PETER Bowen's plans to move home were going smoothly until he had to deal with telecommunications firm NTL.

He says he sent letters to NTL asking for his phone to be disconnected, prior to moving house from Moredon, Swindon, to Essex. But they went unheeded.

NTL was supposed to have cancelled the line on April 20 a week before Mr Bowen and his family were due to move, but he said the work was not carried out in time.

However NTL says it has now been completed.

The recently qualified driving instructor said: "NTL has done absolutely nothing about it.

"It keeps fobbing me off and I can't understand why.

"NTL has not responded to my letters and calls and one customer service agent said I needed to produce three forms of identification if I wanted to cancel the line."

Mr Bowen originally decided to switch from BT to NTL to see if there was any difference in service, but he said his experience has prompted him to return to his old provider.

The controversy is the latest to em-broil the company.

The Evening Advertiser has reported a number of complaints from customers unhappy with NTL's service.

NTL closed its shop front office in Swindon before Christmas and recently announced it was suspending cable-laying in the town, as well as cancelling its service for businesses.

In February, the Advertiser reported how Old Town pub landlord, Andy Marcer of the Beehive in Prospect Hill said the company was trying to charge him £50 for an error that was not his fault.

The trouble started when Mr Marcer paid a supplement for sports and film channels to be piped to his private flat above the pub.

He asked NTL to keep his personal television service going when the company terminated business services. But the firm cut everything off leaving him with a £50 reconnection charge.

Mr Bowen added: "NTL closed their shop in Swindon and every time I have phoned someone I have been passed to every department.

"They haven't given me a reason as to why they will not disconnect me.

"I don't owe them anything and I've kept all the bill receipts.

"My friends warned me that this sort of thing would happen.

" I don't think they've ever heard of customer service."

A NTL spokeswoman, Hannah Ten-nant, said: "Clearly we are sorry for any inconvenience Mr Bowen has experien-ced.

"Since we have been advised of this situation we have made contact with Mr Bowen, cancelled the telephone line and ensured that he is now happy."