Pipex

hunnybeanz

Ooooh er, I need a bit of advice please!
Righty, it's a long one, so I'll try and make it as simple as I can!

First off,it's worth noting that I have an account with Pipex in my own name, with a monthly direct debit of £25.

In January, I paid £56 reconnection fee to Pipex for my mum. This payment was made on my card, and I DID authourise it.

Every month after that until April, Pipex took out £25 (in addition to my own bill) using my card details (POS....note----NOT direct debit). When I saw this in April, I rang them up and queried it.
They say that when I paid the reconnection fee, it was authorised that these extra payments be made once per month from my account. (Not by me they weren't!)
I asked what these payments were actually for, they say I have agreed to pay off my mums' debt of £700 odd quid at a rate of £25 pcm.

I told them they were fraudulently using my card (as it was showing as POS and not a direct debit) and they advised me to get an indemnity (report?) from my bank.
I rang the bank and told them, and I can't get (an) indemnity (report?!) because that means I would have to sign saying that I have never given Pipex my card details....which would be a lie as I have my own internet account with them, so yes I have given them my details.

I rang Pipex back up and told them this, the customer service rep didnt have a clue what I was talking about and after a fruitless 10 minute conversation, where we just confused each other, I gave up.

I rang either Trading Standards or Ofcom (I dont remember which as the bank gave me a direct number) and they dictated a letter to me that I should send... basically that I hold Pipex in breach of the supply of goods and services act, and I demand a reply within 14 days, and a full refund within 28 days.

I wrote this out, signed, sealed and delivered (unfortunately, it didnt occur to me to have it sent recorded...DUH!).

That first letter was dated 19th April. I received no reply or contact at all.

I then sent a second letter, re-iterating what I had said in the first, and again giving them 14 days to reply and 28 to refund me.
Essentially giving them a second chance.
That was 4 weeks ago, and no reply....(however, AGAIN I didnt send via recorded...will I ever learn???)

I rang Ofcom yesterday, and the woman I spoke to was a bit useless.... she said there are TWO Pipex's...Pipex Internet and Pipex Home Communications, both with seperate addresses.
I sent my letters to an address in London for Pipex Internet.
The address on her screen for Pipex Internet was not in London, so she said she couldnt help me, as I couldnt confirm that it was the same office.

I'm now absolutely stuck, I dont know what to do now, do I simply start over and write to pipex AGAIN??? (and send it recorded this time)
Who should I phone about this???

Any help anyone can offer would be VERY appreciated!!!!
And thanks muchly for reading!

bill888

Sounds like you sent your letters to their registered address in London.

Pipex Internet and Pipex Homecall are two separate subsidiaries, now both owned by Tiscali (who themselves are for sale)

Pipex Internet Limited
4 Falcon Gate
Shire Park
Welwyn Garden City
AL7 1TW

Pipex Homecall Limited
PO Box 14503
Birmingham
B46 1BD

Unfortunately, Pipex is notorious for billing issues. Most issues seem to arise with customers who have left or 'thought' they had left these bunch of muppets only to discover they were still being billed. Payment by credit or debit card is usually a recipe for disaster because card holders can't stop Continuous Credit Authority payments, unlike Direct Debit mandates which can be stopped.

I do wonder how your mum ended up owing £700 to Poopex or is that a typo error?

MrsTinks

To stop the card being debited you can cancel the card and get the bank to issue a new one... at least that will stop the problem of more money going out - then I would recommend writing a letter to the above addresses and mention Ofcom etc ALOT - this should divert your letter to a special team dealing with complaints seen as "high" risk - ie Ofcom are looking at it...
And send it recorded!
Always send it recorded!