Cheapest Home Phones Article Discussion

[Deleted User]

Here we go again with rubbish service. I recently signed on to Primus Saver at £7.99 via Homephone choices as recommended on this site. Now I get a bill for £9.99 plus £1.98 VAt = £11.86. Nobody mentioned on this site or the advertisers site that VAT would be added. I assumed it was included as it was not mentioned anywhere. So basically I'm being charged more than I signed up for plus a hidden VAT. I don't like being cheated and wrongly informed. Again!! These service companies can do what they want via "mistakes". And they do.

I tried phoning customer services - guess what - still waiting for someone to answer the phone.

Former_MSE_Becca

[Deleted User] wrote:

...I recently signed on to Primus Saver at £7.99 via Homephone choices as recommended on this site. Now I get a bill for £9.99 plus £1.98 VAt = £11.86...

Hi there,

Thanks for your post above concerning your switch to Primus. We have spoken to Primus about your billing issue, and they have suggested the following:

All our residential tariffs are inclusive of VAT. As you say you "recently signed on to Primus Saver at £7.99", you may have joined mid-billing cycle, meaning your first bill would therefore include any pro-rata fees for the previous month.

Primus has given us the an email address for all customers to contact if they're concerned about their bills and/or service: [EMAIL="savers@primustel.co.uk"]savers@primustel.co.uk[/EMAIL].


I hope this is helpful.
MSE Becca

[Deleted User]

Now if only service companies where as good as this website!! Thanks I appreciate that.

I did check for extra days but its nowhere to be seen on the bill. And besides it says:

Current Bill Charges - Summary
For Period 10 Dec 2011 - 14 Jan 2012Charges, Credits and Adjustments £9.88
20% VAT£1.98
Sub Total £11.86
Total for this bill £11.86


Account SummaryCurrent Bill £11.86
Amount Outstanding £11.86
Total Balance of Account £11.86

so only one month. And I haven't made any phonecalls yet.



Also there was nothing mentioned about VAT anywhere. A price should always say "inclusive or exclusive" of VAT. It should be law. Maybe it is? So in fact if their prices are inclusive of VAT (good) where is the £7.99 per month I signed up for? I'm waiting to hear how it now adds up to £11.86!

But your response and this website is very helpful as it keeps them on their toes. I did send an email and I'm waiting for a response. My home phone battery went dead before anyone answered the phone. I'll try phoning again now.

[Deleted User]

OK I finally got through and the problem is the onscreen bill doesn't show all the bill. I had to go to the Print view and scrolling right down shows I have been charged:

Charges, Credits and Adjustments

Line Rental £7.99 12 months 31-Dec-11 - 14-Jan-12 £3.222

Line Rental £7.99 12 months 15-Jan-12 - 14-Feb-12 £6.658


So for part of last month and part of this month. That's still a bit weird but I was told the next bill will be £7.99. I did suggest they tell the customer about the viewing problem.

So alls well that ends well. The Primus offer is valid and better than BT's £14 a month line rental for the same service. Just they need more staff to answer phones. Thanks again to moneysavingexpert staff.

joshp_2

Hi all,
I just thought you Primus users aught to know that their inclusive evening & weekend deal does not include bank holidays!

bendipa

If it says free evening and weekend calls, why would anyone assume that includes bank holidays?

bendipa

[Deleted User] wrote:

OK I finally got through and the problem is the onscreen bill doesn't show all the bill. I had to go to the Print view and scrolling right down shows I have been charged:

Charges, Credits and Adjustments

Line Rental £7.99 12 months 31-Dec-11 - 14-Jan-12 £3.222

Line Rental £7.99 12 months 15-Jan-12 - 14-Feb-12 £6.658


So for part of last month and part of this month. That's still a bit weird but I was told the next bill will be £7.99. I did suggest they tell the customer about the viewing problem.

All that's happened is that you pay 1 month's rental in advance plus the proportion due from the time you joined to the 14th of the month as rental is always charged to the 14th. When you leave, you are not charged for the final month, so you are not being done. The amounts shown are ex VAT

Former_MSE_Becca

bendipa wrote: »

If it says free evening and weekend calls, why would anyone assume that includes bank holidays?

Just to clear up any confusion, I have spoken to all of the big home phone providers, including Primus, and all have said the same thing:

Calls made during the day on a bank holiday Monday are considered weekday calls. If you have an "anytime" calls package these will be included, however if you have an "evening and weekend" calls package, you'll be charged the standard rate for calls made during the day on a bank holiday Monday.

I hope this helps,
MSE Becca

geminilady

bendipa wrote: »

All that's happened is that you pay 1 month's rental in advance plus the proportion due from the time you joined to the 14th of the month as rental is always charged to the 14th. When you leave, you are not charged for the final month, so you are not being done. The amounts shown are ex VAT

So if I change on the 14th I should not have the extra added ?

Heinz

geminilady wrote: »

So if I change on the 14th I should not have the extra added ?

There was no 'extra'. As explained, the bill included a one-off pro rata amount for the 31/12/11 to 14/1/12 period at the start of your 12 months @ £7.99/month period.