Does anyone else have problems with BT?

[FallenAngel6]

I'm getting pretty darned mad now.

 

Last week my bank shoed a bounced direct debit...BT had attempted to take the bill out, i hadnt recieved ANY bill at all but my bank had charged me £25 for the bounced charge so i rang my bank up.

 

They then went on to tell me i needed to speak to BT, spoke to them and they said i needed to speak to my bank, rang my bank up and told them id been told to speak to them, they said No its BT you deal with, by this time im getting fed up so i ring up BT and i ask to speak to their manager.

I have paid every bill on time when ive recieved the bill and in full and was fuming that because i hadnt recieved a bill from them i'd been charged. Anyway they said they'd knock £25 off my next bill and i was fine with that as long as it got sorted.

 

Anyway i paid the bill in full on the 18th or 19th to make sure that it was paid before the 20th which is when they said it needed to be paid by to ensure i didnt have a £10 charge put on it. Checked my bank yesterday and noticed i was £22 overdrawn...i thought at first my bank had charged me too early for the charge they had given me for the direct debit bouncing but after checking my bank i found BT had taken the bill TWICE...

 

I've just phone BT up and they said they would refund the money within five days BUT what the hell am i going to do if the bank charges me another £25 ... ???

 

Can anyone offer me advice, im so tempted to tell BT to bugger off but if im right arent BT customers hooked into a contract similar to other line rental services????

[Grandad.Malky]

Why haven't you got a small overdraft facility in place to cover such eventualities, my son as just had the same problem with O2, they told him his account would be credited but they sent a cheque instead which he paid in yesterday but will not clear until Thursday.

[FallenAngel6]

I was trying to avoid but i think im going to speak with my bank about having one in place even if its only a small overdraft (my bills never go over £50 ) its just so annoying surely they would have seen i'd made one of those instant phone line payments and stopped the direct debit coming out again!!!

And then the cheeky sod on the phone had the nerve to ask why i didnt have a direct debit set up to which i replied i did and i paid all the time until you lot didnt send me a bill sent me overdrawn and then took two lots of money even though i'd paid it in LIKE i was asked too...needless to say they apologised and did a bit of ass kissing after but they can kiss all they want im still mad lol.

[Grandad.Malky]

If you have an agreed overdraft it costs nothing if you don’t use it and next to nothing when you do, better than being stung with bank charges for returned cheques or declined DD’s

[satman2222]

So your bill got lost in the post? Why not sign up for online billing and get an email warning for each bill. Simples.

[FallenAngel6]

Satman i AM signed up for internet banking --- no email!

[missflirtuk]

If you are signed up you should get emails? Have you got more than one email address?

[FallenAngel6]

I have two email addresses i use my main one for bills and for me and then my seperate one that was for my bunny rehoming...i gave them my email address that i used...i even checked my really old email just in case...i received an email off BT when i first signed up to say your phone is now connected and thank you for joining BT but have recieved NOTHING since!!

[Cat86]

I work for BT..

They do try for the money twice. First time, then 7 days later.

 

Your bank actually should have refunded you the money on the first day. If you make an indemnity claim they have to. When you set up your direct debit, you would have received a confirmation letter with the direct debit guarantee, which states if an error is made in paying your direct debit, by BT or your bank, you are entitled to a full and immediate refund from your bank branch.

 

With not received the bill, you may be paperfree, in which case the bill would be online. That or its lost in the post.

If BT are at fault, re the 2nd attempt at your direct debit, you can forward a copy of your statement to BT, and they'll investigate a possible refund if they are found to be at fault..

[Greybeard]

Satman i AM signed up for internet banking --- no email!

 

But are you 'signed up' to receive an email notification of your bill from BT ?

 

I get an email that my bill can viewed on-line about ten days before BT actually action the direct debit. Plenty of notice to dispute the bill or make sure you have enough money in the bank to meet the direct debit.

 

My experience with BT is that everything runs smoothly until you talk to one of their 'customer advisers', then everything goes haywire