (I called the number back which said I'd missed a call from BT!).

I was just about to say don't hold your breath for a call back. I repeatedly asked for one and was told they don't do them// managers all busy for next X days/ they'd call within 24 hours. Never heard a word.

Their customer service is some of the worst I've been subjected to, I even got called a liar when I repeated that what I had been told by a previous agent was at odds with what the current person was telling me. Complained, was told they'd investigate and heard nothing.

My husband has just used resolver to get us out of our Vodafone broadband contract. It takes time and it got to Ombudsman stage before they actually even acknowledged our complaint but we're getting out of it.

Try pursuing a formal complaint via that?