BT "amount overdue" letter

Khannie

Anyone else get one of these for no good reason from BT today?

I've been trying to get through to their credit control department for > 2 hours now (repeated attempts since I'm continuously disconnected).

I know that there should have been no problem paying the bill because it's supposed to by paid by my corporate American Express (effectively unlimited credit).

Getting peed off trying to get through now.

Khannie

Minor screw up by bt people. When I got through on the phone she said as much almost without hesitation. Poor woman sounded like she'd been reaming off the same line all morning. I suppose that means that when you get home if you have one of these you can safely ignore it.

jor el

A fcuk up in BT's accounts department? Surely not!

I just checked my old BT account info online and I'm still being billed for an account they disconnected in February. I've had enough will calling them on it so I'm just going to let it build up now. Good thing they were never able to implement a sucessfull direct debit or I'd be getting charged quite a bit.

iano

jor el wrote:

I've had enough will calling them on it so I'm just going to let it build up now. Good thing they were never able to implement a sucessfull direct debit or I'd be getting charged quite a bit.

If you are still receiving a bill, you might be as well to send them a letter (not email) and either register it (costs) or get a certificate of posting (free from Post Office).
It is not unheard of for them to pass these "debts" on to a debt recovery agency after a while and then its a pain to sort out.

damien

Try complaints@esat.com, this normally gets answered promptly.

OttoB

Actually, I had the "amount overdue" letter two month ago - same game called accounts, spoke to a very apologetic guy. He promised to send me stuff - as the account overdue letter was only letter I had ever received.

Of course, nothing arrived - until today.

It was my "final notice" letter, threatening with disconnection etc.

This is much more than a minor glitch, but a major account system flaw...

My direct debit was working until this "account overdue" stuff happened.. how can you "break" that me wonders?

Smart Telcom phoned me yesterday... maybe its a sign...

darraghrogan

Khannie wrote:

Anyone else get one of these for no good reason from BT today?

Yup. Their mail run must cost a fortune..

Darragh

paulm17781

I used to work for a bank. Once there were several letters sent out by dispatch, (this dispatch place was an outsourced company, not even part of the bank and they didn't check with us) threatening several people all by accident. The letters were to do with the project I was involved in so I was the one that all the customers screamed at even though it wasn't close to being my fault. The company who sent out the letters would have had more information than we did.

Moral: Please be nice to the people that answer the phones. It isn't their fault, they are not BT, just people who probably hate that job.

Sorry about how cryptic that was, I can't name the bank.

Sponge Bob

just mail angela.keegan@esat.com and its sorted.

Infini

OttoB wrote:

Smart Telcom phoned me yesterday... maybe its a sign...

God says... GET SMART! :cool:

vibe666

if you want it sorted out quicker than a really quick thing on speed, just email william.murphy@esat.com

might be bill.murphy, come to think of it, but one or the other.

he's the boss.

he'as always on his email too, so you should get a reply very quickly.

somano

Yeah I got one too. Have been on hold 5 times for about a minute and then the call is disconnected. Ironic that there is no email address on the letter.

OttoB

Finally, I got through to them...
Well they admitted they scr$%d up and they did said the direct debits are not working anymore...

So I had the option to pay my outstanding bill via credit card and they will post new direct debit mandate out to me.

The letter refers to a payment slip on the bill - haha - they never sent me a bill. the only two letters I ever got were the two payment reminders...

My advise would be to ask cust services to confirm your direct debit is still working.. otherwise overdue accoutns will send more letters.

Solair

I'd say send them a rather harsh, business-like letter threatening to pass this on to you sollicitor should it not be sorted out.

There are a few things here:

1) If they bill you in error, that's entirely their problem. Simply return the bill. If they continue to bill you in error this could be construed as harrasment, which is illegal. If the letters continue to arrive, simply take them to your sollicitor or the local garda station. You're basically being stalked by BT.

2) If they direct debit you in error, or charge your credit card and fail to rectify this in a timely manor, you should go through your bank or credit card company and explain that they've breeched the terms of your Direct Debit mandate and the code of practice and are failing to do anything to rectify the situation. Banks tend to take this rather seriously and will sort it out very fast.

3) If they bill you in error or don't bill you at all and then pass you over to a debt collection agency this is infact slander and/or defamation of character. You're now entitled to sue them for damages as they've damaged your good name and you're fully entitled to compensation for that.

4) If they damage your credit rating due to billing errors, sue them.

5) If you send them a direct debit mandate, make sure that you make a photocopy of it. Register the letter with An Post and keep the registration certificate with the copy of the letter. Under the Postal Rule, your having sent that letter to them is construed as them having accepted it. They have absolutely no excuses. I'm sure failing to debit the account is a breech of contract since that's how you agreed to transact business with them.

Basically, just be extremely tough and as threatening as they are. Don't think twice about imposing your own terms and conditions. Give them reasonable written deadlines e.g. 10 working days and where they over charge feel free to demand that they pay interest on any errors at the over night bank rates.

There's absolutely no reason why a customer can't be as nasty to them as they are to their customers.

I get the impression things arn't going to change with their "accounts" department until they get a severe legal kicking.

wicklow

just mail angela.keegan@esat.com and its sorted.

She doesn't work there anymore.

dub45

Solair wrote:

.....................I get the impression things arn't going to change with their "accounts" department until they get a severe legal kicking.

I am constantly baffled as to how a 'reputable' company has been able to operate with such an obviously inefficent accounts department for so long.

It would put me off ever having any dealings with them.

Can anyone explain to me how this has been allowed to go on for so long?

Solair

I think perhaps it should be brought to the attention of their parent company in the UK

They do now trade under the same brandname and logo. I think perhaps a letter outlining the entire thing to BT in Dublin and to their corporate head office in London.


BT Group,
81 Newgate Street,
London
EC1A 7AJ
United Kingdom.

I would underline the fact that you think their Irish subsiduary is damaging their good name by the way it's handling accounts and perhaps draw their attention to some of the threads on here. This has been going on for years, long before BT ever came into the picture.

wicklow

I emailed Bill Murphy and he got it sorted. Some guy rang me and apologised profusely. Got a second letter as well