Warning! BT increase charges for non direct debit payers

slenderkitten

i just found my booklet it says:-

You have 21 days to top up your moneybox account back to at least £0.00. if you don't top up within 21 days you will no longer be able to recieve incoming calls and we will add an administration fee to your debt. If you fail to make a top up for a further 14 days your account and line will be ceased.

"To end the service you can call customer service giving notice described in terms and conditions if you cancel within the minimum period described in terms and conditions you may have to pay a cancellation fee.

We may not enter into any further agreement with you to provide telephone service udner these or any other conditions if certain criteria have not been met as described in terms and conditions. the minimum term for bt pay and call is 12 months."

mls

I moved to paperless billing several months ago, which means I don't actually read my bills any more (I use 18185, so my bill is mainly for line rental only). I was therefore shocked to spot a charge for £1.50 on my latest bill because I pay by credit card. I only moved from DD to CC in order to get some extra cashback on my CC, and only spotted this charge because I changed my CC details.

But I can't find anyway to move back to DD on-line - the button the help page talks about just doesn't exist! I also tried the automated phone service, but after going through all the steps it reported a fault and hung up!

I'll have to call them during office hours, which is a pain, but I'm really annoyed that I missed the news of this new charge and that I can't resolve the problem immediately!

Anyone else had similar problems, or can offer any advice, please?

Thanks. MLS

sdmoore

Hello,

I'm a first timer on here - thought I'd add my voice to the list of complaints about the £4.50 charge. Just got my phone bill of £43 of which over £3 were call charges and, of course, £4.50 the "payment charge".

Was thinking of changing providers but am going to wait until ofcom finish their investigation. In the meantime I'm going to pay the bill but wondered if I could "get my money's worth" out of the payment charge ... BT no doubt get charged (less than one pence?) per online transaction processing by payment companies ... so I was wondering if I were to make multiple smaller payments on their webpage (£1 is the minimum they allow) and if they treat each sub-payment as a separate transaction then maybe they'll get charged multiple times?

If they're going to charge me £4.50 for payment ... I'll make sure I get value for money! :rotfl:

sd

BexTech

Why complain now, you've been paying £3 per quarter for years for not paying by Direct Debit, now they highlight the charge and increase it slightly people complain!! Should have complained years ago!

Heinz

sdmoore wrote: »

Hello,

I'm a first timer on here - thought I'd add my voice to the list of complaints about the £4.50 charge. Just got my phone bill of £43 of which over £3 were call charges and, of course, £4.50 the "payment charge".

Was thinking of changing providers but am going to wait until ofcom finish their investigation. In the meantime I'm going to pay the bill but wondered if I could "get my money's worth" out of the payment charge ... BT no doubt get charged (less than one pence?) per online transaction processing by payment companies ... so I was wondering if I were to make multiple smaller payments on their webpage (£1 is the minimum they allow) and if they treat each sub-payment as a separate transaction then maybe they'll get charged multiple times?

If they're going to charge me £4.50 for payment ... I'll make sure I get value for money! :rotfl:

sd

Welcome to the MSE forums sdmoore.

BT certainly were inept in the way they increased the £3 which, for years, they'd been charging those not paying by DD to £4.50 - and have annoyed many people.

However, in the money-saving spirit of the site, can I suggest that, rather than wasting your time doing what you're thinking of doing (which, if you miscalculate, may result in BT charging you a £7.50 late payment fee too), you resolve only to use BT for your calls when they're cheapest?

If your personal circumstances allow it, I'd certainly recommend signing up to DD payments (in effect, that'd save you £1.50 per month) but, as you'll see from the 'HERE' link in my signature below, there are other ways to reduce your voice-telephony costs.

sdmoore

Hi BexTech, Why compain now? ... well £3 seemed a bit excessive before but £4.50 "tipped me over the edge" ... it's incredulous that the cost of administering an online payment has suddenly increased by 50%. In fact I'm quite happy to pay a small charge for my preferred payment method provided the charge is reasonable - £4.50 isn't IMHO. (I prefer not to use DD now - ever since a now defunct electric company started billing me for "creative" electric meter estimates)

Hi Heinz, many thanks for your suggestions. I'll bear them in mind.

sd

BritBrat

I was the same Happy for others to get a discount not happy to get a charge even though I knew I was always paying more.

First I got angry then I got even and followed Heinz advice well almost.

See how I now pay, the same as I always did but saving £1.50 each month.

BT Direct Debit, How To Beat It

Full Thread Here:
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=446084

BexTech

sdmoore wrote: »

Hi BexTech, Why compain now? ... well £3 seemed a bit excessive before but £4.50 "tipped me over the edge" ... it's incredulous that the cost of administering an online payment has suddenly increased by 50%. In fact I'm quite happy to pay a small charge for my preferred payment method provided the charge is reasonable - £4.50 isn't IMHO. (I prefer not to use DD now - ever since a now defunct electric company started billing me for "creative" electric meter estimates)

Hi Heinz, many thanks for your suggestions. I'll bear them in mind.

sd

I fully understand, if they had kept the fee sensible people would have been happy.

wantmemoney

"I fully understand, if they had kept the fee sensible people would have been happy".

No you don't.

People are complaining because profit greedy companies like BT and the other fixed line Network Operators, the mobile Network Operators, the banks, the water gas electric companies, rail...etc, etc are being allowed to rip the public off with unfair charge after unfair charge.
These companies operate in a Thatcher/New Labour market place that is absolutely devoid of any effective consumer protection. The market place is regulated by industry sponsored regulators who serve in the interest of the industries they regulate.
New Labour have kicked consumer rights into the long grass and replaced it with regulation that is run by industry insiders and politically appointed brown noses.

BexTech

wantmemoney wrote: »

"I fully understand, if they had kept the fee sensible people would have been happy".

No you don't.

People are complaining because profit greedy companies like BT and the other fixed line Network Operators, the mobile Network Operators, the banks, the water gas electric companies, rail...etc, etc are being allowed to rip the public off with unfair charge after unfair charge.
These companies operate in a Thatcher/New Labour market place that is absolutely devoid of any effective consumer protection. The market place is regulated by industry sponsored regulators who serve in the interest of the industries they regulate.
New Labour have kicked consumer rights into the long grass and replaced it with regulation that is run by industry insiders and politically appointed brown noses.

Right I see, so you saying even a reasonable fee is unacceptable.