Direct Debit

Discodog

Peter: I do not wish to pay by direct debit. What alternatives are there ?
Caithlin: Unfortunately Peter you must sign up direct debit to get this bundle you can then pay in the post office or by phones
Peter: ? If I sign a direct debit the funds are removed from my account so how do I pay in a post office ?
Caithlin: Because once you receive your bill you have 14 days to pay before it gets deducted from your bank so you have 14 days to make payment in the post office or by phone and no money will come out of your bank...
Peter: Do Eircom insist on a direct debit for all their broadband services ?
Caithlin: Yes Peter this is mandatory..

From Eircom T&C's General Broadband  23

The Customer can view their phone
bill, the methods of payment and make a payment by Laser/Visa Debit Card or set up a
Direct Debit by visiting www.eircom.ie. 

So the online Rep says one thing & the T&C's another.  Which one is correct ?

dub45

Discodog wrote: »

Peter: I do not wish to pay by direct debit. What alternatives are there ?
Caithlin: Unfortunately Peter you must sign up direct debit to get this bundle you can then pay in the post office or by phones
Peter: ? If I sign a direct debit the funds are removed from my account so how do I pay in a post office ?
Caithlin: Because once you receive your bill you have 14 days to pay before it gets deducted from your bank so you have 14 days to make payment in the post office or by phone and no money will come out of your bank...
Peter: Do Eircom insist on a direct debit for all their broadband services ?
Caithlin: Yes Peter this is mandatory..

From Eircom T&C's General Broadband  23

The Customer can view their phone
bill, the methods of payment and make a payment by Laser/Visa Debit Card or set up a
Direct Debit by visiting www.eircom.ie. ;

So the online Rep says one thing & the T&C's another.  Which one is correct ?

This response would appear to be factually incorrect and is quite misleading.  Direct debits from a bank account and direct payments to a company by a customer do not mix well at any time as there are likely to be double payments.

Under the rules of the dd scheme the business is required to give the customer 14 days notice of the date of the debit.  However Eircom have confirmed here recently that they actually send the debit information to the banks 14 days in advance.  There is absolutely no need for them to do this - they can send the information as late as three days before the due date and this is what happened in the earlier dd scheme prior to the introduction of SEPA.

It is difficult to understand why Eircom would send the information to the banks so early other than they wish to frustrate a customer's efforts to correct a wrong bill.

If you make a payment directly to Eircom the dd will still hit your account as it has already been set in motion 14 days ahead:(  Even if this long lead in by Eircom were not the case direct payments (via the post office or on line) are not received and credited instantly and so the dd for the full amount could issue and hit the account anyway.

Eircom reps really should not be giving advice like this.

This thread in fact contradicts the advise above.

Discodog

I agree. I found the response to be irresponsible.  I have also heard that Eircom have waived the requirement for direct debit especially when the customer has threatened to leave.

bikeblue

After a change of banks I  changed my bankdetails on the eircom website for direct debit payments (january 2015). This did not workout with my next bill. Got in contact with Eircom to sort it out. Eircom informed me that the missed payment will be added to the upcoming bill. Next bill arrived with the missed payment and a 15 euro charge was added for non-payment. Also this one did not get paid because of some kind of a billing error (there are sufficient fund in the bank account).  Got a phone call from eircom. They threatened me to disconnect me if i did not pay. (!!!) and arranged payment over the phone (minus 15 euro). Explained the problems with direct debit, The agent said this would be dealt with by customer care, he would transfer me to customer care however ... transferring my call to customer care went wrong, also that can happen at a national telephone company.
Will see how the next bill will look like, Eircom better to remove the 15 euro charge, and if there is a 2x 15 euro charge ....

Discodog

So no response from Eircom here & now even more confusion.  From today's online chat conducted by my brother.

David: & if I want to be billed online & pay by credit card ?
Niall: Only direct sales can set you up without direct debit, you wouldnt get the online discounts and would have to pay €150 deposit, but if you order online and setup  A dd, you can cancel it off after 3 months again and pay manually and no deposit needed then.
David: How long is the deposit held for ?
Niall: Would be 6 months.
Niall: And then would come back onto your Eircom account as credit.
David: & where do I find the details of "direct sales" ? Again nothing about this on the website
Niall: The number is 1800 503303.


So I call the number & they say that the DD is mandatory contradicting what's posted above.  
I ask for a manager & I am told that none are available.  I ask where I can complain & get put though to customer service.
The rep was unhelpful & dismissive.  I said that I had an online conversation as above & she said that she "didn't know anything about that ".  She said that she would put me through to another department, muttering under her breath as she transferred me.  Needless to say the phone went dead.


SO CAN SOMEONE FROM EIRCOM FINALLY RESPOND. I POSTED THIS IN MAY.

eircom: Alan

Discodog wrote: »

So no response from Eircom here & now even more confusion.  From today's online chat conducted by my brother.

David: & if I want to be billed online & pay by credit card ?
Niall: Only direct sales can set you up without direct debit, you wouldnt get the online discounts and would have to pay €150 deposit, but if you order online and setup  A dd, you can cancel it off after 3 months again and pay manually and no deposit needed then.
David: How long is the deposit held for ?
Niall: Would be 6 months.
Niall: And then would come back onto your Eircom account as credit.
David: & where do I find the details of "direct sales" ? Again nothing about this on the website
Niall: The number is 1800 503303.


So I call the number & they say that the DD is mandatory contradicting what's posted above.  
I ask for a manager & I am told that none are available.  I ask where I can complain & get put though to customer service.
The rep was unhelpful & dismissive.  I said that I had an online conversation as above & she said that she "didn't know anything about that ".  She said that she would put me through to another department, muttering under her breath as she transferred me.  Needless to say the phone went dead.


SO CAN SOMEONE FROM EIRCOM FINALLY RESPOND. I POSTED THIS IN MAY.

Hi Discodog

Apologies for originally missing your post

I have responded to your query over on the eircom community this morning

Thanks
Al

corazon

I an having a similiar problem with Eircom. I want to use a debit card as I don't have a bank account in the republic but they won't accept. they won't take Paypal ethier. I even offered to pay the year upfront. Looks like I will have to go with someone else.

Discodog

corazon wrote: »

I an having a similiar problem with Eircom. I want to use a debit card as I don't have a bank account in the republic but they won't accept. they won't take Paypal ethier. I even offered to pay the year upfront. Looks like I will have to go with someone else.

I have started a thread here:
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=96489643

Please post there & let me know how you get on.  I am also contacting my TD & COMREG as this has serious consequences for older & vulnerable people who don't have bank accounts or can't use direct debits.

In case people missed Eircoms reply. They now only accept direct debit.

eircom: Alan

corazon wrote: »

I an having a similiar problem with Eircom. I want to use a debit card as I don't have a bank account in the republic but they won't accept. they won't take Paypal ethier. I even offered to pay the year upfront. Looks like I will have to go with someone else.

Hi corazon

I'm sorry we can't offer you an alternative solution to this.

Thanks

Al