BTIreland 3MB broadband overcharging?

vector

I have BTIreland 3MB broadband only, I don't have any other dealings with BTIreland, no fancy linked talk packages, and never have.

So I am using "Broadband Only"

According to their website this
3MB costs EUR 40 per month (inc VAT)

So when they take the bimonthyl direct debit from my current account
I expect my bank statement to say
EUR -80

However it actually says
EUR -84.99

I've been busy and thought it was something to do with VAT, but in fact no I'm being overcharged 4.99 and in fact this is the fifth time its happened, thats 24.95 of an overcharge.

I've read the horror stories about contacting their billing dept and I really don't want to because its a good service and I don't want to upset the apple cart. Is anyone else seeing this on their direct debits?

kaizersoze

Your account may be set up for paper billing which costs €5 per bill (€2.50 p/m), eventhough you mightened be receiving one.
Log into your account on the BT website (register if you haven't already) and check. If you are setup for online billing then ring them, you are being overcharged.
Do you ever make a call on the landline?

vector

kaizersoze wrote:

Your account may be set up for paper billing which costs €5 per bill (€2.50 p/m), eventhough you mightened be receiving one.
Log into your account on the BT website (register if you haven't already) and check. If you are setup for online billing then ring them, you are being overcharged.
Do you ever make a call on the landline?

my line rental is with (and always has been with) eircom, and I rarely use it, (skype & mobile instead) I'd cancel the land line except I need it for ADSL!

BTIreland charge EUR 2.5 per paper bill
I've never received a paper bill from them (and yes they have my correct address as I can see from the control panel, so I can conclude they never sent one)

Even if they charged me for it that would only add EUR 2.5 to the bimonthly EUR 80 making EUR 82.5, as it is is a per paper bill charge not a per month charge, yet my figure is an meaningless EUR 84.99

I'll post a paper letter to their office on monday, telling them to refund me EUR 24.95, should I ask for interest to (do they when the situation is reversed?)

kaizersoze

vector wrote:

Even if they charged me for it that would only add EUR 2.5 to the bimonthly EUR 80 making EUR 82.5, as it is is a per paper bill charge not a per month charge, yet my figure is an meaningless EUR 84.99

I just read through the on-line billing thing again in my account and I think I see why you're paying an extra fiver.

From BT wrote:

All btireland.ie phone customers receive a €5 discount per bill for online billing.

Because your line rental and calls are still with Eircom you're not a BT phone customer, just a BB customer. Still worth getting onto them though.

dub45

vector wrote:

my line rental is with (and always has been with) eircom, and I rarely use it, (skype & mobile instead) I'd cancel the land line except I need it for ADSL!

.....................

I'll post a paper letter to their office on monday, telling them to refund me EUR 24.95, should I ask for interest to (do they when the situation is reversed?)

Now that definitely is a triumph of optimism over experience!!:) You should demand that they courier the cheque out to you or you will set debt collectors on them - give them a taste of their own medcine!

vector

even if they did agree to a refund I'd guess it would be made by discounting future bills rather then actually doing a cheque/credit transfer

sure I'll post the letter anyhow

Foxwood

kaizersoze wrote:

I just read through the on-line billing thing again in my account and I think I see why you're paying an extra fiver.

All btireland.ie phone customers receive a €5 discount per bill for online billing.

Because your line rental and calls are still with Eircom you're not a BT phone customer, just a BB customer. Still worth getting onto them though.

Actualy, he is a BT phone customer - the bill even has a psuedo phone number on it. The real trick is that your aren't set up for "online billing" unless you request it, so you don't automatically get the discount, even though they don't automatically send out a paper bill either.

As for getting the €25, you can probably whistle for it. I don't think they'll refund it retrospectively, as you didn't request online billing in your account setup.

(Morally speaking, BT should send out paper bills to anyone that they aren't giving a discount to. But from a technical and contractual point of view, they aren't doing anything wrong. It's a bit like Ryanair refusing to refund airport charges when you can't use your ticket, even though they haven't paid the airport charges).

skywalker

I had the same problem for several bills and rang them a few times about it. Ringing didnt seem to make any difference, they told me it would be sorted and I would get a credit on my next bill which never happened.

I emailed customer.care@btireland.ie and they replied saying same thing (wont happen again and you will get a credit on your next bill) But the email team followed through and sorted it. So Id imagine that is your best course of action.