Three Itemised Billing Charges (merged threads)

jasonwatkins

i'd write back and say something like "thankyou for the copy of the price guide. While informative and printed on nice shiny paper, it still does not solve the problem of three rolling out per-minute billing last year and not telling it's customers until nearly a year later."

or words to that effect - it's got to be worth a punt because i'm going to try it.

MoscowFlyer

morfeus717 wrote: »

The red highlights is pure cr*p - I upgraded and can confirm neither was I transferred to an automated disclaimer [whats more important, an agent confirming something or an automated disclaimer, err... disclaiming something in general - provided you have a recording/ transcipt of the call?] nor was a copy of the Terms for 3 Services booklet included with my new phone.

While I sympathise with everyone trying to get out of their contract (luckily I managed to do it with a minimum of fuss), I have to stick up for them and say for me personally, when I upgraded in November, I did it over the phone and was definitely put through to the automated disclaimer, and just hung up when I was. I'm not saying they definitely do it for everyone, but they definitely did with me.

fasteasyfree

Had a call from Exec Office to let me know that my contract termination notice has been accepted. I've now taken out a sim-only contract with O2 and am looking to get a shiny new Nokia 6210 Navigator.

Yummy.

connect2me

This is the reply from 3 for my cancellation letter :

22nd Aug, 2008

I am writing in response to your recent communication and the concerns you have raised regarding the charge of receiving itemised bills from 3.

As subsequently discussed (yes they called me but I never agreed to this), the £1/- charge for the itemised bills have always formed part of your Terms for your 3 services. As such, this is not detrimental change to your contractual terms and does not allow the cancellation of your 3 contract without the applicable Early Termination Fee.

I have enclosed a copy of our price guides from both January 2005 and December 2007, which are relevant to the dates your original contracts and latest upgrade.I would refer you to the other service and other plans section of each, where it advices of the £1/- charge for fully itemised bills.

In view of this, should you wish to cancel your contract prior to your minimum term contractual end date xx December, 2009 and Early Termination Fee would be applicable. This fee is based on the remaining monthly line rental charges for your minimum term commitment period.

connect2me

I was told by 3 customer care rep that whatever you try the company policy is to say "NO" to your cancellation. These are the instructions they have been given from their headoffice. Does not matter whether you talk to customer care or cancellations or retention. You will get he same answer.

So the only option is to take them to court or trading standards.

jasonwatkins

it sounds like they've got it fairly down pat now with everyone ringing and writing.

i think it does need to be challenged though - by starting the rollout of the change last year and not telling anyone until it's all finished this year, that in itself has to be wrong.

A[L]C

No luck here.... I've two contracts with them. Upgraded in January from direct talker and direct texter to M+M plans.

Thank you for your recent email, in which you highlighted your concerns regarding 3’s introduction of First Minute billing and your subsequent wish to cancel your account with 3. Please accept my apologies for any difficulties you may have experienced during your recent dealings with us.
I can confirm that you are not eligible to cancel your account at this time, without penalty. If you wish to cancel your contract with 3 now, you will be required to pay an Early Termination Fee, plus any outstanding balance on your account.

You upgraded your contract with 3 in January 2008, to one of our Mix and Match Price Plans. This type of plan has always been subject to Fist Minute billing and this change to our billing policy does not represent a detrimental change to your account, or the Terms for 3 Services you agreed to at the time of upgrading

Should you require further clarification, please contact me at the Executive Office on 08707 330295. Our business hours are Monday to Friday, 9am until 6.30pm.

Thank you once again for highlighting your concerns and I trust that my explanations have confirmed 3’s final position in this matter.

So I guess thats that.

connect2me

Kai wrote: »

It's strange that this thread is full of per minute charges complaints rather than the thread title (itemised billing charges)?

I've actually already cancelled once when 3 did change the t&c's on the Mix and Match plans when it was launched. I actually got out of that with very little hassle.

However, now I'm wanting out again due to the £1 charge for keeping the itemised billing. I sent off a letter a while ago, about 2 weeks via recorded delivery near enough straight after I got the letter - mine only mentioned changes by direct debit and the itemised billing thing.

Anyway, my letter concerned solely about the itemised billing charge and how it was of detrimental value to me and I should be able to cancel, pointing out their t&c's.

I got a phone call today and without hardly saying a thing the lady rattled off about the per minute charges and how I couldn't cancel on those terms. None of which was mentioned in my letter! It was like a standard response to any letter they were getting.

So I let her finish her prearranged speech and ask her if she has read my letter - she had the cheek to say that she had! So I told her to read the first 3 lines of my letter out over the phone. She actually went silent for a bit which was pretty funny. Anyway she was still adamant that I wasn't able to cancel - but for no specific reason. It ended with me saying that I had to dig out my t&c's because she insisted that the increase in billing charges was mentioned when I took out my contract - which I'm pretty sure it wasn't.

I finally found a copy of the t&c's that I got with my phone and I've pored through it and i just can't see it anywhere.. I also downloaded the latest t&c's from 3's website, but I still can't find any mention of it. Maybe I've missed it.. but can someone help me try find it if they are having the same issue as me?

They were supposed to call me back earlier this evening, but they never did, but I'd like to get more clued up for round 2.

Any help appreciated, thanks.

Kai, very good post. This is exactly what I have quoted in my cancellation letter. They have sent me copies of their terms and conditions from 2007 and 2005. If you have the original terms and conditions, could you please confirm if under "Other Plans" on page 28, under "Charges for other services " they have "Fully itemised bill" and "£1.00 - free until 31st December 2007".

In 2005 terms and conditions it is on page 20 under "Other Services" and it says "Fully itemised bill : £1.00 "

If that is not the case, then I will take them to court for sending me the wrong terms and conditions. :mad:

I am on MM 1100.

connect2me

Does anyone have original terms and conditions somewhere in the box. I checked mine (2 phones) and they do not have terms and conditions. I upgraded on 30th May 2008. The letter mentions "You'll also find the Terms for 3 Services in the Small Print booklet" in the box. I have just checked and can confirm there is no such thing inside my phone boxes.

jasonwatkins

connect2me wrote: »

In 2005 terms and conditions it is on page 20 under "Other Services" and it says "Fully itemised bill : £1.00 "

The problem with this is the phrase "we reserve the right to charge £1 for an itemised bill" - this is what the woman from the executive office claimed when I spoke to her, and said it existed on 3's terms and conditions from day one.

So if they reserve the right to do it and don't do it, it still technically means you've accepted that it may well happen eventually - at least i think so