[bona-v]

Hiya all,

Been a while since I posted in the BT Vision forums. In fact, almost as long a BT have not billed me.

Discovered last month that something was wrong with my billing (I set up online billing and monthly DD for full bills for Phone, BB and Vision 3 different accounts too). I never check my bills and assume all is well if I don't hear from them.
However, I was looking online at the bills last month, checked through my statements and notified BT that they don't seem to have been billing or charging me for Vision service. They also hadn't requested my phone direct debit for 2 months (which is why I was looking at my online account). Anyway, the phone was sorted within a week, but just got notification that the Vision bill is £233. Not by phone call, but an email to tell my my payment is due.

I rang to offer to pay £20 a month to repay the balance. After being cut off on my first call, I awaited them ringing me back, which they did, with 4 silent calls. I rang tonight and they say I have to pay the full balance by October. I advised I am not paying by then. Firstly, I cannot afford it and secondly, it was a fault of their billing system and I pointed out the error. The advisor told me loads of people have had this problem and they all have 2 months to pay up. I told the advisor that I moved my phone service to Sky this month because of BT not billing my phone and when my BB is out of contract, I am moving to Sky for that too. As for the Vision defecit, I will not moan at her, I will contact the BT Chairmans office.

I will mail tomorrow now, but, has anyone here had a similar problem?

Any advice on where I stand with regards to this?

Sorry if this seems long winded.

[Matterhorn]

Check ya PM's

anyway, legally and technically the full balance is still owed. You've had the service but not paid for it. BT's only fault is dreadful customer service....but thats just par for the course with them.

I'm sure a solution can be arrived at though, don't back down.

I had similar problems with so called over use on my broadband. So far they have waived all the charges but there are other issues which mean the overall problem isn't sorted.

like I say check ya PM's the Chairmans Office are like a different company.

[bona-v]

Cheers Matterhorn.

Thanks for the PM. I have a contact from the Chairmans office from the problems I had when I returned to BT from TalkTalk and she too was helpful.

I am not after something for nothing, and will pay what is owed, but not on the terms suggested by customer service. After a couple of years back with them, they are losing me as a customer, bit by bit as my contracts come to an end.

It's a shame as I used to trust BT. I'm even an ex BT employee. Because of that I am always polite to any advisor I speak with.

All my services will be going to Sky. Yes, I've had a couple of problems with Sky (been with them since 1999) but find that Sky have been just about perfect, and I have not had a problem with billing or lack of service. BT seem to be lacking in a lot of areas at the moment.

[Matterhorn]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bona-v

Cheers Matterhorn.

Thanks for the PM. I have a contact from the Chairmans office from the problems I had when I returned to BT from TalkTalk and she too was helpful.

I am not after something for nothing, and will pay what is owed, but not on the terms suggested by customer service. After a couple of years back with them, they are losing me as a customer, bit by bit as my contracts come to an end.

It's a shame as I used to trust BT. I'm even an ex BT employee. Because of that I am always polite to any advisor I speak with.

All my services will be going to Sky. Yes, I've had a couple of problems with Sky (been with them since 1999) but find that Sky have been just about perfect, and I have not had a problem with billing or lack of service. BT seem to be lacking in a lot of areas at the moment.

I could not agree more...

[spaceman05]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matterhorn

I could not agree more...

No surprise there then

[Matterhorn]

Quote:

Originally Posted by spaceman05

No surprise there then

..or in your fatuous reply.

[nemulate]

Boring, mods please delete this rubbish!!!

[clpxm39]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nemulate

Boring, mods please delete this rubbish!!!

or alternatively, keep the rubbish and delete the users

[BT Support]

Hi bona-v

Sorry it’s taken so long to find this post and the billing problems you’ve had.

I notice you said you had a contact within BT, I hope they have managed to sort this all for you.

If there’s anything I can do to help fix this, please send me a PM and I look into this for you.

Thanks

Patrick

[haritorihanzo]

Its always worth checking your bills each month to see they are correct, did you not think to advise BT of these billing issues while they were happening?

at least that way you could of had some come back later on, i used to work for Virgin Media and i saw these problems alot billing systems not billing correctly, and while i agree a repayment arrangement should be made, i find it funny how a customer is willing to let months and even years slip by with no payment but get upset later on when the due amount shows up.

i have empathy but no sympathy.

[bona-v]

Quote:

Originally Posted by haritorihanzo

Its always worth checking your bills each month to see they are correct, did you not think to advise BT of these billing issues while they were happening?

at least that way you could of had some come back later on, i used to work for Virgin Media and i saw these problems alot billing systems not billing correctly, and while i agree a repayment arrangement should be made, i find it funny how a customer is willing to let months and even years slip by with no payment but get upset later on when the due amount shows up.

i have empathy but no sympathy.

I can see where you're coming from. But, as recommended by bt, I set up online billing, direct debit and just left things to themselves.
I do not check the bills online regularly. I do not keep and eye on my direct debit payments regularly. I assume the company I have set these up with have a system which works. I assume if there's a problem, they will contact me.
However, I noticed the problem and reported it.
I do not want to wriggle out of paying.
But no company can expect me to pay all at once for their mistake.
As it happens, it is now sorted and I agreed a payment plan.

My contract with BT Vision is up for cancellation from 27th September, which is when I ring them to cancel my subscription. My BT Broadband is out of contract 24th January next year, I'll be ringing them on 24th December with my notice. My telephone is already moved to Sky.

Any company who deals with a customers payments should take more care on how their systems work.

[Matterhorn]

Well done Bona. Good post, well articulated.

[spaceman05]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matterhorn

Well done Bona. Good post, well articulated.

which bit, dont tell me the bit about jumping ship from bt to sky, i wonder u must have shares in them or something

[noise747]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bona-v

I can see where you're coming from. But, as recommended by bt, I set up online billing, direct debit and just left things to themselves.
I do not check the bills online regularly. I do not keep and eye on my direct debit payments regularly. I assume the company I have set these up with have a system which works. I assume if there's a problem, they will contact me.

How difficult is it to check up on bills these days? since you have a computer, the internet, i presume you got online bank account access, even if you have not then you can get a mini statement from a cash machine.

I check my bank account almost everyday, after having nearly £200 taken out I check to try and stop it happening again.

Direct debits and not as fantastic as people think they are and they do go wrong or companies take more or don't take any money out at all.

You assume a lot.

Quote:

However, I noticed the problem and reported it.
I do not want to wriggle out of paying.
But no company can expect me to pay all at once for their mistake.

There mistake maybe, but you did not help, but you are right they do have to give you time to pay it.

Quote:

As it happens, it is now sorted and I agreed a payment plan.

I am glad it is sorted.

Quote:

My contract with BT Vision is up for cancellation from 27th September, which is when I ring them to cancel my subscription. My BT Broadband is out of contract 24th January next year, I'll be ringing them on 24th December with my notice. My telephone is already moved to Sky.

Any company who deals with a customers payments should take more care on how their systems work.

So you don't think it have ever happened to any sky customers? Wrong it have, in fact I know that a friend of a friend was having problems with Sky taking out money for a full package when in fact they only had a couple of mixes, took 3 months before Sky sorted. then Sky wanted to keep the money and said they would stop charging for the package until the money is used up, but the person wanted the money back. Again it took ages for it to be sorted.

British Gas took money out of my account 12 months after I left them. On digital failed to take money from my parents account and then told my mum the reason was because there was no money in the account, If my mum was a bit frail and had problems it would have worried her like hell as there was money in the account, it was just On digital was taking not taking it. They had no right to tell my mum there was no money in the account as Ondigital would not know that. There was money in the account, more than enough.


So BT is not the only one to cock up, since I been back with BT their billing have been fine, about the only thing that have been mind you, they mucked it up when I was with them a few years back, putting clls on my phone bil that I never called, which is one of the 3 reason I left BT at the time.

Anyway, to sum up, it is up to y0ou to check, simple as that.

[noise747]

Quote:

Originally Posted by spaceman05

which bit, dont tell me the bit about jumping ship from bt to sky, i wonder u must have shares in them or something

Give it a REST

[bona-v]

Quote:

Originally Posted by noise747

How difficult is it to check up on bills these days?

I check my bank account almost everyday, after having nearly £200 taken out I check to try and stop it happening again.

You assume a lot.





There mistake maybe, but you did not help, but you are right they do have to give you time to pay it.



I am glad it is sorted.


So you don't think it have ever happened to any sky customers?

So BT is not the only one to cock up, since I been back with BT their billing have been fine, about the only thing that have been mind you, they mucked it up when I was with them a few years back, putting clls on my phone bil that I never called, which is one of the 3 reason I left BT at the time.

Anyway, to sum up, it is up to y0ou to check, simple as that.

I'm pleased that you feel the need to check your bank all the time. But we are not all the same.
I only noticed my direct debit problem with BT when I was setting up a direct debit with another company. I do not check my payments because that's how I am.

It was not merely a direct debit problem. BT was not even billing. They had been , then it appears it just stopped. They also, stopped billing my telephone for 3 months after everything being fine for nearly 2 years. The telephone, Vision and broadband have 3 different account numbers. So, really, they have not been responsible on keeping my data protected. That's not satifactory. So, yes they lose my custom.

As for Sky. I have been with Sky since 2000. I am aware that there will be people who have had problems. I have had 2 problems with Sky in the last 9 years, both sorted with a couple of phone calls, and a bit of help here on the DS forums.

As an individual, yes I must pay for the services. But as a company, any service provider has a responsibility to protect your account and information.

[spaceman05]

Quote:

Originally Posted by noise747

How difficult is it to check up on bills these days? since you have a computer, the internet, i presume you got online bank account access, even if you have not then you can get a mini statement from a cash machine.

For once i agree with every word in this statement, i certainly would know straight away if a payment had not gone out of my bank account, as every penny i have gets used up every month, so need to know what money i have each month to know i have enough, would be nice to have enough money to have to not worry about what was in my account