BT charges - got to be a joke?

vix2000

Today had a long conversation with a lady quite high up at bt regarding my bill. Due to bts incompetence I was refunded a wrongly charged bill as a goodwill gesture. This has left my account in credit be quite a large amount for the last few months. On checking my bill, which states "account in credit, no payment required" I have been charged £1.50. I asked her about this and she said it was because I had no direct debit set up. I replied that I don't have to pay anything so why would i need a direct debit, my account is paid up for the foreseeable future. It doesn't matter, the computer will charge you for not having a direct debit every month even if you don't owe us anything.

Now I know there are many BT supporters out there who advocate this charge as acceptable, fair and OK, so I ask them to post here to justify and explain why the above is OK, as to me it is ludicrous.

By the way, she also said that ofcom is looking into it. Maybe Martin could tell me if I can claim these charges back out of principle?

Heinz

Why not use BritBrat's system then - set up the DD but always pay* the bills well in advance by BACS - so no DD call is ever made.

Problem solved.

£1.50/month saved.

* Being in credit counts as 'paying in advance'.

Mark_In_Hampshire

Or, alternatively, dispute the charge on the basis it is called a "Payment Processing Charge" and is therefore either 1. Misdescribed or 2. Not applicable.

vix2000

Heinz - yes that is a solution and not too difficult to implement, but do people realistically think it is acceptable to have to go to these lengths, or is it just me thats totally unreasonable here?

vix2000

So I have to set a direct debit up to pay a company I don't owe anything to otherwise I have to pay them? Ok I must be unreasonable and crazy!!!

Heinz

vix2000 wrote: »

So I have to set a direct debit up to pay a company I don't owe anything to otherwise I have to pay them? Ok I must be unreasonable and crazy!!!

Perhaps, but it saves you £1.50 per month - so you're also a qualified money-saver too!

topherxp

The misunderstanding is that the processing fee is raised for payment of that bill.

Basically by not having a DD you will be charged a fee of £1.50 per month, which is what has been happening for years, going back to the discount off the rental for having DD.

wantmemoney

vix2000 wrote:

Today had a long conversation with a lady quite high up at bt regarding my bill. Due to bts incompetence I was refunded a wrongly charged bill as a goodwill gesture. This has left my account in credit be quite a large amount for the last few months. On checking my bill, which states "account in credit, no payment required" I have been charged £1.50. I asked her about this and she said it was because I had no direct debit set up. I replied that I don't have to pay anything so why would i need a direct debit, my account is paid up for the foreseeable future. It doesn't matter, the computer will charge you for not having a direct debit every month even if you don't owe us anything.

so it's a monthly penalty charge for not having a direct debit account with them.