UPC Contract issue

Dark_lord_ire

Just want to get some advice on a little problem with UPC signed up for broadband and phone with them a few months ago. set it up so it was direct debit. On account of this i dont alway read my bill for a couple of months as its always paid anyway

after two months i got a bill fairly high bill saying the first payment had failed and had carried over. I paid the first bill which was high due to the connetion charges and wanted to pay the second but was holding out to contact them and see why the dirct debit failed. Also there was a small fee for non direct debit payments. Small as it was did not want to have to pay this and wanted direct debit set up on my account. I had planned on within a week of contacting them after paying the irst but before that i was cut off. I contacted them then and asked why the first payment had failed and was old they went to debit my account and was refused. I was not overdrawn so could not figure it out. UPC could not give me the account details to see if there was a Mistake. If payment fails your accounts go off the system so they say.

I contacted my bank and no approach was made by them to take money. Now not that i have a problem paying, felt it was bad form if its a mistake on their side in taking down my account details incorrectly. I also feel it was very very bad form in cutting me off after the first was paid. Im not happy with their tone or service and would like to now what my rights are.
Ive now signed up for wimax which is doing what it says on the tin and happy with that. UPC want to charge me 100 extra for breach of contract but i feel it was they who are wrong.

My main problem was being cut off after paying the first and they could provide me no details at all. Again if i was wrong hands up ad would pay them

SueWho

Firstly you really should have noticed the first bill (first DD payment) never went through your account. I know you can also argue that they should also have noticed it too but you have to take some responsibility.

Then they sent you a bill stating that you must pay the first and second bill amounts together before X date but you only paid the first bill amount by that date. If everything had been set up as normal you'd have paid them the first and second bills by this date. So you did break the contract.

I'm not saying they didn't make a bit of a mess of setting up the DD but remember that DD is only a means of payment. It is your responsibility to make sure payment is made.

Setting up a direct debit is not an excuse not to read your bills from one end of the year to the other. Besides, I'd be checking the bills AND my bank account to make sure everything is in order: that the payments come out every two months and that the correct amount is paid.

The DD failure seems like a grey area from a legal point of view but I don't really think that just because they didn't set it up properly that you have the right to bail out of the contract.

I'd be interested to hear a few other people's opinions.

SueWho

Forgot to also say that cutting you off was indeed harsh and from a sort of goodwill/ good customer service point of view they should really have been more willing to accept their own bit of the blame.

dub45

Anyone with a direct debit should be checking their bills and bank accounts regularly. A direct debit is an open door to your bank account plain and simple.

You should set out your case to UPC in writing. Dont leave it hanging.

Dark_lord_ire

SueWho wrote: »

Firstly you really should have noticed the first bill (first DD payment) never went through your account. I know you can also argue that they should also have noticed it too but you have to take some responsibility.

Then they sent you a bill stating that you must pay the first and second bill amounts together before X date but you only paid the first bill amount by that date. If everything had been set up as normal you'd have paid them the first and second bills by this date. So you did break the contract.

I'm not saying they didn't make a bit of a mess of setting up the DD but remember that DD is only a means of payment. It is your responsibility to make sure payment is made.

Setting up a direct debit is not an excuse not to read your bills from one end of the year to the other. Besides, I'd be checking the bills AND my bank account to make sure everything is in order: that the payments come out every two months and that the correct amount is paid.

The DD failure seems like a grey area from a legal point of view but I don't really think that just because they didn't set it up properly that you have the right to bail out of the contract.

I'd be interested to hear a few other people's opinions.

Cheers for the imput lads.

I do check my bills to ensure everything is in order maybe not month to month i have a to do pile lol i do pay whats urgent and then on a lazy sunday i go through last couple of months D/D

Kinda mostly sore over the complete lack of trust. I had paid the first after all and was about to pay the second i just wanted everything right. Would not mind but once i got the second bill i paid the first within 2 or 3 days and maybe 5 days later got turned off. Any normal company be it say o2 the balance would again be carried over in circumstances like this and having dealth with o2 before they cant but help you over te phone. Very nice staff. However UPC were as rude. To be fair in that time i got texts paying payment was due this they kept telling me when i called.

Oh and the fact they said if payment fails on a DD account details are removed from sysem is bull. I have a friend on the inside lol who will check and let me know what details they had on me from day 1. Also today UPC contacted me asking for payment or would be sent to collection agency. Again i have no problem paying what i owe but wont be bullied. and after how bitter they are i dont want to give them my business. I will pay when things are right and then i dont want anything more to do with them.

Main question is if im uphappy with service as i am does that give me a way out of contract if correct bill is paid and i can prove they got the details wrong.

Corkman1970

had problems with UPC they took 5 payments after I properly closed my account and have left me waiting two months so far for a refund cheque promised three times now but never arrives