NTL Weird billing

Solair

Just wondering if anyone else was billed for €2.01 by NTL ?
On my AIB online banking statement:

31-01-07 OP/ntl 2.01


Any idea why?

I tried to call them, but spent over 50 mins on hold. I do have a life to live other than being on hold to cable companies. They also don't seem to respond to emails.

Dodge

Isn't the new charge for not paying by direct debit €2?

Solair

I'll have to have words with them in the morning.

If it is the DD fee, it'd be a bit worried about their billing system!

Solair

I just rang NTL, and got through and spoke to possibly the rudest person I have ever spoken to in my life. (Following about 15 mins on hold.)

Strong Belfast accent (is that an over flow centre?)

Anyway, she explained "Sir, you haven't payed enough. Your bill was 62 something, only only paid 59 something. You *must* pay your bills in full"

I explained.. "I pay by DIRECT DEBIT, I don't actually have any control over how much I pay, you automatically take it from my bank account"

"Well then Sir, you mustn't have had enough money in your bank account to make a full payment!!"

I explained that that wasn't even possible, banks don't negociate direct debits. It's either paid as presented or rejected they don't go .. "eh well there's 49.99 here, will that do? And we'll get back to ya next month, like!"

(I confirmed this with AIB, it's either paid in full or not paid at all. It would be a gross violation of data protection to even suggest that the person had insufficient funds. They simply would send "Payment refused" with no explanation)

Apparently they've also applied a late fee to the account.

As far as I'm concerned, that's it. They can take their cable box and stuff it....

I will not be spoken to by any company who I am paying money to like that.

Moving over to Sky digital asap.

Mountjoy Mugger

Solair wrote:

I just rang NTL, and got through and spoke to possibly the rudest person I have ever spoken to in my life. (Following about 15 mins on hold.)

Strong Belfast accent (is that an over flow centre?)

I had a query yesterday (charged twice for Prem Plus in four months) and also got her....she told me the computer system was down and to call back.

I rang again just now, got her again, and was advised to call back as the computer system was down. I mentioned that it was down yesterday, got a "yep" and she hung up.

tabatha

well i was billed 28.50 first week in jan. paid this and the following week i get a bill saying im in credit to the tune of 79 euro. the following week they take 155 euro from my bank account (i have no dd set up with them?). called and todate, over 2 weeks later i am waiting for accounts to call me back.

Solair

If you have no DD setup, they've no right to take money from your account. It's a gross violation of the DD system's rules and the bank should be informed immediately.

I'd suggest you ring your bank branch directly and explain what's going on. I can assure you it'll be dealt with promptly.


How did they get your account details though?

JDxtra

NTL took €200 from a friends back account for no reason in January. They pay by DD (not annually) so it was a very weird thing for them to do.

Solair

Here's the DD guarantee (From IPSO, Irish Payment Services Organisation, who operate the DD scheme)

This guarentee provided by your own Bank as a member of the Direct Debit Scheme, in which banks and Originators of Direct Debits participate.

If you authorise payment by Direct Debit, then.

Your Direct Debit Originator will notify you in advance of the amounts to be debited to your account.
Your bank will accept and pay such debits, provided that your account has sufficient available funds.

If it established that an unauthorised Direct Debit was charged to your account, you are guarenteed a prompt refund by your Bank of the amount charged.
You can cancel the Direct Debit Instruction by writing in good time to your bank.