Warning! BT increase charges for non direct debit payers

wantmemoney

BexTech wrote:

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

The fact that someone may or may not have complained about BT's non direct debit penalty charge has no bearing on whether the charge is reasonable.
For you to argue that the penalty charge must be reasonable because a customer did not complain is an argument based on your assumption.

If you want to argue the charge is reasonable you explain and justify why BT is levying the charge. What alleged BT expense is the charge being levied to cover?

BexTech

wantmemoney wrote: »

The fact that someone may or may not have complained about BT's non direct debit penalty charge has no bearing on whether the charge is reasonable.
For you to argue that the penalty charge must be reasonable because a customer did not complain is an argument based on your assumption.

If you want to argue the charge is reasonable you explain and justify why BT is levying the charge. What alleged BT expense is the charge being levied to cover?

There's no point to your post, you are reading something completely different to what is written, give it a rest, you are not big and you are not funny, if you must troll, do it somewhere else, MSE is not the place for that.

I didn't even say the charge was reasonable, I don't think it is. How you came to the assumption that I had said the complete opposite to what I did, I don't know. It must be a troll post by you.

Botch

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

May not do much good but will certainly make you feel a lot better!:T

wantmemoney

BexTech wrote:

21-06-2007
Why the complaint now?

For years you have been paying £1 per month more for not paying by direct debit, now it's gone up to £1.50 per month, people complain.

Why not the complaints for all the years you were paying £1 more for non-DD?

BexTech wrote:

08-07-2007
The thing is people are only complaining now, they should have been complaining for all these past years they have been paying more.

BexTech wrote:

09-07-2007
Once again - Yet you were happy for all these years to pay £3 per quarter (£1 / month) for not paying by Direct debit, now that BT have increased this by 50p and detailed it differently on the bill you complain. Why haven't you been complaining for all these years they have been charging you £1 per month?

BexTech wrote:

17-07-2007
Yet a month or two back you were happy to pay £3 to pay the bill by non-DD!

BexTech wrote:

Yesterday
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!

and the point is?

does anybody know what BT expense the non direct debit penalty is being levied to cover?

BexTech

wantmemoney wrote: »

and the point is?

does anybody know what BT expense the non direct debit penalty is being levied to cover?

All I said, as you can see is why complain now, I'm not saying the charge is right, I don't think it is, I've never thought it was right, but it's strange that for years people where paying £3 per month for not paying by direct debit and didn't complain, but as soon as BT highlighted the fee and increased it slightly people complain, now are they saying they were happy before at paying £3 or they weren't, why leave it until it's highlighted on the bill, were they fooled into believing they weren't paying extra because it was listed as a charge before, just added to part of the line rental.

I've been telling Telewest and now Virgin Media, that people hate having a surcharge, they prefer to not to receive a discount, even though it amounts to the same thing.

At one time with Birmingham cable phone line rental was £6.00, and you got a 50p discount if you paid by direct debit, people were quite happy with that, then when Telewest took over they dropped the discount for paying by direct debit, and then hit people with a surcharge for not paying by direct debit - this fee is now £5 per month for not paying by direct debit, people are rightly upset that they feel this is an underhand way of forcing everyone onto DD.

Now BT are doing the same, instead of the line rental being £12 per month with a £1 discount for paying by DD, it's now line rental is £11 per month with a £1.50 surcharge for not paying by DD.

People have always hated surcharges and prefer to accept they aren't getting a discount.

Same way as when you go to Curry's or Comet etc, people like to think they are getting a £200 discount on a product, when in reality the RRP is an inflated price so shops can look like they are offering a saving.

I've only said why complain now, because in reality not accepting a discount on a higher price is the same as having a surcharge on a lower price. It's just that for many their brain tells them it's different, hence the supermarkets, electrical retailers off discounts - it's human nature to prefer a discount even if the discount is meaningless.

I've told Telewest/Virgin this, I've told BT this, but neither have any plans to switch back to charging more and then discounting for DD users, because they want the headline rate to look lower.

I can't see how BT can justify £1.50 per month and I definitely can't see how Virgin justify £5 per month.

I don't think it's right they charge so much, yes I understand that paying by DD works out cheaper for them and in reality is easier for the customer, though some customers don't like paying by DD, I can understand why they do charge more for customers who don't pay by DD, but don't think the actual charge is fair.

All I was asking is why complain now even though for years and years you have been paying more than a DD customer, I wouldn't have been happy paying £1 more let alone £1.50 or £5 more.

I'm just too lazy not to use DD, I always make sure I'm not sailing too close to the wind or living beyond my means, so always have a fair amount in credit in my account to never have to worry about going overdrawn, that's not because I'm well off - far from it, it's just that for a while I went without mobile phones, went without internet, went without phone, went without digital TV, went without going for meals and drinks, I cut right back to make sure I had enough money in my account to cover anything, I also made sure that I didn't take out any credit or services if it meant that if I had a change in circumstances I'd end up not being able to pay for it.

To me I'd say they should charge £11.50 for line rental and offer 50p discount if you pay by direct debit, to me that is reasonable. Others may feel they should just charge £11.50 and whether you pay by direct debit or not, that is the fee you pay, don't penalise anyone and don't discount anyone.


I don't agree with the high charges, just that someone has to play devils advocate.

BritBrat

Nice post BexTech,

I think most people would be willing to pay what it costs, if it costs any more by some of the other methods. I know I would.

But to have to pay inflated cost for paying on time is wrong, after all they have a late penalty charge is that not enough of an insurance.

As I am sure you already know I still pay the same way I have done for ages using online banking but now I save the £3 or so because I signed up to direct debit but I don't give them the chance to use it as my bill is paid in full before the direct debit is called.

I have also moved many of my calls away from BT and followed the Heinz programe and also have a VOIP thanks to your help.

All in all BT have lost a lot of money from me, yes I was happy not to take the discount for many years and for that change they will lose well over £250 from me in the year.

As I told Ben, thanks for saving me some money good job done.

Paul_Varjak

I get the paperless bill discount with BT but BT still send me a paper bill! So, I am not complaining. I am also happy getting a discount for direct debit.

Those that complain about the Direct Debit scheme and use that as an excuse not to pay by Direct Debit Direct Debit, just don't understand the purpose (or how to make use of) the DIRECT DEBIT GUARANTEE!

And those that complain voraciously about these 'penalty charges' are usually those that don't take proper care of their financial affairs and want to blame someone else for their own ineptitude. Sorry, if it sounds harsh, but it is true!

mls

BexTech wrote: »

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!

Actually that's not quite true... if you paid by CC 'recurring authority' before April you ALSO got the £1 discount as if you paid by DD. So for me, the change in April DID cost me the full £1.50 extra per month, not just 50p, because they no-longer class CCRA as a direct debit.

Fortunately the good people at BT have seen the error of their ways and refunded my £4.50 and I am now back on a DD tariff. MLS

BexTech

Recurring payment is never a wise idea on a credit / debit card.

DD is far safer.

mls

BexTech wrote: »

Recurring payment is never a wise idea on a credit / debit card.
DD is far safer.

I only moved to CCRA to get cashback on my payments, which worked fine until the rules changed in April.

I had never heard of CCRA before and BT is the only company I know of that offers the option, but what is your general problem with CCRA though? MLS