Enraged West Ham fans petition against Ticket Office 0871 number

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Ian011
Ian011 Posts: 2,432 Forumite
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edited 13 October 2016 at 4:07PM in Phones & TV
After many years of paying extortionate call charges when booking tickets, enraged West Ham fans have started a petition to get rid of the ticket office premium rate 0871 number:

West Ham FC
- http://www.whufc.com/Footer/Pages/Contact-Us

2014
- https://www.westhamtillidie.com/posts/2014/10/01/the-farce-that-is-the-west-ham-united-ticket-office

2015
- http://www.claretandhugh.info/the-hidden-west-ham-tax/

2016
- https://keefydblog.wordpress.com/2016/01/08/0871-west-ham/
- http://www.claretandhugh.info/west-hams-ticket-provider-due-to-be-replaced/
- http://www.claretandhugh.info/time-to-end-the-ticket-office-premium-call-rip-off/
- http://whu365.blogspot.co.uk/2016/03/premium-rate-number-adds-up.html
- http://kumb.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=163127
- http://www.claretandhugh.info/hammers-face-os-ticket-challenges/

Current
- http://www.claretandhugh.info/fans-meeting-with-club-read-all-about-it/
- http://www.whufc.com/News/Articles/2016/October/6-October/Hammers-host-Supporter-Feedback-Forum
- https://az834416.vo.msecnd.net/cmsstorage/whu/media/whu2/new%20stadium/new%20stadium%203/supporterfeedbackforumv2.pdf
- http://kumb.com/story.php?id=130382
- https://az834416.vo.msecnd.net/cmsstorage/whu/media/whu2/pdfs/01-minutes-supporter-feedback-forum-5-october-2016-2-6.pdf
- https://www.westhamtillidie.com/posts/2016/10/07/hammers-supporters-meeting (search for 0844)
- http://www.upthehammers.co.uk/archives/71151

Petition
- http://www.claretandhugh.info/candh-campaign-to-end-premium-line-rip-off/
- http://www.thepetitionsite.com/809/708/558/say-no-to-0871-ticket-office-number/
- http://www.claretandhugh.info/premium-line-ticket-line-rip-off-fans-horror-stories/

There are some real horror stories in that final link!

Other clubs may face similar protests in the coming weeks and months.
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Comments

  • Stevie_Palimo
    Stevie_Palimo Posts: 3,306 Forumite
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    Just go online or book elsewhere with a normal rate number, I did believe that the use of the premium rate number was either frowned upon or not allowed cannot remember which one now.
  • Ian011
    Ian011 Posts: 2,432 Forumite
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    edited 12 October 2016 at 11:55AM
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    According to comments made by people signing the petition, the website is frequently unusable and various ticket upgrades and using eCredits cannot be done on the website and have to be done via the premium rate phone number.
  • Stevie_Palimo
    Stevie_Palimo Posts: 3,306 Forumite
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    Probably done to make a bit more then, Sounds a bit crafty.
  • Ian011
    Ian011 Posts: 2,432 Forumite
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    If everyone uses the international number, there is no reason for the 0871 number to exist - except to catch out those people who remain unaware of a cheaper number. Therefore, the 0871 number must go. The simplest way to effect this, whilst retaining call-handling and queueing features, is to swap to the exactly matching 0371 number.

    Ofcom regulations require declaration of call costs alongside premium numbers. It is BIS regulations that deal with telephone numbers for after-sales enquiries and issues.

    While an 0871 number is allowed for sales, call costs of £50 or more are not unheard of. The main beneficiary is the telephone companies. Callers pay up to 68p per minute and West Ham receive somewhere around 5p to 8p per minute in revenue share. Even the VAT man gets a bigger slice than West Ham!
  • mije1983
    mije1983 Posts: 3,665 Forumite
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    Ian011 wrote: »
    Even the VAT man gets a bigger slice than West Ham!

    Good. About time we got something back after pretty much giving them a new stadium for peanuts :rotfl:
  • Ian011
    Ian011 Posts: 2,432 Forumite
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    It seems that West Ham's proposed solution is to replace the premium rate 0871 number with a premium rate 0844 or 0845 number.
    https://www.westhamtillidie.com/posts/2016/10/14/call-to-dump-the-68p-per-minute-ticket-office-number

    This would make the calls 6p per minute cheaper on every landline and mobile but does not address the real issue. Moving to an 03 number would change the calls to be inclusive on landlines and mobiles else charged at no more than the rate charged for calling an 01 or 02 number.
  • GentleGiant_2
    GentleGiant_2 Posts: 532 Forumite
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    Customers must be given an 01/02/03 number - or a freephone or mobile number.

    That is the law and has been for a couple of years.

    Must not cost more than to call your aunt.

    How companies can get around the law is beyond me.

    Sure sales lines can be dearer, but I would question as to whether fans are already customers and therefore purchasing additional items should not be at a premium.

    I bet the charge would not stand up in court if the fan was already a 'customer' of the team.
  • Ian011
    Ian011 Posts: 2,432 Forumite
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    edited 15 October 2016 at 1:05PM
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    The issue is that callers buying tickets are paying more for the phone call than for the ticket they purchase during that phone call. That is why the premium rate number has to go. If the caller is a member or season ticket holder, there could be an interesting legal aspect here too.
  • Chino
    Chino Posts: 2,029 Forumite
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    GentleGiant wrote: »
    Customers must be given an 01/02/03 number - or a freephone or mobile number.

    That is the law and has been for a couple of years.
    What law?

    There is section 41 of the The Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013, which
    states:

    "(1) Where a trader operates a telephone line for the purpose of consumers contacting the trader by telephone in relation to contracts entered into with the trader, a consumer contacting the trader must not be bound to pay more than the basic rate.
    (2) If in those circumstances a consumer who contacts a trader in relation to a contract is bound to pay more than the basic rate, the contract is to be treated as providing for the trader to pay to the consumer any amount by which the charge paid by the consumer for the call is more than the basic rate."

    However, this could not apply when a consumer telephones a trader to book tickets because when the consumer telephones the trader to make the booking, no contract yet exists between the consumer and the trader.

    So which law are you thinking of?
  • billsavings
    billsavings Posts: 2,015 Forumite
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    GentleGiant wrote: »
    Customers must be given an 01/02/03 number - or a freephone or mobile number.

    Not for sales though or sales enquries. Only for Customer Service Matters.


    The Consumer Contracts Regulations clearly states companies are no longer allowed to charge more than the basic rate for post-contract telephone calls.
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