BT charges?

carl310166

I have just checked my bank statement(i am new to this money saving game) and found that BT are taking £15 per month for my telephone account,i use Tesco for my calls.

I thought the line rental was £10.50,so perhaps i am paying for extra features.I have rung them,but the department i want is only open Mon-Fri 8-8.

Before i speak to them,do the charge for 1471 or 1571 services? or do you think i am paying for something else?

Thanks in advance.

DonnyDave

If you pay by 'Monthly Payment Plan' you pay a fixed amount every month. Therefore you can have a credit or debit balance depending on how high you bills are. I'm not sure whether you have to set it to a full amount in pounds or whether you can have pence as well. IE, £10, £11 only.

The other option is to have 'Whole Bill Direct Debit', which pays the whole bill in one go. This may be more what you're after.

On the second page (in not the largest of type) is the total for that bill. Have a look at it.

There is no charge for dialing 1471 and listening to the number. However, if you press 3 to ring-back the number, they now charge you 6p even if the call isn't answered! It's best to dial the number yourself to avoid this.

AFAIK BT's 1571 service is free to yourself, although bear in mind that anyone who calls and doesn't wish to leave a message may incurr a minimum charge.

carl310166

Thanks.

Gem+Dave+Kaci

Another point to make - all your calls will usually be automatically handled by Tesco but if you return a call from 1471 or 1571 then BT handle the call so the whole call will be charged at BT's standard rate and will appear on your BT bill.

DonnyDave

It may also be worth checking the prices of non-geographical numbers, especially 0845/0870 as in many cases BT are the cheapest.

carl310166

Thanks all.

Just rang BT to ask about my bill.

I didn't realize i was on a monthly payment plan,so i asked if i could reduce my payment to the basic line rental,the guy then informed me i was £144 in credit !!! which he will refund to my bank...i was wondering where the extra payment was going.

So far,in addition to opening an EGG 0% credit card and A+L savings account.

Over the weekend,i downgraded from BT Yahoo to BT broadband basic,reduced my BT bill,cancelled Tesco home phone,subsribed to Talk Talk and 18866 ordered an Orchid dialer (pre-programed over the phone when i ordered it),cancelled my Tesco home insurance,took out Norwich union home insurance and paid the yearly premium in full (i have never done that before!) and rang Welsh Water to supply me with a meter.

That's enough for one weekend,but what is next (my copy of the Money Diet hasn't arrived yet)?

System

and on the strength of your savings, you will be retiring to where exactly ?

carl310166

St Maxime on the Cote d'azur hopefully !!!

It all adds up doesn't it?