Challenging £5 Virgin Charges for payment

unbelievable

Does anyone have any advice or experience in this area?

Virgin Media seems to be charging me £5 a month extra for the privilege of me going down to the local cornershop and paying my bill via Paypoint. In addition, if I am late by a day or more, they will hit me with another punishment fine.

It is possible to challenge the disproportionate amount of this charge, as per bank charges? They seem unreasonable and, as Paypoint is an electronic payment, I cannot see how it is any different from a direct debit.

Are these charges not meant to reflect actual costs?

I won't bore you with the details. My life fell apart with serious health problems. I went through the worst of the whole ESA torture system. It is not possible for me to pay via Direct Debit, and save the charges, because I cannot rely on having any money in my bank account ... and hence would face more punishment fines if I did.

And yet the internet (lowest 10MB band), remains my last chance of keeping in touch with the world and picking myself back up. I don't have a phone or TV.

Much appreciated.

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Notes to others:

a) Do not get ill if you are poor as the government does not offer a free or low cost euthanasia scheme (... yet).
b) Being poor is a false economy. You pay more for everything and are excluded from the best offers.

kwikbreaks

It's in their T&C so there is nothing to challenge. If you want to avoid the charge pay by DD. If you don't want to or can't do that switch supplier to somebody who doesn't charge so much.

Ady87

Paypoint is it's own business. What pays for their equipment to be installed & maintained for example? The money they make from people paying their bills. They will take a small cut, like they do from phone top ups etc.

Yes the £5 "payment processing fee" is disproportionate...set up a direct debit and watch it disappear. You should get a bill 7-10 days before it leaves anyway so you can always stop it if it's wrong.

useless_git_requires_wife

I ring them every few months and complain about the £5 extra charge, ask to be disconnected because of it, and have alwayso been given an instant £30 bill credit.

Helps if you are out of contract period of course, which means the threat to leave is real.

MoneySaverLog

What annoys me more is that they never stick to the same day for taking money by direct debit, unlike Sky who take it when they are supposed to on the day I specified.

It's the same with other DD's too. I'd like all my DD's to go out on the 16th of the month, but they cannot do that for some reason, it's either just before or just after. Never on the day I request.

Life would be so much simpler if all monthly bills could be paid all on the same day. Trouble is they don't accept standing orders either and forced to give them control as to when they can take the money by DD to avoid paying the extra £5 a month for the priviledge with virgin or any other companies that charge for alternative payment methods.

unbelievable

kwikbreaks wrote: »

It's in their T&C so there is nothing to challenge.

So were bank charges ...

Even if it were to "cost" £1 to send by PayPoint, which I doubt it does, how on earth costs £4 for Virgin to check it has been received.

useless_git_requires_wife wrote: »

I ring them every few months and complain about the £5 extra charge, ask to be disconnected because of it, and have alwayso been given an instant £30 bill credit.

Helps if you are out of contract period of course, which means the threat to leave is real.

Yes, I am out of contract. Thank you for this suggestion. I wish I had thought of it earlier.

No, I cannot afford the risk of DD for similar reasons to the above. It is a !!!!!!!. I would be happy to pay in advance and forget about it but, strangely, I don't see anyone offering that as an option ...

Who has not had hell with DD companies and banks!

kwikbreaks

If you think you can challenge the charges for non DD payment lead on but the Internet section of MSE is a pretty sleepy old place and you should maybe try your luck in a different section. They are certainly OTT because VM (and for that matter plenty of other companies) simply don't want to have to process non-DD payments.

The energy suppliers, like the banks, pretty much stitch up the entire market between a handful of players and act in concert by offering discounts for DD payment. VM are not in anything like a monopoly position so you have an easy way to continue paying as you want to and avoiding their charge - go elsewhere for your broadband.

A_Flock_Of_Sheep

kwikbreaks wrote: »

If you think you can challenge the charges for non DD payment lead on but the Internet section of MSE is a pretty sleepy old place and you should maybe try your luck in a different section. They are certainly OTT because VM (and for that matter plenty of other companies) simply don't want to have to process non-DD payments.

The energy suppliers, like the banks, pretty much stitch up the entire market between a handful of players and act in concert by offering discounts for DD payment. VM are not in anything like a monopoly position so you have an easy way to continue paying as you want to and avoiding their charge - go elsewhere for your broadband.

Post Office Telephone do not charge any extra for paying by non-direct debit and many smaller internet companies will gladly accept a cheque each month and some offer a discount for upfront payment for a year.

That just leaves TV which VM provide but it is all a load of rubbish repeats so simply go to freeview and pay your TV licence at PayPoint.

Alternatively phone up VM and ask to disconnect. Generally they want to know why and usually wild horses won't let you go so tell them that you are leaving because of the £30 per year fee for non DD. They may give you a discount - if not give them the deserved heave ho.:T:T