Denplan

Nellietegrag

I have paid into Denplan in excess of 30 years and I sent a cheque as usual for 2024 fees but Denplan has returned the cheque stating they no longer accept cheques. I do not want direct debit and being almost 70 do not feel confident with card numbers over the telephone. It is £250 plus can they do this to me? I am lucky to have 2 check ups a year so I am not an expensive customer.

DullGreyGuy

Yes, they are free to choose what payment methods they wish to accept as long as its not discrimination on protected characteristics (eg sex, sexual orientation, race etc)

It would be a very hard and long struggle to argue that not accepting cheques is effectively age discrimination 

Why don't you want DD? It's the most consumer protection option that exists. 

Nellietegrag

We choose, out of choice to have no D.D. at all, that way, we have total,100% control over our finances 100% of the time. Won't change at 70 years of age!

marcia_

Nellietegrag said:

We choose, out of choice to have no D.D. at all, that way, we have total,100% control over our finances 100% of the time. Won't change at 70 years of age!

 You have 100% control with a direct debit. The direct debit guarantee will recall any payment made in error, if they request too much or double up etc 

MysteryMe

Direct debit is a safe way to pay regular bills and as mentioned already, there is protection in place on the rare occasions errors happen. 

Obviously you do have to make sure you have the money in your account when a DD becomes due, but then presumably you wouldn't be writing a cheque if there weren't funds in your account to cover it.

Many businesses other discounts when bills are paid by DD so it saves you money plus time and effort not having to write a cheque and pay for postage.

Many businesses send email reminders when a direct debit is about to be taken and you can monitor them with online banking as well.

Hoenir

Nellietegrag said:

We choose, out of choice to have no D.D. at all, that way, we have total,100% control over our finances 100% of the time. Won't change at 70 years of age!

That's entirely your choice. The business concerned isn't going to make an exception for you though. 

pritchah

I've recently moved from North Wales to Yorkshire, and discovered the following about Denplan

As you probably know, when looking to change dentists, you have to cancel the policy with your old dentist, and start a new one with your new dentist

With my previous dentist, I was on Denplan Care (which covered inspections and hygeinist each twice a year, plus fillings, extractions, X-rays and anything basically which didn't involve any lab work). My payment for this was about £32 per month. I had an final inspection just before I moved, any outstanding issues were addressed, and I received a dental health rating of D. I haven't cancelled this policy (yet) as I wanted to remain covered over our move period

I discovered a Denplan dentist near my new home, and expressed my interest in registering. I would have to undergo a new patient consultation first, price £99, which I did. When I asked about the cost of Denplan Care, I was surprised to be quoted £74 per month. I had been given an oral health rating of D at this new practice as well, same as my previous dentist

I queried this with the new practice and with Denplan, to be told that surgeries can, in effect, charge what they like. Of course I had no idea that I'd be likely to be paying double the previous premium

Worth pointing out though that if I did decide to go with a Denplan policy at this surgery, the £99 new patient consultation fee would be waived

There's no way though I'm paying £74 per month for Denplan Care. If I stay with this dentist, I would have pay for a lesser policy (Essentials) which would cover checks and offer a discount on treatments

I'm shopping around a bit now, and am prepared to take a £99 hit if there's likely to be a more affordable route longer term. I have considered continuing my existing policy at my previous dentist, but this would involve a three hour journey, plus travel and prob accommodation costs at least twice a year

I'm also wondering if prior to my move, I was getting a Rolls Royce policy at a knockdown price

Lesson learned is to doublecheck the price of policies before paying for a new patient consultations

silvercar

I’ll move this to the health section of the forum.

Toothsmith

pritchah said:

I've recently moved from North Wales to Yorkshire, and discovered the following about Denplan

As you probably know, when looking to change dentists, you have to cancel the policy with your old dentist, and start a new one with your new dentist

With my previous dentist, I was on Denplan Care (which covered inspections and hygeinist each twice a year, plus fillings, extractions, X-rays and anything basically which didn't involve any lab work). My payment for this was about £32 per month. I had an final inspection just before I moved, any outstanding issues were addressed, and I received a dental health rating of D. I haven't cancelled this policy (yet) as I wanted to remain covered over our move period

I discovered a Denplan dentist near my new home, and expressed my interest in registering. I would have to undergo a new patient consultation first, price £99, which I did. When I asked about the cost of Denplan Care, I was surprised to be quoted £74 per month. I had been given an oral health rating of D at this new practice as well, same as my previous dentist

I queried this with the new practice and with Denplan, to be told that surgeries can, in effect, charge what they like. Of course I had no idea that I'd be likely to be paying double the previous premium

Worth pointing out though that if I did decide to go with a Denplan policy at this surgery, the £99 new patient consultation fee would be waived

There's no way though I'm paying £74 per month for Denplan Care. If I stay with this dentist, I would have pay for a lesser policy (Essentials) which would cover checks and offer a discount on treatments

I'm shopping around a bit now, and am prepared to take a £99 hit if there's likely to be a more affordable route longer term. I have considered continuing my existing policy at my previous dentist, but this would involve a three hour journey, plus travel and prob accommodation costs at least twice a year

I'm also wondering if prior to my move, I was getting a Rolls Royce policy at a knockdown price

Lesson learned is to doublecheck the price of policies before paying for a new patient consultations

£32pm does seem to me to be pretty cheap for category 'D' on Denplan Care. Mine is not quite as dear as £74 - but it's certainly closer to that than £32.

brook2jack2

Our surgery does very little Denplan and in a very cheap area , our category D is a lot more than £32. 

pritchah

Toothsmith said:

pritchah said:

I've recently moved from North Wales to Yorkshire, and discovered the following about Denplan

As you probably know, when looking to change dentists, you have to cancel the policy with your old dentist, and start a new one with your new dentist

With my previous dentist, I was on Denplan Care (which covered inspections and hygeinist each twice a year, plus fillings, extractions, X-rays and anything basically which didn't involve any lab work). My payment for this was about £32 per month. I had an final inspection just before I moved, any outstanding issues were addressed, and I received a dental health rating of D. I haven't cancelled this policy (yet) as I wanted to remain covered over our move period

I discovered a Denplan dentist near my new home, and expressed my interest in registering. I would have to undergo a new patient consultation first, price £99, which I did. When I asked about the cost of Denplan Care, I was surprised to be quoted £74 per month. I had been given an oral health rating of D at this new practice as well, same as my previous dentist

I queried this with the new practice and with Denplan, to be told that surgeries can, in effect, charge what they like. Of course I had no idea that I'd be likely to be paying double the previous premium

Worth pointing out though that if I did decide to go with a Denplan policy at this surgery, the £99 new patient consultation fee would be waived

There's no way though I'm paying £74 per month for Denplan Care. If I stay with this dentist, I would have pay for a lesser policy (Essentials) which would cover checks and offer a discount on treatments

I'm shopping around a bit now, and am prepared to take a £99 hit if there's likely to be a more affordable route longer term. I have considered continuing my existing policy at my previous dentist, but this would involve a three hour journey, plus travel and prob accommodation costs at least twice a year

I'm also wondering if prior to my move, I was getting a Rolls Royce policy at a knockdown price

Lesson learned is to doublecheck the price of policies before paying for a new patient consultations

£32pm does seem to me to be pretty cheap for category 'D' on Denplan Care. Mine is not quite as dear as £74 - but it's certainly closer to that than £32.

Yes, I've discovered that!

If we'd stayed where we were, I could have kept on it. Almost (but not quite) worth the costs of travelling back and forth to north Wales for treatment!

I've come to the conclusion that I'm not going to pay for a Denplan Care policy now if that's the going rate, and will take an Essentials plan with a dentist who offers s decent discount on treatments

Never realised that fillings were so expensive, when the cost was hidden by Denplan