BT Direct Debits!!!

Elstree20

Hi

Help please !Does anybody else have this problem and have they been successful in resolving it???

I currently pay for my home phone and internet ( both with BT) via a monthly direct debit of £45 which when my bill comes around every quarter means I am roughly in about £25-£40 credit. BT have now in their infinite wisdom decided that this is not enough and increased my direct debit to £79!! apparently because what I am currently paying is not enough!!.

I have disputed this and aksed for the direct debit to remain at £45 and have been told no sorry that it is company policy!!! I am really annoyed as not only do I have to pay 3 months in advance for both the line rental and internet I now seem to have to be in credit 6 months ahead!! I have had this before and end up with a massive credit on my account and it take ages to get it refunded.!!

Unfortunatley I am stuck with these "bandits" until January as I am under an 18 month contract but rest assured I will be changing my contract as soon as it is up!!:mad:

Heinz

I can never understand why people lend large firms money by such arrangements.

Phone up and change to 'Monthly Whole Bill Direct debit' immediately.

I'm on 'Quarterly Whole Bill Direct Debit' and my recent online enquiry to BT produced the below reply:

As you are interested in monthly billing, we have two options available to pay monthly :

1) Monthly Payment Plan gives you the option to make set monthly payments direct to BT from your bank. It allows you to choose a payment date suitable to you that will remain the same every month. You will still receive a quarterly bill. This plan gives you the flexibility of being able to adjust your payments according to how you use your phone. It's easier to manage your finances as you will know exactly how much you pay each month. You pay your bill in small regular payments rather than getting a big bill each quarter.

2) With Whole Bill Direct Debit monthly the exact amount of your bill is paid directly to BT from your bank every month, 14 days after the bill is produced. Whole Bill Direct Debit is suitable for people who want an easy way to pay their bill as soon as it's due. You pay the balance of your bill in one go.

Please let me know the option you want to opt for and I will be able to assist you.

As long as you can be sure you will always have sufficient funds in your account to cover such DD calls (you have 14 days to make sure), that is your best bet.

ACDeag

BT trys its best to get lent money by its customers. It does it by either using their Monthly Payment Plan where they seem to know best what you should pay or they want 3 months line rental in advance. They do nothing to promote Monthly Whole Bill direct debit.

I had a battle a couple of years ago trying to get monthly whole bill, customer services was insistent that here was only quarterly whole bill or the monthly budget scheme.

In the end I made a formal written complaint about lending BT money and was given monthly whole bill. It sounds like they have relaxed that now and will offer it if asked.

*zippy*

My husband was on the phone to them for an hour yesterday, they refused to say how their DD amount was broken down to get to that figure, eventually they started coming up with all sorts of rubbish, we were in arrears etc, when they had earlier admitted we were actually in credit. It took three operators, but eventually they agreed to a realistic amount.

jackieb

I pay my BT bill monthly by direct debit. If my bill is £44.26, then £44.26 is taken out, if it's £38.21, then it's £38.21 that's taken out.

Reading the above posts I realise I must have the 'Monthly Whole Bill Direct debit'.

Elstree20

Thanks for the info I will phone BT today and get them to change it!

ACDeag

*zippy* wrote: »

My husband was on the phone to them for an hour yesterday, they refused to say how their DD amount was broken down to get to that figure, eventually they started coming up with all sorts of rubbish, we were in arrears etc, when they had earlier admitted we were actually in credit. It took three operators, but eventually they agreed to a realistic amount.

BT's borrowing requirements have obviously risen, and maybe the banks will not lend them any more

BT_company_representative

Hi, Will you DM your account details and we'll get this sorted for you.

Many Thanks
Donna
BT Support

angie_baby

Hi,

BT did this to me this month - doubled the DD, apparently i need to pay a month in advance now. Thing is with no notice this really peed me off, so gave them two weeks notice to end the contract.

Went through quidco and got £60 cash back for signing up to Virgin Media plus there broadband and phone line is cheaper. So BT in a way did me a favour.

And im hoping to ebay the BT box thingy.

So really i should thank BT for saving me £15 a month plus the £60 cash back which has tracked!

utilitybroker

angie_baby wrote: »

Went through quidco and got £60 cash back for signing up to Virgin Media plus there broadband and phone line is cheaper.

But their phone calls are expensive.:D

angie_baby

utilitybroker wrote: »

But their phone calls are expensive.:D

I dont even have a home phone plugged in, only ever got the landline for broadband