Which launch new campaign against 084/087 numbers.

OldGreyFox

"A new law - the Consumer Rights Directive - is putting a stop to pricey 0844, 0845 and 0871 customer helplines. But some companies will be let off the hook. We’re calling on the government to extend the ban to the travel industry and public sector. We also want the financial regulator to bring the finance industry into line. There shouldn’t be any exceptions - all costly customer helplines should be banned."


See and vote here: http://www.which.co.uk/campaigns/premium-rate-phone-numbers/know-the-issue/

NFH

I don’t understand why Article 21 of the Consumer Rights Directive 2011/83/EU shouldn’t apply across all sectors, effectively banning 084 and 087 numbers completely. Regulation 6(1)(c) of the Electronic Commerce (EC Directive) Regulations 2002 requires online businesses to provide an e-mail address in order to be contacted by customers; there is no exemption for financial services or passenger transport sectors. In view of this precedent regarding other communication methods, why should the UK's implementation of Article 21 of the Consumer Rights Directive 2011/83/EU exempt any type of business from complying?

The widespread abuse of 084 and 087 prefixes by the financial services and passenger transport sectors should be curtailed as soon as possible.

Earthworm

I'd love to hear my banks response to me offering them only a premium rate 09 number as method of contact for me. If the shoe was on the other foot and companies were all forced to dial numbers charged at 30p+ per minute the charge would be scrapped within a month.

OldGreyFox

Daily Mail now running with this

see: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2413432/Firms-deter-complaints-using-costly-0845-numbers-Customers-ban-lines.html

NFH

OldGreyFox wrote: »

Daily Mail now running with this

see: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2413432/Firms-deter-complaints-using-costly-0845-numbers-Customers-ban-lines.html

It's great that the Daily Mail have run this story, but a shame that as usual their journalism is sloppy and inaccurate:

• "At the moment, travel firms, including airlines, timeshare and package holiday firms are allowed to use the charging numbers" - this is misleading because currently everyone is allowed to use these numbers. There is merely a proposed exemption for passenger transport services.
• "Under recent changes to the EU Consumer Rights Directive (CRD), calls to customer helplines must be charged at no more than the basic geographic rate" - there have been no changes to the Consumer Rights Directive; it is merely being enacted in the UK as well as in all other EEA countries.