18185.co.uk Beware problems?

davidbh · 7 September 2011 at 4:40PM

I registered with 18185 in 2009 and provided my bank details for billing. I've used their service little, and the small (accurate) bills I received left my account without problems.
They have recently billed me for another small (correct) amount and tell me by email that my bank is refusing to pay. My bank tells me that the Direct Debit may have lapsed after a year's non-use.

THE PROBLEM:: There is no way of communicating with this company at all to discuss - phone, email, post. One goes around in circles on their website and all Googling attempts to chase a way of contacting them come to naught. My local Trading Standards advised me to go to Ofcom. Ofcom were not in the least interested...totally unhelpful.

Anybody with similar experiences or advice?

Heinz · 7 September 2011 at 5:30PM

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.php?p=45419412&postcount=9

spenderdave · 7 September 2011 at 5:48PM

This is not really a 18185 problem. Many banks will cancel direct debits if they are inactive for more than a year (I think it is around 14 months). I had this happen to my PayPal account. I think you will need to arrange a new direct debit via 18185 - and make sure you make one call a year to keep it active..

System · 7 September 2011 at 7:16PM

davidbh wrote: »

They have recently billed me for another small (correct) amount and tell me by email that my bank is refusing to pay.

Doesn't the email ask you to pay some other way, such as by BACS Direct Credit or Faster Payment to a Connect Telecom UK bank account? If so, do this, and then log on to your 18185 account. Change your payment method (doesn't matter to what). Then log on again, and change it back to direct debit. In my experience, Finarea's totally automated systems will then re-start the direct debit.
Also in my experience, their system triggers an invoice when we owe £3 or so. Worth using them enough to run up such a sum at least every, say, 6 months.

Heinz · 7 September 2011 at 7:38PM

If the problem is an outsanding invoice which needs to be cleared before you can start using the account again, try THIS.

davidbh · 8 September 2011 at 10:23AM

Many thanks for taking the time to respond. but perhaps I didn't make my point clear:

I know that I can set up the DD again with 18185 or settle my bill by other methods. My point was that there is no way of communicating with this company if an issue arises over billing etc. I had already tried Heinz's suggestion via 18185's website, but unfortunately it does not work. My internet searches to trace a means of contact with 18185 (incl.WEBWHOIS, Companies House etc) have yielded nothing. I simply do not wish to reset my DD with them if that is the case (or indeed enter into any other payment transaction with them, in the event that any serious issues arise in the future.

So I was looking for similar experiences where someone may have made progress in contacting 18185, as well as maybe flagging a potential problem to other 18185 customers. [I understand from Trading Standards that they do have a legal obligation to display an address on their website by the way. Trading Standards were surprised by the Ofcom reaction.]

Heinz · 8 September 2011 at 10:58AM

davidbh wrote: »

My point was that there is no way of communicating with this company if an issue arises over billing etc. ]

Yes there is.

Please click on the link I gave in post #2.

I have used that method successfully 5 or 6 times over the years (using Internet Explorer).

davidbh · 8 September 2011 at 11:33AM

Certainly doesn't work for me...using the email procedure entitled CS Account Problem (I'm a new registrant so can't include links to illustrate). The Send button is simply dead (IE or Firefox). [The other email facility (CS Charge problem is call specific...requiring times/numbers etc of a particular call where there is a problem. Can't use this method obviously.]

System · 8 September 2011 at 12:57PM

The CS Account problem webpage currently works for me (using Google Chrome). Sent them a message 'Test, please ignore' and got a screen saying "Thank you for contacting Customer Services. We will endeavour to reply as soon as possible should a customised answer be necessary." Followed by an email (from "noreply") entitled "You have created a new helpdesk ticket" saying
"Dear customer,
We have received your report. Thank you for contacting Customer Services.
We will endeavour to reply as soon as possible should a customised answer be necessary.

Kind regards,
18185.co.uk"

A couple of weeks ago when I couldn't log in to view recent calls, I used this. Problem disappeared, and I got an email saying 'we've tested and it's OK now, sorry you were inconvenienced.'
I am inclined to forgive Finarea (18185 etc) a lot because they are so cheap. They can only do this by automating everything. My guess is that it's all run by one or two people. Provided you pay by direct debit, there is no risk, because you are entitled to an immediate refund, from your bank, of any DD amount you say was wrongly taken.
Their invoices do give their address: Finarea SA, Viale Carlo Cattaneo 1, 6900 Lugano, Switzerland. They are therefore regulated by ComCom:
http://www.comcom.admin.ch/index.html?lang=en
Details of their directors are here:
http://ti.powernet.ch/webservices/inet/HRG/HRG.asmx/getHRGHTML?chnr=CH-514.3.024.457-9&amt=501&toBeModified=0&validOnly=0&lang=2&sort=0

davidbh · 8 September 2011 at 2:58PM

Thanks for your helpful reply and I'll certainly try yet again. I was aware of their Swiss address but would see this as a last resort in a major dispute (vide infra). I agree 18185 is cheap, and other than my desire to have some communication with them I have no cause for complaint. However, if a major issue did arise Ofcom told me....
".....As they are charging you directly, as per Ofcom regulations, they should have in place a complaints process and belong to either Ombudsman Services: Communications or CISAS for the purpose of ADR. As it would appear 18185.co.uk is not following this I have highlighted it with the relevant person within Ofcom....."

So, time to draw this thread to a close I guess? Thanks for all the comments.

Heinz · 8 September 2011 at 3:36PM

I just hope you haven't drawn 18185's availability in the UK to a close too with your Ofcom contact.

18185.co.uk Beware problems?

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