upc 2.99 direct debit charge

skyguy19 · 23-12-2011 04:06PM #1

Im in credit with my bill with upc as i pay by the year upfront, but Im been charged €2.99 per month for not having a direct debit set up even though upc have never sent me a bill or are not supplying a service for the €2.99, is this legal and who can i report this too, would it be comreg,

and before someone says just set up a direct debit, i dont want to and shouldnt need to as I pay upfront.

Slozer · 23-12-2011 04:10PM

Where does this charge appear? I don't have a direct debit set up but I've never seen this charge.

Kess73 · 23-12-2011 04:46PM

So over 12 months they are charging you an extra €35.88 just because you don't use direct debit to pay them? Might seem an obvious question from me, but have you conatcted them and been told that reason?

What is the €2.99 per month charge called on your statement?

skyguy19 · 23-12-2011 04:58PM

Ive just spent the last hour on the phone to them, they wouldnt give a credit for the charge of 2.99 per month for the last 3 months and said to stop the 2.99 charge I would have to sign up for direct debit, even though they dont have to do anything for it, Ive just written away to the consumer assoc of Ireland to see what they say about it. all I have with them is the broadband and to make it worse again Im been charged 7.74 for a standalone charge for this as well. I knew about the 7.74 and accepted it because the upc bb service is great, but this 2.99 charge is really pissing me off, I told them its customers like me you want who pay 6 months in advance at a time, they said there is nothing they can do, either go dd or accept the 2.99 charge

here is what its says on my bill

Non Direct−Debit Charge 1 27/11/11 2.47 21.0% 2.99

LB6 · 23-12-2011 05:59PM

my mother was on to them too about that in the last 2 weeks. She pays upfront and gets that 2.99 charge monthly also. They won't refund it. She doesn't want want to pay DD and is seriously just going with SKY. Looking forward to hearing how you get on with CA

skyguy19 · 23-12-2011 06:01PM

Im leaving when my contract is up in Feb, i wanted to leave now but they said I was stuck in a contract till Feb, so Ill go to another provider then.

Clareman · 23-12-2011 06:10PM

Moving this to the Cable forum where I think it'll be a better fit.

MarkR · 23-12-2011 06:15PM

Is it a charge, or do you just not get a 2.99 discount that direct debit users get?

skyguy19 · 23-12-2011 06:29PM

I paid 6 months in advanced and changed banks and dont want a dd for anything in the new bank account, my whole argument is why am i been charged for not having a dd when my account is in credit, they are getting 2.99 for nothing, if I was not in credit with them all the time i would understand that there was a cost to them but theres not any cost to them.

deanh · 23-12-2011 06:35PM

skyguy19 wrote: »

I paid 6 months in advanced and changed banks and dont want a dd for anything in the new bank account, my whole argument is why am i been charged for not having a dd when my account is in credit, they are getting 2.99 for nothing, if I was not in credit with them all the time i would understand that there was a cost to them but theres not any cost to them.

Can you sign up to sky without direct debit payments?

skyguy19 · 23-12-2011 06:39PM

deanh wrote: »

Can you sign up to sky without direct debit payments?

do sky do broadband, just checked online they dont, anyone suggest a good broadband supplier,

F1ngers · 23-12-2011 06:40PM

skyguy19 wrote: »

do sky do broadband,

No.

brick tamland · 23-12-2011 06:47PM

skyguy19 wrote: »

do sky do broadband, just checked online they dont, anyone suggest a good broadband supplier,

Without being smart UPC have the best broadband package. Dont thnik you'll do better. Unless you already have an eircom land line already you may be able to bundle it but I'd still rather UPC tbh

skyguy19 · 23-12-2011 06:53PM

brick tamland wrote: »

Without being smart UPC have the best broadband package. Dont thnik you'll do better. Unless you already have an eircom land line already you may be able to bundle it but I'd still rather UPC tbh

I agree with you their broadband is excellent, but i feel im been mugged with this 2.99 charge, i know its not much but it sure is pissing me off enought to change providers, I was wilth digiweb before I was with upc, think Ill give them a buzz, their broadband was not bad not as good as upc but I dont download anything so they will do me.

F1ngers · 23-12-2011 07:07PM

Have a read of your contract, I believe they inform you of the €2.99 charge if you do not use DD.
Why is it an issue now?
You agreed to it when you signed up for their service.

swampy353 · 23-12-2011 07:17PM

They charge a fee for non dd user cause there are larger charges attached to the other methods of payments. E.g. Credit cards attract a 2% charge. AFAIK you can setup the dd and if your account is in credit it won't have any effect apart getting rid I of the charge

skyguy19 · 23-12-2011 07:23PM

F1ngers wrote: »

Have a read of your contract, I believe they inform you of the €2.99 charge if you do not use DD.
Why is it an issue now?
You agreed to it when you signed up for their service.

your correct it was in the contract, my issue is why if you are in credit ALL THE TIME, should you be charged 2.99 for dd when they dont have to do anything for it, if they supplied a service for it id have no problem, I paid in advance so that I didnt have to go DD, they are still getting their money IN ADVANCE, so why charge someone a non dd fee , when they have the money already. even if they had to send me a bill in the post I would understand the payment but I even get the bill by ebill online

does this not seem unfair to you.

skyguy19 · 23-12-2011 07:26PM

swampy353 wrote: »

They charge a fee for non dd user cause there are larger charges attached to the other methods of payments. E.g. Credit cards attract a 2% charge. AFAIK you can setup the dd and if your account is in credit it won't have any effect apart getting rid I of the charge

you are correct there but I dont want to set up a dd with any company, its too easy for them to take money even when they are not entitled to it. I got stung once (not by upc) with a dd and its not going to happen to me again.

snappieT · 24-12-2011 04:37AM

skyguy19 wrote: »

you are correct there but I dont want to set up a dd with any company, its too easy for them to take money even when they are not entitled to it. I got stung once (not by upc) with a dd and its not going to happen to me again.

So go setup a shell bank account that'll always be empty, and give them those details

Topcat31285 · 24-12-2011 04:44AM

Yes it's one of UPCs rip-offs like charging 7 euro if your tv not same name as broadband and if you lower your speed they charge you 10 euros for customer service to tap a few keys on keyboard.

MOD EDIT: Can we keep it civil please.

r0qi4162fux9kg · 25-12-2011 11:55PM

Just sign up for a direct debit - if your account is in credit they won't charge you anything but will waive the 2.99 fee. Then cancel the DD with your bank.

Topcat31285 · 26-12-2011 05:04AM

Nevaeh Strong Jar wrote: »

Just sign up for a direct debit - if your account is in credit they won't charge you anything but will waive the 2.99 fee. Then cancel the DD with your bank.

If you sign up for Direct Debit you will not charged but if you cancel you will be charged and if they go to get money out of account and no money the bank will charge you 12.99 euro . Keep away from direct debit it's a rip-off just like UPC

hightower1 · 26-12-2011 05:01PM

Its an industry thing, you cant set up sky without DD, ESB charge you 300eur up front if your setting up non dd. There is EU legislation in the works aimed for 2014 as the providers costs dont seem to fall in line with the charges set by nearly every service provider so in short its not a UPC specific charge but industry wide, it is legal.

From askaboutmoney:

Section 48 of the Consumer Protection Act 2007 would have prohibited these types of sucharges, except that Section 48 was exempted in the Act's Commencement Order. According to a statement in the Dáil by Micheál Martin (the relevant Minister at the time), this section and one other would have been contrary to EU law so they weren't brought in force.

Elbows22 · 27-12-2011 06:58PM

Think of all household services around:
UPC - non direct debit - €2.99per month (€35.88 per year)
Sky - Do NOT give the option of paying in the post office or non direct debit
Airtricity/ESB - €300 non direct debit charge per year per account
Bord Gais - €200 non direct debit charge for gas per year and €200 for electricity

Simple maths shows you that you get away easy with it........

skyguy19 · 27-12-2011 08:45PM

Elbows22 wrote: »

Think of all household services around:
UPC - non direct debit - €2.99per month (€35.88 per year)
Sky - Do NOT give the option of paying in the post office or non direct debit
Airtricity/ESB - €300 non direct debit charge per year per account
Bord Gais - €200 non direct debit charge for gas per year and €200 for electricity

Simple maths shows you that you get away easy with it........

simple maths says they are all ripping us off, a charge for no service, still doesnt make it right, I think the sooner sky come in with a decent broadband the sooner it will make upc out apprecite their customers,

anyway going back to digiweb after Feb, its the same price and no non dd charge.

http://www.digiweb.ie/home/broadband/metro/index.html

djimi · 27-12-2011 09:12PM

The ESB charge is a deposit rather than a charge is it not? As in you get it back at some stage?

Davy · 27-12-2011 09:15PM

djimi wrote: »

The ESB charge is a deposit rather than a charge is it not? As in you get it back at some stage?

Yes, all the utilities the same. It's a once off, not €300 a year ad above

djimi · 27-12-2011 09:22PM

I thought that alright.

Also, I was always under the impression that the 2.99 was a kind of bonus saving for using DD, rather than a charge for not using it? As in, your bill is the amount you would pay if you dont use DD, and paying by DD knocks 2.99 off that amount? Amounts to the same thing I suppose, but I guess thats how they get away with it.

ted1 · 28-12-2011 10:06AM

Topcat31285 wrote: »

Yes it's one of UPCs rip-offs like charging 7 euro if your tv not same name as broadband and if you lower your speed they charge you 10 euros for customer service to tap a few keys on keyboard.

MOD EDIT: Can we keep it civil please.

Bit of a chip on the shoulder.The seven euro is for having one service and covers the cost of providing the service with multiple services this is recouped. Different names are different accounts. As regards being charged for not having funds available ,that makes sense your bank will also charge you for this.
Finally, although the op has credit on his account he could rack up extra charges by going over his limit. Upc need to be confident they can get this money so ask for a dd. This shows a lack of trust, however the op is shown them a lack of trust and is paying for this.

skyguy19 · 28-12-2011 12:18PM

ted1 wrote: »

Bit of a chip on the shoulder.The seven euro is for having one service and covers the cost of providing the service with multiple services this is recouped. Different names are different accounts. As regards being charged for not having funds available ,that makes sense your bank will also charge you for this.
Finally, although the op has credit on his account he could rack up extra charges by going over his limit. Upc need to be confident they can get this money so ask for a dd. This shows a lack of trust, however the op is shown them a lack of trust and is paying for this.

how am I showing them a lack of trust and how can I rack up extra charges by going over my limit when I dont download anything, also lets say i do go over the limit, my account is in credit ALL THE TIME so the money is there to take.

anyway its going to be sorted in Feb so no need to worry about it, as I said the sooner sky do broadband the sooner it put manners on upc.

ted1 · 28-12-2011 12:21PM

skyguy19 wrote: »

ted1 wrote: »

Bit of a chip on the shoulder.The seven euro is for having one service and covers the cost of providing the service with multiple services this is recouped. Different names are different accounts. As regards being charged for not having funds available ,that makes sense your bank will also charge you for this.
Finally, although the op has credit on his account he could rack up extra charges by going over his limit. Upc need to be confident they can get this money so ask for a dd. This shows a lack of trust, however the op is shown them a lack of trust and is paying for this.

how am I showing them a lack of trust and how can I rack up extra charges by going over my limit when I dont download anything, also lets say i do go over the limit, my account is in credit ALL THE TIME so the money is there to take.

anyway its going to be sorted in Feb so no need to worry about it, as I said the sooner sky do broadband the sooner it put manners on upc.

By not signing up to a dd. You lodged exactly the right amount, by going over your limit you will not have sufficient funds.

upc 2.99 direct debit charge

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