Advice please.
After a nightmare time with BT (see my post Broadband and phone line fiasco) BT have offered a totally derisory settlement that in no way compensates my loss of time and the potential business implications of losing my number that my company has held for 10 years as a reult to total BT incompetence.
They make any attempt to claim so totally and unadulteratedly difficult and long winded by asking for so much information, a lot of which is confidential to my business and would also incur me much time and expense to simply collate and provide, including time by my accountants that they simply hope I will just "go away" and take the meagre "goodwill" they offer.
I have a busines as a consultant and as such all I have to sell is my time and knowledge. Whilst my service was down I was unable to work effiiently and I was unable to bill any clients as I could not work on their projects. No service therefore meant no income for that period. I calculate that the time lost at my day rate totals some £2500 as out of the 4 weeks I was off service, two of which were hoilday and one of which I planned site visits and other works to mitigate my loss, this leaves one whole working week that I was unable to henerate ANY income. BT want me to prove this witha accounts etc but as I was unable to work and therfore unable to bill, I cannot therefore prove the loss other than by showing them other accounts, but again as my work is often billed at the end of projects, I do not have consistent income to show this amount every week, it is sometimes the case that 4 weks comes in one invoice etc.
Nonetheless, BT prevented me from working and earning. They have offered a measly 6 months line rental as a settlement in addition to a contributution towards reprinting business cards and updating publicity information. This does not in any way cover the loss from the one week I was unable to do anything chargeable.
My question is this.....Do I bill BT for the time and then issue a claim for a debt if not paid? Do I take them to small claims court or do I just put it down to a very bad experience and never trust them again once my renewed contract ends and just advise anyone I meet to keep away from them.
My email signature already has the new phone number I was forced to take as hey could not get my original back and also a note that I am considering legal action against BT.
Moderators and other users please, I would welcome your opinions and advice as I am a small business with limited time and resource to waste further time on this whole sad mess that is all of BTs making.
Thank you
