Bills ?

ZENER

What are a consumers rights when it comes to receiving a bill or invoice for a service ? Should I have to pay a charge or give up some resource in order to get a bill be it printed or electronic ?

A link to any legislation connected to this would be much appreciated.

Ken

mrsbyrne

A bit vague...
Are you asking if you are only legally obliged to pay for goods or services once youve been presented with a bill/invoice?

ZENER

No. I'm asking if I am entitled to see a bill or invoice for services I have agreed to receive. If I sign up for a service am I entitled to receive a bill or invoice for that service. If so am I obliged to jump through hoops for that bill or invoice ?

Ken

dudara

Yes - you should receive an invoice/bill.

I'm not sure on the formatting though, i.e. If you have to accept electronic or be charged for paper

Plates

If you've used the service and you agree with the amount being charged then you should just pay it. Are you looking for some kind of loophole to avoid or delay paying?

ZENER

I received an email from UPC informing me that my bill is available online. I pay by DD.

They recently increased their charges and informed me that unless I sign up to MyUPC I would be charged an extra 3 euro per month. I do not use UPC Internet services, just a basic TV package. The 'extras' the MyUPC service offers have no interest to me and I further do not wish to divulge any further information or provide them with a method to send me 'offers'.

I still wish to receive a bill though, can they blackmail me in this way ? Am I not entitled to receive a bill/invoice without having to jump through hoops?

Ken

Cabaal

My understand by looking at their website is MyUPC is their online account service,
You clearly have internet access to access this service and you can very opt out of marketing e-mails if you sign up to it, so I hardly see that as jumping throw hoops...unless I'm missing something here

My UPC - It's all about you!

My UPC has transformed and we’ve packed it with loads of handy features to help you take control of your UPC life – it’s all about you! Sign in today and see the benefits for yourself. You can update your personal details, view recent bills, make payments and so much more – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week!
Get the most out of your UPC services
Take control of your account details with My UPC


My UPC is packed with features and is available any time, day or night.

Update your phone number, email address and tell us how you prefer to hear of our latest customer exclusive offerings.
Have we spelled your name wrong? Now’s your chance to fix it. You can even add a second name to the account; friend, family member or housemate, who will you choose?
Use My UPC to let us know if you’re moving home and we’ll make the move as simple as possible.
Have you forgotten your My UPC log in details or want to update them? Now you can do all that online in just a few simple steps.

You could very easily setup a gmail or hotmail account if you didn't want to give them your normal e-mail address,

To be honest I don't see UPC here as being difficult, online billing is the future for all companys and service providers including banks. Thats why many banks now charge for statements but you can access them online for free. At the end of the day it costs money to print bills and post them to customers,

ZENER

Cabaal wrote: »

At the end of the day it costs money to print bills and post them to customers,

They are charging me an extra 3 euro more every month now and I can no longer view my bill. So your point here is mute.

ESB provide me with an online bill and a method to pay what I owe online at my convenience, I don't pay a premium for this service.

With UPC I pay by DD, this makes things easier for them but they still insist I must sign up for a service I don't want in order to view my bill or else I must pay a premium which now means I can no longer view my bill !

Can anyone provide a link to any legislation with regard to this ?

Ken

ThisRegard

Why not just view your bill online ?

Bepolite

No legislation on the subject as far as I know. You might find something on formalities in some very old legislation, I doubt you'd have anything stateable.

I assume you're either serious about this; in which case see a solicitor, or you just want to have a rant at some call centre worker. It would seem more productive to move provider if you don't agree with their billing practices.

Cabaal

OP, in fairness it looks like you are being awkward for the sake of being awkward.

If you don't like how UPC operates their billing system then I'd suggest you perhaps move to sky or eircom for tv services,

Outside of that, you've already given UPC your name, address, e-mail to get tv services from them so I honestly don't see how you can claim it costs you in personal information to register for the MyUPC service.

UPC are making a reasonable request for confirmation of details in order for you to register for this Online account service and then you can use this online account to modify account details with them without even having to call them as well as view your bills.

If you are really truly this paranoid about giving UPC details you've already given then I'd suggest you stop watching their tv service as well,

emeldc

My mother got a letter about this. My understanding of the letter was that UPC were increasing their charges by €3 per month but that if she registered online the €3 would automatically be refunded, meaning no increase.
Which reminds me ................ must get her registered :rolleyes:

ZENER

Look at it another way, is it right that UPC hold my bill to ransom in order to get me to sign up to a service I don't require ? If they were to say they won't give me Sky 1 unless I sign up then fair enough, I have a choice - if I want Sky 1 then I'll have to sign up !

But receiving a bill is surely a basic right if you pay for a service ? If ESB refused to send you a bill but still demanded access to your bank account how would you react ?

I don't need 24/7 access to UPC to manage a simple TV service, I don't need 24/7 access to my contact details or view my account details but I do want to see my bill and know how much they will take from my account. But I can't access my bill because they want me to sign up or pay 3 euro more and get NO bill !!

Perhaps I am being awkward about this but I believe that I should not have to jump through hoops to simply view my bill.

Ken

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

You don't seem to realise that electric Ireland are in effect charging you for a paper bill because you get a reduction if you go paperless. I honestly can't see anything here other than you being awkward about it. Paperless is the way to go. Paper bills cost a lot to produce. By insisting on a paper bill the rest of the customers, who are paperless, are subsidising you. Plus, think about the environmental impact of a paper bill?

thefishone

Another way of looking at it,

UPC were giving you a €3 discount for paying by DD,none DD customers were paying this €3,now they have removed this discount and give everyone a chance at the €3 by signing up to my UPC.

Also,you don't have to give them any more information then they already have.

ZENER

Coraline Worried Towel wrote: »

You don't seem to realise that electric Ireland are in effect charging you for a paper bill because you get a reduction if you go paperless. I honestly can't see anything here other than you being awkward about it. Paperless is the way to go. Paper bills cost a lot to produce. By insisting on a paper bill the rest of the customers, who are paperless, are subsidising you. Plus, think about the environmental impact of a paper bill?

Where have I mentioned that I get a paper bill ? I don't receive, need nor want a paper bill. I simply want access to A bill. They are charging me 3 euro simply because I do not wish to sign up for a MyUPC account. The 3 euro goes straight in to their pocket, I get nothing in return for it. I do not get a paper bill either.

The practice of charging those who did not wish to pay by DD extra was outlawed in recent legislation I believe. So now UPC are trying to recoup that loss.

Sky and Eircom are not options for me either. No dishes allowed and no central distribution system in these apartments. I don't need a phone line or the additional costs involved.

Ken

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Yet again, you get discounts from the likes ofn Electric Ireland for plans paid by DD. There's nothing sinister or unusual here at all.

ZENER

I pay UPC by DD. What's your point ? This has nothing to do with DD, it's about signing up for something I don't want and being charged for not doing so but being denied a bill.

So is there any legislation regarding a consumers right to a bill from a supplier prior to paying for that service ?

Ken

Saucy McKetchup

ZENER wrote: »

The practice of charging those who did not wish to pay by DD extra was outlawed in recent legislation I believe. So now UPC are trying to recoup that loss.



Ken

What legislation?

ZENER

For anyone interested please see this thread.

Ken

dotsman

I think you are looking at this the wrong way. You are not being prevented from receiving the bill/invoice. UPC have increased their prices, that is all. Separately, they are offering a discount to customer who sign up to myUPC. It is completely voluntary.

It is no different to may other services these days. Online billing is more convenient for customers and cheaper for the company so many companies encourage this to the extent that they offer temporary/permanent discounts for those who sign up.

ZENER

They sent me a letter informing me that my service - MMDS - would be going up by about 3 euro from February I think. On the same letter they advised that anyone not signed up for MyUPC by March 1st would see an additional increase of 3.50 euro. This is not a discount - it's an additional charge.

Have a look at the thread in Talk To ... UPC. I'm not the online complaining about this.

Ken

Cabaal

OP, you are not signing up to a service by using Myupc

You are merely registering your existing account to activate your access to the MyUPC online account, this doesn't involve you giving UPC anymore info then they already have.,

UPC are not refusing to issue you with a bill, you are refusing to access the bill they are providing you with;

ZENER

So what does the 3.50 euro charge cover then ? I'd have no issue with signing up if it was optional and without penalty, I'd prefer not to, but why then charge me 3.50 euro ?! What do I get for that ? Why does it cost UPC over 3 euro because I choose not to sign up ? They already have my details and the info necessary to get paid for their service.

Anyway this is going around in circles, I have my own reasons for not wanting to sign up. I'm not looking for support here merely information regarding getting a bill.

Thanks for your comments.

Ken

mitosis

Electric Irl use electronic billing. You must have signed up for that. Ask them how much they will charge you to go back to paper. I also think you are being awkward for the sake of a principle you have got stuck with. Put it behind you and register.

L1011

ZENER wrote: »

They sent me a letter informing me that my service - MMDS - would be going up by about 3 euro from February I think.

You'll be getting another letter telling you the service will stop entirely pretty soon also. Officially the MMDS licences UPC hold expire unrenewably in 34 days unless Comreg snuck another extension in.

edit: seems they did get a 24 month extension. Again. System's on life support regardless.