Pipex - MAC code then big bill !

Biveran

I have been in touch with Pipex this morning and they say as soon as you request a Mac code they assume you want to cancel and so charged me these amounts as cancellation charges since my contract was still in force. I advised them that I had no idea how long my contract had to run as I have been with them for years and years with different packages, and I said that they were under an obligation (?) to notify me that I would have to pay any cancellation charge. I was then told it would take 14-28 days to reinstate my money at which point I went ballistic pointing out that they charged me the money quick enough they can reinstate it quick enough. In fact the contract has not been cancelled yet it is just in the process of being cancelled. It was also pointed out to me that the MAC code is only valid for 30 days so I pointed out that they should wait until either the expiration of 30 days or I had actually cancelled the contract before debiting my credit card. It was a hard battle and I can only hope that my credit card is credited back these amounts. Needless to say I will stay with Pipex for the remainder of my contract.

I am sure it is illegal to just debit someone's credit card without their knowledge in this way.

I am sure I was through to some overseas call centre, with someone who had an American accent which I am sure was fake. These people are employed by Pipex, what can I say? They are tied by their employers although this guy kept asking me questions such as they appeared on a crib sheet, the answers to which I had already provided, which I found immensely irritating. Incidentally my husband is Indian !! I take absolutely no offense whatsoever to the suggestion they were probably somewhere overseas but it is another example of outsourcing of which I am NOT a fan for various reasons.

what annoys me more is the cost of these calls. Let's see if I get a refund......

kendalls_cave

I left `pipex a couple of months ago, and was advised that they had a habit of doing what they did to you. So as advised I canceled my DD with them as soon as i requested my mac code. Sure enough they tried to charge me the cancellation fee, but couldn't cos I canceled the DD. Pipex/Tiscali are a shambles, and I am glad to be rid

MrsTinks

I think you'll find that the "American" sounding staff were in the phillipines... Where American English is their second language and is "the" place to send call centres now...

master_blaster_3

pipex are trying to screw me for £116 and today have had another debt collecting agency letter telling me they will come around in 7 days if not paid.(they are based in glasgow-i live in berkshire) that will be a wasted 500 mile trip for them......ha ha

BexTech

kendalls_cave wrote: »

I left `pipex a couple of months ago, and was advised that they had a habit of doing what they did to you. So as advised I canceled my DD with them as soon as i requested my mac code. Sure enough they tried to charge me the cancellation fee, but couldn't cos I canceled the DD. Pipex/Tiscali are a shambles, and I am glad to be rid

The OP didn't use the safe DD but used a CCCA (CPA) a continuous credit card authority. Means there is no way of cancelling payments other than contacting the company taking payments and hoping they stop taking them. This is why you should NEVER have continous payments on a credit / debit card always use Direct Debits. With Direct Debit you can cancel them at the bank.

Payments on a Credit Card can still be taken and you still liable for them even when you no longer have the said credit card.

One thing that could be tried is contacting the credit card company and seeing if they will action a charge back. Though you may have to wait at least 6 months before they look into it - though that's only usually if the company keeps taking payments when asked not to.

Hungerdunger

master_blaster wrote: »

pipex are trying to screw me for £116 and today have had another debt collecting agency letter telling me they will come around in 7 days if not paid.(they are based in glasgow-i live in berkshire) that will be a wasted 500 mile trip for them......ha ha

I shouldn't be too blase about it. You should be trying to get it sorted out, or you may end up with a bad credit rating which could affect your ability to get a loan or credit card next time you want one.

An_author

Why Tiscali and Pipex are allowed to get away with it?

They are both owned by same group and run by a woman called Mary Turner. What a rubbish company.

PLEASE SEND E-MAIL TO THEIR SERVICE LINE AND CRASH THEIR SYSTEM.

TELL EVERYONE NOT TO GO TO TISCALI OR PIPEX. RUBBISH RUBBISH RUBBISH

ratsass

I asked Pipex for a MAC on Thursday. I was told when I requested it that I'd have to pay £58 to pay off the remainder of a 12 month contract that I was never told I was in.

Have emailed them to query this. Don't expect a reply as they never do. Still no sign of MAC. Is there a legal timescale in which they have to supply this?

Shame re Pipex. They used to be good before Tiscali got hold of them.

olathe

before_hollywood wrote: »

they sent me a stack of emails one after the other about a direct debit, were due to send me a mac key through the post, phoned after a week to see if i hadn't then gave it me over the phone cos i never recieved it, going o2 broadband and waiting for pipex to cut me off, i'm due to move sometime before the 3/6

On reading the comments regarding Pipex, it seems that other people like myself have/are experiencing problems.

My experience is this; On the 6th May 2008, I telephoned Pipex Customer Services to amend payment details. I made sure the new card details were activated, before ending the call.

A month later I received a letter from Pipex , stating that my account was a month overdue, and was given six days to rectify this. Four days later I received an email, this time giving ten days for me to make a payment, with threats of termination and cancellation fees, withholding my MAC code, and finally sharing this information with credit agencies, affecting my ability to gain credit in the future.

During this time I wrote two letters to Pipex, giving account of my phone call with date, time and length of call. Contacting them by phone resulted in lengthy waiting times at an 0871 call rate, and call centre staff based abroad, who quite frankly were difficult to understand.

I joined Pipex Broadband some years ago, in that time they have deteriorated from a first-class ISP, to a totally disorganized and inefficient organisation, who have total disregard for customers, even those of long standing.

I am moving shortly, so I will have great pleasure in terminating my service with them. I wont need a MAC code, so will be able to sever all connections with them.

Biveran

Well guys, I am still awaiting a refund. What really got me is that unlike Ratsass they didn't tell me that I would be charged for the remainder of my contract.

I look at my credit card entries every day and when the 'duration' of the MAC is up, I will be on the blower AGAIN demanding they refund. THEN I am going to switch the payment to the bank account and not credit card. Lesson learned.

The annoying thing is that I am going to have to pay this amount to my credit card company up front. That galls. I will NEVER, EVER recommend Pipex or Tiscali to anyone.