BT Late payment charge (merged threads)

crossleydd42

It's a better system than the previous one of sending a red reminder, then a final reminder then cutting you off and charging some around £12 for reconnecting you.

rhino69

Telecom have started charging me £5.00 for late payments.

They have also been phoning me about payments.

On the bill, they state that charges will be made if 26 days late, but they phoned me less than two weeks after receiving the bill.
Surely, this is harassment?

I subscribe to the telephone preference service to stop nuisance calls. Therefore, are not BT violating theit own code of practice.
Anyway, How can they charge for late payment when the service charge is paid in advance?

I recently received nearly £300.00 back from 4 banks after asking for charges to be refunded and, after all of them refusing after the first letter, once I sent the second letter threatening them with the FOS and court action they all paid up 'As gestures of good faith' (Yeah, Right!)

Surely, if it's unlawful for the banks to charge for late pyments, it must be just as unlawful for any other business to do so.

After all. a business is given 30, 60, 90 days or more to settle their bills. Why is the private consumer umnlawfully targeted in this way

phoneman44

If you use a service, I think it is only right that you pay for it within the agreed timescales.

After all if you pay late then you drive up the costs for any company, therefore increase the prices for everyone else who pays on time!

If you don't want to be charged then pay by direct debit or continuous card transaction.

ahrimaniac

You make it sound like they slap the charge on willy-nilly. They sent you a reminder bill after 2 weeks? They then phone you to make sure you got that, so that you don't get a surprise if you don't pay the bill and get a late payment charge.

Personally, I think that's fair. If you don't pay your bills on time, why shouldn't they charge you? If you use eBay, would you stand for someone telling you they'd pay for your goods a couple of weeks down the line, when they fancy?

Noooope.

stiffnuts69

Why do people have this problem of not wanting to payttheir bills on time.

I must stress that I 100% distiguish between those who are late and those who genuinely cant afford to pay that month due to a family emergency, loss of job/income etc.

Its quite simple if you don't want to pay the late fee then dont be late.

I dont think peope should get banks mixed up with telecom providers. A charge of £35-40 the court would consider a lot. I dont think the same can be said for £5

You say you have received £300 from the banks how much do you honestly expect to get back from BT. How many times are you late?

Get real rhino69

BexTech

Also, don't get TPS mixed up with BT.

TPS is to stop unwanted sales calls, not to stop your provider be it BT, Sky, Mobile phone company, bank contacting you regarding your account, unless you inform them otherwise.

No court would find £5 an unfair fee, it's easy, pay your bill on time, and you won't get charged, set up DD and then you have no worries. Saying that you say you have had refunds from 4 different banks sounds like you are spending beyond your means, maybe it's time to ditch the landline.

bengal-stripe

In the old days, when you hadn’t paid within the allowed time, BT used to cut your phone off until the bill, and an additional
£ 25.00 re-connection fee, had been paid.

Do you prefer it this way?

Stratford_Bill

I don't know if this subject has ever been brought up before.

I have just received my BT phone bill, and I am being charged £5 for late payment. If this is legal, then it is an extra charge on anybody who has found themselves a bit short.

Is it legal? And, if it isn't, what can I do so that I can show BT a clean pair of fingers?

Edinburghlass_2

Just merged your post with a couple of previous threads on the BT late payment charge. You'll find the posts are in date order when reading back

Stratford_Bill

Well, thanks for your help, folks. Let me do the same for you sometime.