Exceeding monthly call allowances

steeve26

Hi everyone,

I have a montly mobile phone contract with a 'top' mobile phone provider.

Last month I exceeded my monthly call allowance for the first time ever and incurred an extra cost of 35p a minute. This resulted in extra penalty charges of £77 being charged to my account. While I am happy with the principle of paying a penalty fee I feel that the penalty charges levied were excessive.

I have had no help with the mobile phone provider's call centre and have been told that I should know what's in the 'small print'.

I have been told to read the 'small print' which merely states that "exceeding monthly call allowances on 'standard UK landlines' for '01, 02,03 numbers' will incur and additional charge of 35p a minute".

Many of the numbers I phoned, for which I incurred the excess charge,have mostly started with '01,02 or 03.'

I feel that the 'Terms and Conditions' are not specific enough and should detail EXACTLY the FULL dialling codes for which I should be charged a penalty fee. Is it enough for the mobile phone company to get away with T's and C's that lack any detail?

All I'm trying to say is that i do not feel that the penalty of five times greater than my monthly direct debit is not proportionate.

Could I take this matter to a small claims court or am I wasting my time?

cookie365

Your contract included a certain number of minutes. You used more. What exactly were you expecting to happen?

steeve26

The answer is obvious. what a dumb question!!

Own_My_Own

steeve26 wrote: »

The answer is obvious. what a dumb question!!

Are you being serious ?

A dumb question, says the person who doesn't know the first 2 digits of any number he dials.

steeve26

Er..I do know the first two digits..01, 02 and 03! What makes you think I don't know the first two digits?!

Own_My_Own

steeve26 wrote: »

Er..I do know the first two digits..01, 02 and 03! What makes you think I don't know the first two digits?!

The T&C state any number beginning with 01,02 or 03 will incur a 35p a minute charge when you go over your allowance.
You have gone over your allowance and have dialled 01,02 or 03 numbers. But you are still amazed that you have been charged the said 35p a minute.

Take it to court and see where it gets you.

Lagoon

You really want the terms and conditions to list every 01, 02 and 03 dialling code in existence...separately?

steeve26

That's why I'm asking the question-to gauge other people' s opinions.

It is obvious where you stand on the matter! So thank you for your contribution!
If everyone thinks the same way as you do then I probably won't!

All I'm trying to say that paying a penalty fee five times greater than my monthly direct debit is not 'proportionate'.

Kite2010

All you can hope for it to ask nicely for a goodwill gesture from your phone company and review your contract.

terryw

It is not a penalty. This is the charge for minutes over the monthly allowance.

Like many people, including yourself, I have sometimes gone over the monthly amount. I curse myself for my own stupidity and vow it will never happen again. It is a good idea to keep checking how many free minutes you have left.

macman

Since you appear to have gone over your monthly allowance by a substantial 220 minutes (that's 3.6 hours), it can hardly have come as a great surprise to receive a huge bill.
Your phone has a call log facility on it, why not use it to avoid such a scenario?
If you are querying the per minute charge for calls over your allowance, then the time to do that is before you agree a contract. Not when you get the bill.
It's got nothing to do with the 'proportion' compared to your basic monthly payment. It's a fixed rate per minute-perfectly straightforward.