Reconnection fee

three2be · 31 October 2009 at 2:25AM

Hi just a query to find out if this is right, My parents have BT in contact plus.They got an automated call saying you have not paid your bill etc(on the 30th). Mum had it in her bag ready to pay so i checked the date expecting it to be a few weeks given the call.

It was only due on the 28th but the post date was the 21st so 7 days to pay a bill, mum always pays at the Post Office and that takes 5 days to reach the account(so i've been told) how are you meant to pay before the bill is over due given even a quick delivery in the first place, never mind the strikes.

Next thing is their bill showed Payment charges i know about the £1.50(£4.50 total) because they dont use DD, so i called to find out the other £10.50. after several minutes and being put on hold twice i was told it was because the last payment was late and was a reconnection charge. What i want to know is why we were not told about these charges when the last bill was paid on the phone before we asked is that all that is due and were told yes. now this charge has been applied.

The last bill was their fault being late i'm not disputing that what i am asking is should the charge not be declared clearly as a reconnection charge? or is this BT's way of tricking people into paying unwanted charges by disguising them.

Also they disconnected them before they said they would the last time the bill said (rough guess) 30th of the month and they cut them off on the 24th. So their is no way we would have skipped this being mentioned.

Opinions etc please.
Thanks

Ypaymore · 31 October 2009 at 3:47AM

They should not be a payment processing fee of £1.50 a month if they are a BT In Contact Plus Customer.

This is what BT say in their T&C about the late payment fee.

"You agree to pay the charges as soon as you receive your bill. You may also need to pay a deposit or a payment upfront before you can receive the service or goods.
If you do not pay your bill, we will send you a reminder or call you. If we do not receive payment within 10 calendar days of the date of that reminder (seven days if you pay monthly), we may add a late payment charge of £7.50 to your next bill by way of compensation to us for breaking the terms of this agreement. We may also charge you £10 by way of compensation to us for any direct debit or cheque payments which are returned to us because you do not have enough funds in your account. The charges set out in this paragraph are not subject to VAT. "
http://www.productsandservices.bt.com/consumerProducts/dynamicmodules/pagecontentfooter/pageContentFooterPopup.jsp?pagecontentfooter_popupid=13408&vendorid=SE7&s_cid=con_ppc_zedmedia_vidSE7_Calls+and+Lines#BTPS

Also see: http://www.serviceview.bt.com/list/public/current/Misc_boo/1437_d0e699.htm

LeedsBS · 31 October 2009 at 5:14AM

bt = british telecom
says it all

three2be · 31 October 2009 at 9:21AM

Ypaymore wrote: »

They should not be a payment processing fee of £1.50 a month if they are a BT In Contact Plus Customer.

Thanks for the relpy, it was BT that said it was the fee for not paying by DD but on one of your links it says you will not be charge VAT on it. They have charged VAT on the whole £15 of charges so things are further confused. It can't be 2 late payment fees as it is on the first bill(as in not a reminder).They never had these charges before.

spike7451 · 31 October 2009 at 11:59AM

When I had my old BT Pay & Call system,if I did'nt pay my line rental on time,not only did I get charged £14.50 line rental but £10.00 reconnection fee!
Even tho the line rental steadily crept up from £11 odd & the £2.00 'cashback' from BT disapeared over the time I had it.