084 and 087 numbers now banned for customer service lines

NFH

084 and 087 numbers have been made unlawful for customer service lines with effect from today, 13th June 2014, by Regulation 41 of the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Payments) Regulations 2013. These irritatingly surcharged numbers are becoming a thing of the past, as customer service lines now have to operate on basic rate 01, 02, 03 prefixes or free 0800 or 0808 prefixes. The full rules are explained on pages 20 & 21 of BIS's implementation guidance.

Notable points are:

• If a business continues to operate its customer services lines only on 084 or 087 numbers, consumers now have an automatic legal right to reimbursement of the surcharge from the offending organisation, which can be enforced through the Small Claims track of the County Court.
• A business may continue to advertise 084 or 087 numbers (because they are cheaper for a minority of consumers) but they cannot do so without also advertising a basic rate or free number that is no less prominent than the 084 or 087 number.
• Sales lines (for new business) can continue to use 084 and 087 numbers but are unlikely to do so because surcharged numbers deter sales. Only telephone numbers for existing customers (i.e. where you have already agreed to buy goods or services) are covered by the legislation.
• Financial services are excluded from the new legislation, but the Financial Conduct Authority is planning to introduce similar rules. Such rules could comprise an interpretation of the FCA's Principles 6 and 7 which already require regulated firms to treat their customers fairly and to communicate with them fairly.
• The public sector is also excluded from the new legislation, but the Cabinet Office has introduced similar rules for the public sector in its guidance for customer service lines.
• The legislation originates from Article 21 of Directive 2011/83/EU on Consumer Rights, so similar rules apply all over the European Union and the wider European Economic Area. The directive excluded passenger transport services from the ban, but the UK decided to omit this exclusion. Therefore airlines' telephone numbers are covered by the legislation in the UK, but not in all other EU and EEA countries. This could have the effect that consumers all over Europe will contact airlines via their UK telephone number in order to avoid a surcharged number in their own country.

Ypaymore

Worth a read to see some examples of who is complying and who is not.

http://www.fairtelecoms.org.uk/uploads/1/1/4/5/11456053/the_revolutionary_switch_from_08_to_03.pdf

oldharryrocks

Carphone Warehouse still not complying with it offering 0870 for main customer service. 0843 for stores.

oldharryrocks

Note. Offering a 0800/0808 Freephone Number is not acceptable yet until they are free to all mobile users they are required to offer an alternative 01/02/03 number for mobile users until that time. June 2015.

SandLake

I see Tesco Mobile are still pumping out 0845 300 6660 for Technical Support!

Cornucopia

oldharryrocks wrote: »

Note. Offering a 0800/0808 Freephone Number is not acceptable yet until they are free to all mobile users they are required to offer an alternative 01/02/03 number for mobile users until that time. June 2015.

I agree a direct dial is preferable, but in the meantime, there are portals like 0333 555 8800.

oldharryrocks

Cornucopia wrote: »

I agree a direct dial is preferable, but in the meantime, there are portals like 0333 555 8800.

Yes lots of them around. But why let them breach the regulations.

oldharryrocks

SandLake wrote: »

I see Tesco Mobile are still pumping out 0845 300 6660 for Technical Support!

0345 300 6660 is up and running now.;)

NFH

I notice that Ryanair's contact numbers now comply only by the bare minimum. It now publishes a surcharged number for "new bookings" and a basic rate number for "post booking queries" for some countries, e.g. the UK, Austria, France, Belgium, Sweden, Norway and Finland. I assume that all these countries, like the UK, wisely chose to omit the exclusion for passenger transport services in their national legislation. For other countries, e.g. Ireland, Germany, Netherlands, Hungary, Italy, Spain and Poland, it publishes one number for "new bookings and general queries", so I assume that these countries neglected to omit the exclusion for passenger transport services from their national legislation.

Therefore callers from everywhere should dial +44 330 100 7838, given that a basic rate international call is usually cheaper than a national surcharged call, and in many cases will be covered by inclusive calls packages.

d123

I notice CarPhoneWarehouse haven't abided by the new rules.

A quick check through their customer services pages, for example:

When we receive your item we'll send you a cheque, this will take up to 5 working days. If you haven't received your cheque in this time, please call 0870 087 0168^

Faulty TVs

If your TV is faulty when you get it or it develops a fault soon afterwards, call us on 0870 111 6565^ to find our whether you're eligible for an exchange, repair or return.

robbies_gal

why are banks exempt makes me so angry