Utility Warehouse (Telecom Plus) Discussion

NigeWick

Wig wrote:

And that was an 0871 number for customer service, right? Do they offer a geographic alternative? I say 0871 because it gives an 0871 number on their website.

This is one of things I disagree with. I tried the old numbers for service and got directed to the new expensive ones. I didn't need service, was just checking so it didn't cost me anything. T+ are in the money making business as are all companies. They've obviously latched on to the non geographic calls as a profit thing. I feel that it is counter productive, but, suspect their bean counters have evidence for making that particular decision.

Nigel.

NigeWick

bendtoy wrote:

The calls are not FREE because you have to pay for other services to get them

So, if you paid for an ice cream from Vendor 'A', you would be happy. And, if Vendor 'B' offered you the same ice cream for the same price, plus a piece of chocolate, you would believe that you had already paid for that chocolate? Have I got your reasoning correct?

What T+ are offering is gas, electricity, phone line, Freephone number, mobile phone and internet access at a price. Should a customers take four of these services they get phone calls to geographic numbers at no cost. I see a benefit and apparently you see a scam. We'll have to agree to differ.

Nigel.

lisyloo

And, if Vendor 'B' offered you the same ice cream for the same price

I'm sure you'd agree Nigel that the buyer needs to beware that they are still getting the best dest and not get carried away about the free chocolate.

I personally wouldn't see free chocolate as a benefit because I'm on a diet i.e. the free thing might not be a benefit.

I see a benefit and apparently you see a scam.

It may be a benefit but it also may not.
I make hardly any of these FREE calls from my home phone (use work phone when at work and mobile when out). Some people only use a home phone line for broadband and use free minutes on a mobile for calls.

I would take the middle ground and call it a "marketing ploy".

People need to beware that
a) It is actually a benefit to them
b) they don't actually get carried away and pay more to vendor B because of the free thing

Sometimes people can get carried away when something is FREE and end up either getting no benefit or paying more.
I think "scam" is too harsh a word but it is certainly intended to take advantage of the natural excitement about something that is FREE (adn I accept they are a business after all).

lizanne_jones

Hi there
Just wondered if anyone knew if energy compaines such as above can deduct bill payments from a credit card without my say-so on an ongoing basis? Moved house in July and never got around to sorting the utilities, so inherited previous owner's supplier. Paid one bill over the phone a few months ago using a card and now they keep deducting on a monthly basis. Seems wrong to me, almost theft. Can this be legal?
Lizanne Jones

Voyager2002

No, they can't do this. The only time I have experienced this was with UW, so it seems to be their speciality -- one reasons why I would never be a UW customer again.

Anyway, I contacted Data Protection, who agreed with me that they were in breach of Data Protection legislation by keeping my credit card number after a one-off transaction and using it again. They (Data Protection) invited me to make an official complaint, but by co-incidence at that point UW returned the money they had taken from me, so I did not pursue the matter.

Data Protection -- the government office that enforces Data Protection legislation. I think they are now called the Office of the Information Commissioner or something similar.

NigeWick

lizanne_jones wrote:

Paid one bill over the phone a few months ago

I have to ask, why didn't you sort an ongoing arrangement out or switch companies after that first call? And, once they took the first unauthorised payment, do something then? What have you done to sort this out with the company?

Nigel.

NigeWick

lisyloo wrote:

I would take the middle ground and call it a "marketing ploy".

People need to beware that
a) It is actually a benefit to them
b) they don't actually get carried away and pay more to vendor B because of the free thing

I agree with your comments. There ain't no such thing as a free lunch and people just need to weigh the pros and cons before making a decision.

BTW, I have heard that 020 8955 5588 will get customer services at present.

Nigel.

tripled

If you gave the company authortity to debit your card on an ongoing basis (continous authority), then they can do that (I used to pay for bradband that way). However if you haven't, then not only are they breaching data protection it is fraudulant use of your card details and you can report them to the police.

Quentin

tripled wrote:

If you gave the company authortity to debit your card on an ongoing basis (continous authority), then they can do that (I used to pay for bradband that way). However if you haven't, then not only are they breaching data protection it is fraudulant use of your card details and you can report them to the police.

Why do you think that?

Everyone who joins this so called club must obviously stick to the club rules (and accepts them when first joining) - which say that they are allowed to use any credit or debit card numbers that you have ever given them to take any future payments if there is any problem getting the money via direct debit at any time in the future.

We may also collect overdue payments from any debit or credit card whose details you have provided to us.

So even if you want to dispute an invoice, and legitimately stop your direct debit pending the dispute being settled they will simply use any card you have ever used with them in the past.

Anyone who is a customer/member of theirs who now is not happy with this should immediately "lose" any credit or debit cards which UW know about and get replacements from their banks (which will have different numbers on them, so UW won't be able to use them).

Then get cracking on getting out of this club and back with mainstream suppliers who don't pull such stunts.

NigeWick

Quentin wrote:

Anyone who is a customer/member of theirs who now is not happy with this should immediately "lose" any credit or debit cards which UW know about and get replacements from their banks (which will have different numbers on them, so UW won't be able to use them).

Then get cracking on getting out of this club and back with mainstream suppliers who don't pull such stunts.

I disagree with your comment about "losing" credit cards as it should be easier to sort something out directly. Obviously one can use this ploy as a last resort, but, it shouldn't be necessary. Further, if it does become necessary, then the regulating authorities should be made aware, followed by further publicity. In this day and age, any company that does not give top notch service at a fair price can only expect customers to leave in droves. Having said that, there is an awful lot of inertia with people who can't be bothered and/or thinking switching providers is difficult.

Nigel.