Companies causing distress by removing traditional payment means

dw89

JGB1955 said:

dw89 said:

It was easy for them to stick a cheque in the post, they didn’t need to speak to anyone, didn’t need to worry about numbers, scams or anything. Our experience is not theirs.

Isn't that what paying by DD is?

• Refunds

  Customers are entitled to a full and immediate refund for any incorrect or unauthorized direct debit 
• Advance notice

  Businesses must notify customers at least 10 working days in advance of any changes to the amount, date, or frequency of a direct debit 
• Cancellation

  Customers can cancel a direct debit at any time by contacting their bank or building society 

No. Paying via cheque is after the fact. She got a bill, every six months, then sent a cheque to clear the bill. It’s her making the fin decision. 

With DD you pay (can’t say for this particular company obviously) often before the bill (monthly or something usually) and, if there’s an issue, you have to waste time sorting it out…i.e. onus on you rather than the company whilst they already have your money.

If you control the money they have to get things right their end first rather than you have to waste your time correcting their mistakes. Like I said it’s happened to me myself and it was a pita to resolve, I got threatened, and they were in the wrong. There’s no way my rel could have dealt with it with automation, unintelligible c/s etc. 

Diff strokes, diff folks. The world has changed a lot in fifty years of adulthood.

born_again

dw89 said:

Nothing’s being missed, company name is irrelevant as to whether something is legally ok or not or within industry regs. There’s 4 options as said, that’s it. Previous bill shows the options now missing. I wouldn’t have brought this up otherwise and I’m not into the out everyone/thing culture if there’s no actual wrongdoing.

So given the previous mention of

Where my rel lives there’s no shops (we org delivery) and she doesn’t drive so it’s not an option even if it’s that (which I am sure it is)

I guess that there must be post box close?

TBH, cheques were close to being abolished over 10 years ago. Due to the cost of they systems involved in the running of them. 
Created so much work & the amount of fraud cheques was astounding, often dealing with over 100 a day, & that is just one bank.

https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201012/cmselect/cmtreasy/1645/164506.htm

dw89

la531983 said:

dw89 said:

Nothing’s being missed, company name is irrelevant as to whether something is legally ok or not or within industry regs. There’s 4 options as said, that’s it. Previous bill shows the options now missing. I wouldn’t have brought this up otherwise and I’m not into the out everyone/thing culture if there’s no actual wrongdoing.

What does their website say?

Abs no idea but I’d put a sheckle on it saying ‘see’ your bill for payment options or mirror it. It’s not my contract so. My rel doesn’t have internet, doesn’t drive, doesn’t have a mobile. Some people don’t.

Anyway, there’s not much else to be said if it’s not illegal etc. I heard what the person said re Court, and get it, but that’s not where she would want to go she just wanted to know why she couldn’t pay as she always had.

DD it is I guess:)

la531983

If someone is bored they could look at every water company website, but I'm heading out now.

born_again

Water co's have enough leaks, without a load more bore holes 🤦‍♀️

dw89

born_again said:

dw89 said:

Nothing’s being missed, company name is irrelevant as to whether something is legally ok or not or within industry regs. There’s 4 options as said, that’s it. Previous bill shows the options now missing. I wouldn’t have brought this up otherwise and I’m not into the out everyone/thing culture if there’s no actual wrongdoing.

So given the previous mention of

Where my rel lives there’s no shops (we org delivery) and she doesn’t drive so it’s not an option even if it’s that (which I am sure it is)

I guess that there must be post box close?

TBH, cheques were close to being abolished over 10 years ago. Due to the cost of they systems involved in the running of them. 
Created so much work & the amount of fraud cheques was astounding, often dealing with over 100 a day, & that is just one bank.

https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201012/cmselect/cmtreasy/1645/164506.htm

Yup, just a small village in the countryside where they’ve lived their entire lives. There’s a PB, sure, she also used to use telephone banking to transfer money to the supplier account but, as said, now it’s ‘call us’ or use the options.

dw89

Last comment…

The four options require someone to either a) have a phone/app b) use DD c) Debit/Credit by phoning them or making online payment d) use paypoint.

So, to recap, a) is a no-go b) is possible but can be a pita as explained c) requires her calling ‘them’ not the bank and not having internet as an option d) is a no-go.

It’s 1) a generational trust thing (and they’re not wrong) to give others your banking info 2) Easy options that don’t require onus to be put on them/have to talk to people etc

So, it is what it is, that’s how they feel and I get their pov. It all scares them whether people, in general, wish to accept that or not. They’re much more vulnerable to scams and the like than we are because they didn’t grow up with it; they’re a lot more trusting and scams have shown them they can’t be so they’re lost with it.

Anyway, DD it is. Thanks all, all replies appreciated, good to hear diff opinions. I’m off to eat. Peace

2childmum2

DullGreyGuy said:

2childmum2 said:

My parents are in their 80s and simply cannot get their heads around online banking, anything on their phone past a text (mum only) or a call (with difficulty). It's not that they won't change, they simply don't understand how it all works however much time I patiently spend explaining. So they are gradually losing their independence. Thankfully they are with Nationwide, and they can get to the branch. Staff there are really understanding and sort out anything they need. Not all elderly people can adapt easily.

Ageuk are campaigning about services all moving online and how this is affecting older people. Scroll down on this page to see how many this affects

A home telephone became the norm in the 70s when your parents would have been in their 30s... how are they not comfortable making a call? 

That doesn't sound like not being able to cope with change but a degeneration in faculties which personally would make me worried about them trying to go into the bank and do anything on their own. I'm not implying the bank staff would be wanting to do something bad but if they've forgotten how to use a phone after 50 years of using one do they understand what they're asking the bank staff to do? My great aunt was sending money in envelopes to her long dead nephew for years before someone caught and stopped her. 

I was talking about a smartphone, not a landline. Since when could you text on a landline? They happily phone using the landline and speak to whoever they need to, sorting out whatever needs sorting  but unfortunately fewer and fewer companies are contactable by phone. They have all their wits about them. I see them at least once a week and can sort out online stuff for them, but I shouldn't have to.
Nationwide staff simply do what my parents ask them to on the odd occasion they go in - maybe setting up a DD, or swopping their savings from passbooks to card accounts (nationwide having got got rid of the former.)
As you can see from the ageuk link I posted, millions of other older people are finding they are being discriminated against.
A little understanding of others would go a long way.

Hoenir

flossy_splodge said:

The main reason for change is so often just to inrease profits and hence handouts so the stress to a few who do NOT understand the technology is real and will not be resolved by heartless folk saying 'tough, just get on with it'.

Before direct debits were invented monthly payments weren't an option other than door to door cash collection. At best quarterly and often annual. People had to budget properly.  Spend time working out their finances with a calculator and bits of paper. I think the the overwhelming  majority would prefer the convenience of monthly payments and lower prices. Than cover the cost of the hundreds of finance administration staff that handled and processed pieces of paper, counted and reconciled money and cheques, queued at banks for hours, dealt with returned cheques etc. Likewise improved productivity and efficiency results in better profits that get returned to savers in the form of better pensions when they retire. 

QrizB

sheramber said:

Paper bills can go missing in the post and not be delivered.

I used to live in a rural spot in the westcountry. In the autumn and early winter, there was a real risk of snails in the post boxes eating your post before it was collected by the postie.