Direct Save Telecom

BallyK

Hi,

I've been charged a failed payment fee by Direct Save who provides our landline. This happened back in October when they tried to take the monthly payment from my debit card and it failed. They called me up and checked the card details, I checked my balance and then they tried and it failed again. I called up my bank and it turns out they'd sent me a new debit card 6 weeks before that had never arrived (I am part of the NatWest branch sale so have been getting unsolicited new cards sent out quite regularly). I called DirectSave back and explained the situation and paid by bank transfer. In the next bill I get charged for two failed payments so I call them and explain that it is not my fault as the card was lost in the post so I had no idea my card was going to be cancelled before it expired and they agreed to drop them.

We have just switched suppliers for the broadband and got a combined deal with the phone line so are moving away from DirectSave. I get a call from retention trying to get me to stay with them but I explained I'd already signed a new contract. So now I suddenly get a payment reminder for one of the failed payment charges threatening legal proceedings.

How can I dispute the payment with them?

And how should I respond to them now to stop them adding further costs as they are threatening to do?

Many thanks!

DirectSave_Telecom_representative

I work at Direct Save Telecom, it is our policy to waive/refund such charges where appropriate and it sounds like we should have done this in your case. I’m sorry about this and I will send you a private message so that you can give me your details and I can organise this for you.

Heinz

If you allow them to take money from your debit card (a recurring payment authority), why not just sign a direct debit mandate? Then, as long as there are sufficient funds in the account, their call for payment would be met.

macman

Welcome to the forum mattsupport, but you can't post on here as a Company Rep unless you are first authorised to do so by MSE-please check the forum rules.

DirectSave_Telecom_representative

Thanks macman for your post. I have emailed the relevant department regarding this as we do not want to go against forum rules. Thanks again for your post.

BallyK

Just spoke to DirectSave and it turns out it was a system error, I shouldn't have been sent the letter as the charge had been cancelled. Many thanks for your help resolving this.

Simply_Ted

directsavetelecom.co.uk

Has anyone got any feed back on this Company?

They are very cheap, but as I found out with my energy supplier cheap sometimes means things are done on the cheap!

Some reviews say terrible customer service, but then so have a lot of Broadband suppliers.

Anyone with either positive or negative comments please - thanks

Pet50

I was looking at this company too.

Anyone tried them??

JJ_Egan

Search the forum .

Jack_Griffin

You pays for what you gets and their upfront rate is cheap but service is poor.

Some caveats to be aware of.

1) Phone bills are not itemised, so if a big bill comes in you have no idea how it was charged.

2) Leaving even after end of initial contract requires 28 days notice in writing!

3) There are stringent penalties for leaving contract early. £69.95 per phone, £39.95 for router, £5 per month for each month of early termination. They do not mention this till you get a contract, it makes it impossible to leave early.

4) Cheap contracts are very long.

On balance I think it is best to avoid them.

buglawton

Unlimited usage says the MSE article about Direct Telecom. So does the product headline on their own website, about the 28 day rolling contract. Look at the details and it says download limit per month 20GB!

And a 'rolling contract' that requires written notice to close it? Weird.
If they really refuse to offer itemised phone billing then best not to connect a phone. Three mobile pay as you go are like this, no itemisation and it's annoying.