NCT cancellation charge - Storm Emma

almostover

Had NCT booked for 2:30pm in Little Island, Cork. However the NCT website states that all NCT centres are closed today. Called the NCT phone line and got a message to say that operators are unavailable due to emergency weather conditions. I re-booked online for next Thursday and the NCT website informed me that I would be charged the €22 cancellation fee. Surely I will not be charged this cancellation considering the NCT centre is closed due to storm Emma and the phone lines were not available for re-booking?

dobman88

Wondering the same myself. Have a test booked for tomorrow in Meath and not looking likely they will be open tomorrow either given the amount of snow we've had.

Heres Johnny

I was booked in to Fonthill during Ophelia and they closed. I didn't have to pay the extra fee when I did it a few days later. Rebooked over the phone not on website, they were fine. Passed me too!

alkev

Was due to go on Wednesday 28th but was snowed in and couldn't go. Tried to phone them for about two hours but no luck. Soon after that I got a text from them, cancelling the test, apologising and saying there would no charge. At 2:45 the next morning I received an email from them saying that I had failed to show and would be charged 20 euros. That amount has now been taken from my account.
I'm hoping that this has been a result of some automated process and will be sorted when things return to normal.

almostover

They'll get an earful at the test centre next Thursday if there is any hassle about paying the cancellation fee. I'll call them once the call centre is back open and get it sorted over the phone.

CeilingFly

Christ the snowflake generation are really out in force.

Of course there will be no additional fee - PURE COMMON SENSE tells you that.

Problem with snowflakes, common sense seems to be lacking/non existent.

endacl

CeilingFly wrote: »

Christ the snowflake generation are really out in force.

Of course there will be no additional fee - PURE COMMON SENSE tells you that.

Problem with snowflakes, common sense seems to be lacking/non existent.

I get the attraction of the Pavlovian ‘snowflake’ reaction among some of our more angry and reactionary demographic. It certainly is a handy brainfart to let rip when you know that you’re annoyed about something, but you don’t have the means to reflect on what exactly and express the thought in a meaningful way. It certainly is a useful little word, but it doesn’t really apply here, does it?

GTE

This isn't the time to complain about it. Automation is automation. Once the staff are back safe at work, all this rebooking fee stuff will be sorted.

odyssey06

How hard would it be for the NCT operators to update their automated telephone response with a message for this scenario? They could put this message on their website..
"All NCT, VRT and Legal Metrology centres will remained closed on Friday 2nd March 2018. We will continue to monitor the situation will provide further updates here. Customers are asked to regularly our website for more information."

If it's so obvious what the cancellation process is why not put that in the bloody message???

Snowflakes have invented this thing called remote access to computers physically located in one location can be accessed from another. It uses something known as clouds. Works particularly well at these times.

GTE

odyssey06 wrote: »

How hard would it be for the NCT operators to update their automated telephone response with a message for this scenario? They could put this message on their website..
"All NCT, VRT and Legal Metrology centres will remained closed on Friday 2nd March 2018. We will continue to monitor the situation will provide further updates here. Customers are asked to regularly our website for more information."

If it's so obvious what the cancellation process is why not put that in the bloody message???

Snowflakes have invented this thing called remote access to computers physically located in one location can be accessed from another. It uses something known as clouds. Works particularly well at these times.

Has someone stolen your snowman?

CeilingFly

odyssey06 wrote: »

How hard would it be for the NCT operators to update their automated telephone response with a message for this scenario?

Pure and very very basic COMMON SENSE along with the very very basic principals of the sale of goods and service act would tell 99.9% of people that there'd be no cancellation fee.

Unfortunately snowflakes need their hand held at every turn because they simply don't understand the principals of basic common sense and would rather prepare to "give an earful" to some person on the phone

GTE

CeilingFly wrote: »

Pure and very very basic COMMON SENSE along with the very very basic principals of the sale of goods and service act would tell 99.9% of people that there'd be no cancellation fee.

Unfortunately snowflakes need their hand held at every turn because they simply don't understand the principals of basic common sense and would rather prepare to "give an earful" to some person on the phone

Someone got your snowman too?

odyssey06

odyssey06 wrote: »

How hard would it be for the NCT operators to update their automated telephone response with a message for this scenario? They could put this message on their website..
"All NCT, VRT and Legal Metrology centres will remained closed on Friday 2nd March 2018. We will continue to monitor the situation will provide further updates here. Customers are asked to regularly our website for more information."

If it's so obvious what the cancellation process is why not put that in the bloody message???

Snowflakes have invented this thing called remote access to computers physically located in one location can be accessed from another. It uses something known as clouds. Works particularly well at these times.

They released a statement the other day to every media outlet that said there would be no charge.

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=nct+charge+snow

almostover

Giovanna Unimportant Bulb wrote: »

odyssey06 wrote: »

How hard would it be for the NCT operators to update their automated telephone response with a message for this scenario? They could put this message on their website..
"All NCT, VRT and Legal Metrology centres will remained closed on Friday 2nd March 2018. We will continue to monitor the situation will provide further updates here. Customers are asked to regularly our website for more information."

If it's so obvious what the cancellation process is why not put that in the bloody message???

Snowflakes have invented this thing called remote access to computers physically located in one location can be accessed from another. It uses something known as clouds. Works particularly well at these times.

They released a statement the other day to every media outlet that said there would be no charge.

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=nct+charge+snow

Thank you! Can't see how posting this inquiry here would have me labelled as a 'snowflake'! But then again I should expect over reactions on internet messaging boards. Stay safe everyone

odyssey06

Giovanna Unimportant Bulb wrote: »

They released a statement the other day to every media outlet that said there would be no charge.

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=nct+charge+snow

And is that statement anywhere on their own website?
Link please.

odyssey06

odyssey06 wrote: »

And is that statement anywhere on their own website?
Link please.

Go find it yourself you lazy animal.

Its in the first link journal.ie and was said numerous times on newstalk and rte during the week. Are you incapable of using google?

doolox

Older generations (like me....) were used to dealing with business owners directly who could make sensible decisions regarding the paying of fees etc and contingency plans when things break down.

Not so many of the newer generation through no fault of their own who are often victims of arbitrary corporate overcontrol and over automation which often throws common sense or sensitivity to local customs and conditions out the window.

A vast majority of our businesses are now run by faceless bureaucrats in multinational outfits where every pricing and policy decision is made at the top and little or no flexibility is allowed to so-called managers that you meet in store.

SteM

I can only think that cabin fever is setting in for some of the posters on this thread!

Toyotafanboi

Yeah, ncts.ie has storm information on their homepage and I'd that's too easy, simply googling "NCT test storm Emma" provides numerous links with plenty of detail as to what sites will be closed and when and how cancellation fees will not be charged. It's really not classified info.

Truckermal

Maybe the NCT staff were like the rest of us and wanted to get the fook home while they could!

bazz26

Just ring them on Monday when the country is up and running again, and it will be sorted out. A drama from nothing.

Redtin

alkev wrote: »

Was due to go on Wednesday 28th but was snowed in and couldn't go. Tried to phone them for about two hours but no luck. Soon after that I got a text from them, cancelling the test, apologising and saying there would no charge. At 2:45 the next morning I received an email from them saying that I had failed to show and would be charged 20 euros. That amount has now been taken from my account.
I'm hoping that this has been a result of some automated process and will be sorted when things return to normal.

Same thing happened to me. Got a text on Wed 28th saying my test that day was cancelled due to storm etc - But got email yesterday saying that since I'd failed to show up, cancellation fee now being charged. Sure enough, €22 has now been taken from my account......
How do we get this refunded? No info re this on NCT website.....

DaveyDave

Is it something to do with the text service being different to the email/payment system? I'm sure it will all be sorted by Monday?

skywalker_208

They could do with updating their website in relation to tomorrow at this stage. Red Weather warning has been extended to 9am tomorrow so you have to assume they will remain closed tomorrow but still no update on their site.

dobman88

skywalker_208 wrote: »

They could do with updating their website in relation to tomorrow at this stage. Red Weather warning has been extended to 9am tomorrow so you have to assume they will remain closed tomorrow but still no update on their site.

Or you could relax and just take it that they won't be open tomorrow. I've an 11.15am appointment but don't expect them to be open.

barneygumble99

Website is updated from what I can see.

skywalker_208

dobman88 wrote: »

Or you could relax and just take it that they won't be open tomorrow. I've an 11.15am appointment but don't expect them to be open.

No point relaxing if you have to try to get to a centre and also try to get your car washed beforehand.

Anyway some of their centres are open. Website just updated in last few minutes.

"All NCT, VRT and Legal Metrology centres in the following counties will reopen at 9am on Saturday 3rd March: Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim, Mayo and Sligo. Customers who have concerns about travelling to their local NCT centre for an appointment should not do so. Cancellation/Rearrangement fees will be waived for centres severely affected by the weather. Customers are asked to regularly check our website for more information."

Hesh's Umpire

I was due to test in Portlaoise at 9.05 this morning but although it's only 12 km away it was far too unsafe to travel. Heavy snow continuing to lie here.
I've already rebooked. Hoping they will waive the €22 late cancellation fee.