Paperless billing

Max Headroom

You try to do yer bit...:rolleyes:...Whats the point...applied on line a while back for paperless billing from Bord Gasp ...paper bill arrived.no problem ,just a glitch in the system maybe.....today ,two months later another post bill arrives....btw , never got any emails notifications of bills either...

Anyone else bother doing the paperless thingy...

penexpers

Yep I did and I haven't got a paper bill off them. Ring them.

monkeypants

Sure they weren't charging you for the paperless billing?

foggy_lad

i have the opposite issue with the ESB, i went the road of paperless billing but they have not sent me any email notifications and now wont put me back on the paper billing system!

stick with your paper bills and avoid the hassle!

ShatterProof

Signed up and didt recieved paper bill.

Also signed up with ESB & NTL. What do we do now when somebody asks for a utility bill as proof of address ?????

John Mason

NTL refuse to send us a bill or an email.

i am sure this is completely illegal but its like banging your head off a brick wall with them.

monkeypants

irishbird wrote: »

NTL refuse to send us a bill or an email.

i am sure this is completely illegal but its like banging your head off a brick wall with them.

You can try not giving them money for a bit?

foggy_lad

irishbird wrote: »

NTL refuse to send us a bill or an email.

i am sure this is completely illegal but its like banging your head off a brick wall with them.

if you pay by direct debit they MUST inform you at least 14 days prior to taking funds of the amount and also the date the fund will be taken

alwaysadub

ShatterProof wrote: »

Signed up and didt recieved paper bill.

Also signed up with ESB & NTL. What do we do now when somebody asks for a utility bill as proof of address ?????

I've been wondering that too. I went to set up a new credit union account last year and they can't accept a bill for a mobile phone as proof of address anymore. So im sticking with paper bills for the time being anyway!!

aidan_walsh

irishbird wrote: »

NTL refuse to send us a bill or an email.

i am sure this is completely illegal but its like banging your head off a brick wall with them.

I'm on UPC's paperless billing too. I get an SMS message when the bill is available to view online.

Would prefer an email with the full details myself.

John Mason

aidan_walsh wrote: »

I'm on UPC's paperless billing too. I get an SMS message when the bill is available to view online.

Would prefer an email with the full details myself.

we didnt sign up to paperless billing with them, they said because we pay by direct debit that we were not entitled to a bill. up until a year ago i was getting bills and then they just stopped in january last year

jor el

irishbird wrote: »

we didnt sign up to paperless billing with them, they said because we pay by direct debit that we were not entitled to a bill.

It's illegal for them not to give you 14 days notice on a direct debit amount.

They do put the bills in your online account though, you just need to sign up.

dudara

irishbird wrote: »

NTL refuse to send us a bill or an email.

i am sure this is completely illegal but its like banging your head off a brick wall with them.

An invoice is a legal document. You are legally entitled to one.

As for the poster with ESB, you can log onto your online account where you can see all the bills. They even offer you the facility to pay by laser there and then.

Guy:Incognito

alwaysadub wrote: »

I've been wondering that too. I went to set up a new credit union account last year and they can't accept a bill for a mobile phone as proof of address anymore. So im sticking with paper bills for the time being anyway!!

I've always just printed one out when needed. Both Vodafone and NTL (I'm sure everyoen else does too) show your bill online exactly as it would look if it arrived in the post.

cgarvey

foggy_lad wrote: »

if you pay by direct debit they MUST inform you at least 14 days prior to taking funds of the amount and also the date the fund will be taken

For fixed sums, the one notice will do. I.e. we'll be taking €30 on the 18th of every month is sufficient (under the DDS). If the amount varies, you are entitled to a new notice.

tommy21

I never bother with paperless billing. It proves a nightmare when you are signing up to various different things. For instance for a mobile phone contract to take one of many examples. They won't accept your printed out AIB E-statement. Its bad news for the environment but until other companies meet half-way, e-statements are doomed to failure. Doomed I tells ya.

Guy:Incognito

tommy21 wrote: »

. For instance for a mobile phone contract to take one of many examples. They won't accept your printed out AIB E-statement..

Thats because the whole idea of a bill for a contract is for proof of address, online bank statements dotn have. Most others online bills are exact replicas of your paper bill. Vodafoen stores will print out a bill to use for upgrades for example.

tommy21

Stekelly wrote: »

Thats because the whole idea of a bill for a contract is for proof of address, online bank statements dotn have. Most others online bills are exact replicas of your paper bill. Vodafoen stores will print out a bill to use for upgrades for example.

Well bank statements are just one option, in my experience the majority of businesses will not accept anything less than a posted out proof of address.

edit: by the way that is one impressive post count!

DundalkDuffman

I have steadfastly refused to move to paperless billing unless I get some sort of refund for their saving, postage, paper etc. The whole environmental thing I reckon is just a handy cover for increased savings for companies. I do my bit recycling and am conscious of environmental matters but haven't the trust for motives behind this paperless billing. Reading some of the above posters I am glad that I did.

Max Headroom

DundalkDuffman wrote: »

I have steadfastly refused to move to paperless billing unless I get some sort of refund for their saving, postage, paper etc. The whole environmental thing I reckon is just a handy cover for increased savings for companies. I do my bit recycling and am conscious of environmental matters but haven't the trust for motives behind this paperless billing. Reading some of the above posters I am glad that I did.

Agree with all of the above...reckon i'll just ignore it a just recycle the paper bills myself after all.....:rolleyes:

Fnergg

foggy_lad wrote: »

i have the opposite issue with the ESB, i went the road of paperless billing but they have not sent me any email notifications and now wont put me back on the paper billing system!

stick with your paper bills and avoid the hassle!

I am very reliably informed that anytime an electronic bill is issued by the ESB it automatically triggers an email notification to the customer. That functionality would be par for the course with any form of electronic billing and it is regularly checked by the ESB.

What can happen is the email finds its way into the customer's spam folder. Or, if you have a particularly busy inbox, it may have simply been overlooked and/or inadvertently deleted.

As an ESB electronic biller myself I find the service to be very useful. As soon as you join you have access to the past 2 years billing information and this is very handy in keeping track of your energy usage.

If I get an estimated bill I can amend it online by inputting my own meter reading. I can also pay the bill by the ESB's online Laser option (although I don't use it being a direct debit customer).

Every bill is presented in pdf format but if this is not acceptable for identification purposes the ESB tells me they will happily send out a once-off paper bill in individual cases. What they will not do - and this I think is what Foggy Lad was requesting - is send a paper bill together with the electronic bill every time. That makes sense. All businesses need to reduce costs in the interests of all customers and cutting down on paper and postage helps in that regard. It is also environmentally friendly.

The ESB tells me that an independent survey conducted on its behalf last November found that 97% of customers were very happy with the electronic billing system and 97% would recommend it to family and friends.

You can register here:

https://youraccountonline.esb.ie/ebilling/public/frameset_top_html.jsp

Regards,

Fnergg

foggy_lad

Fnergg wrote: »

I am very reliably informed that anytime an electronic bill is issued by the ESB it automatically triggers an email notification to the customer. That functionality would be par for the course with any form of electronic billing and it is regularly checked by the ESB.

What can happen is the email finds its way into the customer's spam folder. Or, if you have a particularly busy inbox, it may have simply been overlooked and/or inadvertently deleted.

Every bill is presented in pdf format but if this is not acceptable for identification purposes the ESB tells me they will happily send out a once-off paper bill in individual cases. What they will not do - and this I think is what Foggy Lad was requesting - is send a paper bill together with the electronic bill every time. That makes sense. All businesses need to reduce costs in the interests of all customers and cutting down on paper and postage helps in that regard. It is also environmentally friendly.

You can register here:

https://youraccountonline.esb.ie/ebilling/public/frameset_top_html.jsp

Regards,

Fnergg

i have never recieved an electronic bill since signing up for paperless billing with the ESB despite having daily checked spam/junk folders and they have told me twice they were going to put me back on the paper billing but this seems to be beyond their capabilities?

and i am NOT looking for both paper and electronic bills i simply wish to revert to paper billing as the esb have failed to provide electronic bills despite two complaints regarding same.

i have cut out certain parts of your original post which seemed to offer nothing to the issue

Fnergg

foggy_lad wrote: »

i have never recieved an electronic bill since signing up for paperless billing with the ESB despite having daily checked spam/junk folders and they have told me twice they were going to put me back on the paper billing but this seems to be beyond their capabilities?

and i am NOT looking for both paper and electronic bills i simply wish to revert to paper billing as the esb have failed to provide electronic bills despite two complaints regarding same.

This seems very odd - I am told by my ESB contacts that requests for de-registration are handled immediately. I'd suggest you send an email to eservice@esb.ie quoting your account number and maybe a link to this thread as well. That should sort out the problem.

Regards,

Fnergg

foggy_lad

Fnergg wrote: »

This seems very odd - I am told by my ESB contacts that requests for de-registration are handled immediately. I'd suggest you send an email to eservice@esb.ie quoting your account number and maybe a link to this thread as well. That should sort out the problem.

Regards,

Fnergg

obviously not when i can make two requests over the phone that were ignored and a further email request that was also ignored!

Fnergg

foggy_lad wrote: »

obviously not when i can make two requests over the phone that were ignored and a further email request that was also ignored!

ESB evidently screwed up in this instance but why just sit there and seethe? As a customer you obviously have a right to have your request put into effect. I suggested a solution. It's up to you whether to continue cursing the darkness or do something about it.

Regards,

Fnergg

foggy_lad

Fnergg wrote: »

ESB evidently screwed up in this instance but why just sit there and seethe? As a customer you obviously have a right to have your request put into effect. I suggested a solution. It's up to you whether to continue cursing the darkness or do something about it.

Regards,

Fnergg

the issue has been resolved now as i was not just going to give up on getting my bills back, but i thought it only right to balance your support of the ESB who do a great job of keeping the country powered with letting people know that things do not always work well when dealing with customer service/care end of the business and also the meter reading is another sore point but maybe they are improving?

Fnergg

foggy_lad wrote: »

the issue has been resolved now as i was not just going to give up on getting my bills back, but i thought it only right to balance your support of the ESB who do a great job of keeping the country powered with letting people know that things do not always work well when dealing with customer service/care end of the business and also the meter reading is another sore point but maybe they are improving?

Good to see the situation has been resolved.

There isn't a company/organisation anywhere that doesn't get it wrong from time to time.

Regards,

Fnergg

Slice

I'm not really happy to sign up to paperless billing either unless the cost saving is passed on to me. That said, have any of the posters considered the possibility that they're not receiving email notifications of bills because of the security settings on their email server?

Fnergg

Slice wrote: »

I'm not really happy to sign up to paperless billing either unless the cost saving is passed on to me. That said, have any of the posters considered the possibility that they're not receiving email notifications of bills because of the security settings on their email server?

I do all my banking online and I like it for the convenience and easy access to my financial records. I don't want nor do I expect a discount - the payback for me is the savings in my time and ease of transacting business. Likewise with paperless billing from utilities.

Regards,

Fnergg

dudara

You don't have to wait for ESB to send you a bill. You can log on to your account and view all bills there.

foggy_lad

dudara wrote: »

You don't have to wait for ESB to send you a bill. You can log on to your account and view all bills there.

trouble is if you forget your password it asks for your account number which is on your bill which you do not have:)

Davy

foggy_lad wrote: »

trouble is if you forget your password it asks for your account number which is on your bill which you do not have:)

You can save the pdf bills on your hard drive so you will always have your account number handy if you do happen to forget your password

Jesus Wept

foggy_lad wrote: »

i have the opposite issue with the ESB, i went the road of paperless billing but they have not sent me any email notifications and now wont put me back on the paper billing system!

stick with your paper bills and avoid the hassle!

irishbird wrote: »

we didnt sign up to paperless billing with them, they said because we pay by direct debit that we were not entitled to a bill. up until a year ago i was getting bills and then they just stopped in january last year

irishbird wrote: »

NTL refuse to send us a bill or an email.

i am sure this is completely illegal but its like banging your head off a brick wall with them.

Clicked into the thread to say the same.

I am signed up to ntl's website but I still don't get any notification.

They are some ignorant shower of *****.

Fnergg

foggy_lad wrote: »

trouble is if you forget your password it asks for your account number which is on your bill which you do not have:)

Yeah, I was stumped by that too and I had to phone them to get the account number. The ESB tell me they are in the process of changing the system so that it will ask for your telephone number instead of your account number when you forget the password.

Regards,

Fnergg

Cabaal

Used to use ESB online billing before switching to Bord Gais, very straight forward stuff with the ESB and the ability to download the bills in pdf was extremely handy.