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BT

United Kingdom Broadband & mobile

BT customer service and complaints

Broadband, landline and mobile across the UK

Provisional entry Checked 2 Nov 2026 British Telecommunications plc
0330 123 4150 Support site

BT is the UK's largest broadband and landline provider and also sells mobile. Complaints are handled by BT's customer service team; if unresolved, the eight-week rule and a deadlock letter open the communications ombudsman route.

Step one

Ways to contact BT

Customer service Primary

0330 123 4150

Daily, 7am–11pm

Hours vary by service; check the help page before calling.

Call

Live chat

BT help chat

See site for hours

Chat is often quicker for billing questions.

Open

Formal complaint form

Open complaint form

Use this after contacting support if the issue is not resolved.

Open

Check for an outage before you call: service status page.

Step two

How to complain about BT

Work through the stages in order. Each one creates the paper trail the next stage needs.

  1. 1

    Stage 1

    Raise a formal complaint with BT

    Straight away

    Contact BT through the channels on this page and ask for the issue to be logged as a formal complaint, not a support ticket. Note the complaint reference and the name of the agent.

    Use the phone, chat or complaint form above.

    A support ticket can be closed without a resolution. A formal complaint starts the eight-week clock.

  2. 2

    Stage 2

    Wait eight weeks or request a deadlock letter

    Eight weeks

    The provider has up to eight weeks to resolve the complaint. If it is still unresolved, ask for a deadlock letter that sets out the provider's final position.

    Email or write to the complaints team and request the deadlock letter.

    You do not have to wait eight weeks if the provider has already made its final offer.

  3. 3

    Stage 3

    Escalate to the communications ombudsman

    Usually within six months of the deadlock letter

    Most broadband and mobile providers belong to the Communications Ombudsman or Ombudsman Services: Communications. The scheme is free for you and can order apologies, repairs and compensation.

    Check which scheme your provider uses, then submit the deadlock letter and your evidence online.

    Ask the ombudsman to consider the whole dispute, not just the last phone call.

  4. 4

    Stage 4

    Report wider problems to Ofcom

    Any time

    Ofcom does not resolve individual disputes, but it monitors complaints and can investigate providers that break the rules. Your report adds to that evidence.

    Use Ofcom's complaints page after the provider and ombudsman stages.

    Keep your evidence factual: dates, amounts and what was promised.

Step three

Formal complaint letter template

Formal complaint letter template (UK telecom). Copy it, fill in the bracketed fields and keep a dated copy.

Template
[Your name]
[Your address]
[Your email]
[Your phone]

[Date]

BT
Customer Complaints Team

Account number: [account number]
Service address: [service address]

Dear Complaints Team,

I am writing to make a formal complaint about [broadband / mobile / home phone] at the above address.

What happened

[Explain the issue and give dates. Include what you were promised, what went wrong, and any reference numbers from previous contacts.]

What I want

[State the resolution you want: repair, refund, account credit, release from contract, or compensation.]

I contacted you on [dates] and the issue remains unresolved. Please treat this as a formal complaint and respond within eight weeks.

If we cannot resolve this, I intend to request a deadlock letter and escalate the complaint to the relevant communications ombudsman.

Yours faithfully,

[Your name]

Send it by a method you can prove — email with read receipt, or tracked post — and keep the reference number.

If it is not fixed

Escalate to the regulator

Use these routes only after the provider has had a fair chance to respond, or if they have breached a published deadline.

Ofcom Office of Communications UK — communications Ofcom is the UK regulator for communications, covering broadband, mobile, landline, television, radio and the postal service. It sets the rules that… Make a complaint Details
CO Communications Ombudsman UK — telecom The Communications Ombudsman is one of the two approved dispute-resolution schemes for UK telecoms. It is free for consumers and covers broadband, mo… Make a complaint Details
OS Ombudsman Services: Communications UK — telecom Ombudsman Services: Communications is the other approved dispute-resolution scheme for UK telecoms. Like the Communications Ombudsman, it is free to… Make a complaint Details

Questions

BT FAQ

How do I make a formal complaint to BT?

Call 0330 123 4150 or use BT's complaints page and ask for the issue to be logged as a formal complaint. Note the complaint reference. BT has eight weeks to resolve it before you can ask for a deadlock letter.

Which ombudsman handles BT complaints?

BT uses the Communications Ombudsman. If BT does not resolve your complaint within eight weeks, ask for a deadlock letter and submit it to the scheme. The service is free.

How long does a UK broadband complaint take?

Most complaints are resolved within a few weeks. If the provider has not fixed the issue after eight weeks, you can ask for a deadlock letter and take it to an ombudsman. The ombudsman usually aims to decide within 90 days.

Which ombudsman handles my broadband or mobile provider?

It depends on the provider. The two schemes are the Communications Ombudsman and Ombudsman Services: Communications. Your provider must tell you which one it belongs to, and the name is usually on its complaints page.

Can I escalate to the ombudsman before eight weeks?

Usually only if the provider issues a deadlock letter or makes a final offer you reject. Otherwise, wait eight weeks from the formal complaint. Some providers agree to early escalation, so ask in writing if the case is straightforward.

Sources

Where this information comes from

Provisional entry

Compiled from official provider and regulator pages, last checked 2 Nov 2026. Contact details change — confirm on the official page before relying on them.

How we verify pages

Keep going

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0330 123 4150 Steps Letter