BT landline customer? You could get £500 ‘rip-off’ compensation

BT could be forced to pay £500 each to more than 2.3m customers after a tribunal backed a class action claim accusing the company of overcharging people on landlines.

The Competition Appeal Tribunal agreed unanimously that the case against BT should move to a full trial. If successful, BT could end up paying a total of £600m.

The claim aims to win compensation for “voice-only customers” who paid for a BT landline between October 2015 and April 2018, but didn’t receive broadband service from BT or any other provider.

It will also represent “split purchase customers” who have bought a joint BT landline and broadband service since October 2015, but not as part of a discounted package.

In 2016, BT cut its landline prices by £7 a month following Ofcom concerns that some customers, particularly elderly or vulnerable, were getting poor value for money.

However, BT didn’t offer compensation at the time, which has led to the current court case. It’s being brought by Justin Le Patourel, who worked for Ofcom for 13 years in roles “focused on empowering and protecting telecoms consumers”.

Le Patourel, founder of Collective Action on Land Lines (CALL, www.callclaim. co.uk), said: “We believe that BT has been overcharging millions of its most loyal customers for years. We are thrilled that this decision will bring us one step closer to putting right this injustice.”

BT said it will “vigorously defend” itself against the “speculative claim”, adding that Ofcom’s investigation found no evidence of excessive pricing or a breach of competition law.

All affected customers will be automatically represented, so you don’t need to do anything to join the action. You can opt out through the CALL website if you prefer. An initial hearing was due to take place on Tuesday 19 October.