How many working days between paying bill and it being applied to my account?

Lux23

I have my account set up on DD but I normally like to pay my bill when its received. When I received my last bill I paid my half through BOI online banking and my partner paid his half at Payzone. This was 6 working days prior to the due date and I felt it should have been enough time to stop the DD process. Low and behold, I log onto my account and you have presented for the full amount and cost me €12.70 in fees and a further €6 was added to my bill. So nearly another €20. 

So how many days do I need to pay my bill in advance of the DD. I don't want this to happen again.

Electric Ireland: David

Hi Lux23,

Thanks for getting in touch.

This was 6 working days prior to the due date and I felt it should have been enough time to stop the DD process

We regret any confusion. A payment would need to have been received (rather than made) 6 working days prior to a direct debit collection date, which should prevent it from processing. As it can take a number of days between the time a payment is made and the time it reaches our system, the best time to pay a bill would be as soon as you are notified of it by email (or receive it by post).

If you would like us to have a look into your account for you here on Boards, please confirm the following details for us by private message:

• Your full name
• Your account number
• The first line of your address
• Your contact number or date of birth
• Confirmation you are the account holder (a sentence stating this is sufficient)

If you have any other questions please don't hesitate to ask.

Regards,
David

________

Lux23

So if it is 6 working days after receiving payment how many days do I need to make the payment to ensure you don't take the money again? You must have an average figure. I often do the same thing with UPC/Virgin/Vodafone and the payments takes two days. (With UPC that includes Saturday/Sunday)

Electric Ireland: Brige N

Hi Lux23,

Bills are issued to customers either by post or by email at least 14 working days prior to a payment being deducted by direct debit. Any additional payment such as paying online, over the telephone to 1850 372 372 or through An Post can take at least three working days to be transferred to Electric Ireland and clear on our system.

Electric Ireland is required to send a request to a bank at least four to six working days prior to the direct debit being taken from a bank account. Due to this any additional payment outside of the direct debit should be made at least nine working days in advance of the direct debit being taken. This time frame should prevent any double payments, however we would recommend, as my colleague David suggested, that should you choose to make an alternative payment to direct debit that you do so as soon as you receive your bill.

We hope this helps. If you have any other questions please let us know.

Thanks,
Brige

________

Lux23

I made the payment the morning I received the bill. It was due on Monday, 5th October and I received it and paid it the bill on the Thursday, 24th September but from what you're telling me is that would not be enough time to stop you contacting the bank about direct debit. 

So essentially there is a big chance that even if it is paid on the day I receive the bill, I still might get charged twice. Charging me the extra €6 because the money wasn't in my account for a bill that was already paid strikes me as unfair.  Can you provide me with the legal basis for making this charge?

EI: Aoife

Hi Lux23,

When a customer sets up a direct debit mandate on their account:

• it authorises Electric Ireland to send instructions to their bank to debit their account
  
• it authorises their bank to debit their account in accordance with the instruction from Electric Ireland
  

This is stated on the terms and conditions of the mandate if you are signing up online or via the post. This would also be issued to you with the direct debit confirmation letter if you set up over the phone or following a call from one of our Sales representatives. You can view our terms and conditions for billing here. In section 8e it states that bills must be paid according to the agreed price plan on your account.

If you would like us to check what price plan you are on, we would just need you to provide the following details via private message:

• Your full name
• Your account number
• The first line of your address
• Your contact number or date of birth
  Confirmation you are the account holder (a sentence stating this is sufficient)

Thanks,
Aoife

Lux23

Hi Aoife,

Just because something is in the terms and conditions doesn't mean that you have a legal basis for it. As there is no guarantee that if I pay my bill when its received that you won't present for payment again, then the imposition of a €6 strikes me as an unfair term. 

Could you provide me with an answer that demonstrates that imposing the €6 fee does not contravene "The European Communities (Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts) Regulations, (SI 27/1995)"? 

Lux23

Will I be getting a response to my query soon?

EI: Aoife

Hi Lux23,

We are looking into your query and will get back to you as soon as we can.

Thanks,
Aoife

Lux23

Thanks Aoife

EI: Aoife

Hi Lux23,

We appreciate your patience while we looked into this matter for you.

Electric Ireland encourages the use of direct debits for a number of reasons, and in many instances offers incentives in its price plans to customers electing to pay by direct debit. Where direct debits are rejected, this results in costs being incurred to regularise the position. Electric Ireland considers it reasonable to add a small charge to the account in these circumstances.

The terms and conditions, including those applicable to specific price plans, form the basis of the contract between Electric Ireland and the customer and are legally binding on both sides to the extent that the law allows. Electric Ireland is satisfied that its terms and conditions are compliant with the Unfair Contract Terms Regulations.

If you would like us to check anything on your account, we would be happy to do so if you send us a private message with your account details as requested above. If you have any other questions, do please let us know.

Thanks,
Aoife

Lux23

OK Aoife, many thanks for you help with my query.

EI: Aoife

Hi Lux23,

You are very welcome.

Do get in touch if you have any other queries.

Thanks,
Aoife