EE and BT mobile customers who have failed their credit checks have been banned from using their UK minutes abroad – despite new laws meaning firms can no longer charge customers in Europe.
From June 15, holidaymakers were offered free roaming in Europe following new rules from the European Commission.
This meant customers should be able to use their mobile phone while travelling abroad in 47 countries at no extra cost above their contract allowance.
However, it has now emerged that some customers are missing out because they have failed credit checks but were still offered a mobile contract.
It has now emerged that some customers are missing out because they have failed credit checks but were still offered a mobile contract (stock image)
The new policy was designed to mean travellers using either network could use their existing allowances to surf the web and make calls and texts while abroad.
Companies say they will place a three to six month ban on roaming on their customers’ accounts – meaning they will be unable to use it regardless if they’ve paid or not.
Both BT mobile and EE, which is part of the EE group, claimed these policies were to protect customers, writes Money Saving Expert.
However, BT says it is considering lifting this ban for specific customers.
EE has says customers will have to pay a deposit to allow them to roam again.
A BT mobile customer called Robert, 28, first discovered the ban.
‘I took out my contract in May 2017 unaware that I had the block in place. When I recently travelled to Italy [in August], I had no connection at all to a network’, he said.
‘I spoke to customer service and was informed that the block was in place.
‘They’ve given me a credit allowance [in the UK] but are not allowing me to go roaming in the EU, which seems a bit strange as there wouldn’t be extra charges’, he said.
Robert is hoping to leave his contract penalty-free using Ombudsman services.
EE (left) and BT (right) mobile customers who have failed their credit checks have been banned from using their UK minutes abroad – despite new laws meaning firms can no longer charge customers in Europe
An EE spokesperson told Money Saving Expert: ‘All of these options are in place to provide the greatest range of choice to all of our customers, even those who have had a poor credit history, as well as protecting them from further financial stress and us from fraud and the risk of bad debt.’
A spokesperson from BT said: ‘It’s our policy for new contract customers to undergo a credit check. If a customer fails a credit check then we will introduce a bar for a period of six months which is aimed at protecting both our customers and reducing our commercial risk.
‘A customer is notified during the purchase process if they have failed the credit check and it is then up to them to choose if they wish to go ahead and sign up as a BT Mobile customer initially on a domestic-only Sim contract.
‘If we lift the bar, which covers not just the EU but rest-of-the-world roaming and international direct dial, this exposes the customer to racking up more charges.’
The spokesperson from BT claimed this only affected a ‘small number’ of its customers.
EE and BT have been contacted for comment.