Help with BT chasing a paid bill

BriDean · 3 May 2011 at 4:43PM

Hello all,

Despite being a fully trained debt specialist, i am at my wits end trying to get BT to admit that the final bill of £397.41 demanded on the 15/06/2009 was actually paid on the 01/08/2009 at my local Post Office. I have a bank statement showing a counter withdrawal for £400.00 at the Post Office as i paid in cash for this balance; however i cannot at all find the stamped counterfoil. I have now been contacted by SRJ Debt Recoveries for the above balance, the first contact by BT or any of its reps since the bill on the 15/06/2009.

I am fully versed in the debt collection side of things and have already advised SRJ Debt Recoveries that the debt is paid, so i am not at all worried about CCJ`s or bullying tactics of DCA`s. However i am not prepared to enter into a lengthy battle of the wits with BT or their DCA`s

I would like to know if there is any one else who has experienced this type of problem with BT, how did you get them to admit the payment had been made and how did you or them resolve the matter.

I will not be paying a single penny more to BT and if need be, i will have my day in front of a DJ at County Court (court appearances do not phase me as this is part of my job as a specialist).

All responses greatly appreciated.

catfish50 · 3 May 2011 at 5:16PM

Must admit, I would be a bit fazed at the prospect of court, since from what you say you have no proof of the payment. If it's your word against BT's, isn't it all too likely the court will believe BT?

Maybe the payment has been lost, either by the PO or by BT. I would go back to the PO -- politely -- and see if you can persuade them to try to find it.

Do you advise your indebted clients to rush off to court when they have no proof?

BriDean · 3 May 2011 at 6:04PM

Thanks for your reply catfish50, but as i say the litigation element of this issue is not troubling.

I am not sure what you mean about rushing off to court, as i would only get my day in court if the claimant litigated and i lodge a defence. So no i do not advise clients to rush of to court without proof, but i would request disclosure off all account details held by claimant in a defence. Which could even include Post Office Counters should court see this to be required.

Again i ask if there is any person/s who have had similar problems, to disclose quick resolve or if any person works for BT on this site could they look at this problem.

catfish50 · 3 May 2011 at 6:09PM

LOL. Have it your way.

Mark_In_Hampshire · 5 May 2011 at 2:13AM

When my partner made the payment to the BT account once it was made with the wrong reference number.

We spotted that and emailed BT about it, letting them know to expect an incoming BACS payment with a specific reference.

Sadly the person who replied didn't really know what a BACS payment was, so nothing got done until we wrote to them, I think about 5 weeks later, thus avoiding the call centres, then they managed to find it.

Your issue is that you have no proof, it is simply your word against theirs.

And, if you're honest, while you can be sure you did make a payment, you can't know for sure that the payment was sent to BT with the right reference number because you can't locate the payment slip/duplicate copy.

The money may well have reached them, but then been put in some holding account into which inbound transactions are dumped which don't reconcile with any account.

So I'd suggest you write to BT (use the London Head Office, the Durham address is pointless but CC them anyway) asking them to look for an inbound payment for the specific amount which would have reached them on dd/mm/yyyy

It's a bit tricky really, but you'd know better than me - I would have thought that if it went to court, you'd lose by default because you can't prove your case.

BT_company_representative · 5 May 2011 at 5:01PM

Hi BriDean,

I can take a look at this for you. Please could you send me in your details, using the link found in my profile?

Please make sure to include a link to your post.

Thanks

Paddy,

BriDean · 6 May 2011 at 2:34PM

Thank you BT Rep.

I will send the details i have and really appreciate your time.

Would it be possible for you to confirm the exact link i need to send the details.

Thanks again,

D.Caldwell.