Bt Bully tac-tics with bill payments..

robot1002 · 24-02-2010, 13:44

Just smashed my walkabout phone by throwing it against the house wall. Silly billy you may say, well yes I am I suppose, but with good reason... Since I choose to pay my BT line rental only, every month at the post office, BT tell me they have to charge me £1.50 per month to cover costs. This is £18.00 per year that I give them out of my pension.
Their excuse is that if I sign a direct debit form, the charge will be dropped..!! Now going back to the above, I was doing something in the garden so my phone was on the kitchen unit ,to hand if it rang. Yes it rang again, the first 4 times earlier I had missed it. Recorded message from BT...Why was my phone bill not paid before today ? It is Overdue and If NOT paid we will cut you off or institute a late payment charge...Mad?? you bet I was, you see you can not phone anyone and let them have it, because it's all automated so you can not speak to a human person...Just tell me I am not alone on this one, and someone else has had this problem. The phone I smashed,? luckily I had a (one I made earlier) in the bottom drawer......

entwisi · 24-02-2010, 13:54

that font is awful....

simply it costs companies mopney to deal with non electronic payments so they now look to pass that on, commercially a good idea, morally.... well I'll pass judgement

If you are late in paying then again it costs money to chase you for it and again why should they NOT charge that cost to you, your contract with them is to provide a telephone service in return for payment of fees on time. you broke your side of it so there are consequences.

IVR systems, now thats a different matter, its cheaper for teh comapny so either they can make your charges less or make more money, I'll let you say which is teh case with BT

Less · 24-02-2010, 13:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by robot1002

It is Overdue and If NOT paid we will cut you off or institute a late payment charge...Mad?? you bet I was, you see you can not phone anyone and let them have it, because it's all automated so you can not speak to a human person...Just tell me I am not alone on this one, and someone else has had this problem. The phone I smashed,? luckily I had a (one I made earlier) in the bottom drawer......

Why would someone with a name of robot1002 want to speak to a human? Surely you are more at home speaking to a fellow automaton?

And to answer your main point no you aren't on your own, I cancelled BT over a year ago and went to virgin for my broadband. BT continue to send me threatening letters about payments that I supposedly owe, even if I get in touch with an actual human they have no record of me cancelling their service and tell me they cut me off and are currently chasing the money they claim I owe!

But what the hey, once you do get through to a human be patient and remember:-

It's Good To Talk!

Now where have I heard that before?

Benipete · 24-02-2010, 13:57

I think I would opt for the direct debit option if I was concerned about the costs that were incurred.

pipinfort · 24-02-2010, 14:18

BT are a rip off, i kicked them into touch years ago.........................

robot1002 · 24-02-2010, 18:53

Sorry about the font Entwisi, Just knocked it in the head .Oddly enough the payment was not overdue at all, it had several days to go to get to that point.
I called them about a week ago to ask if they would stop ringing to sell me free weekend and evening calls by returning to BT for all my calls. I was given a number to ring to have the calls stoped. Yep no probs the recorded voice said, we will stop ringing you after 28 days....This is the age of high speed electronics and it takes 28 days to impliment a simple request? The direct debit option I would consider if I could force myself to trust BT not to rob me, and after reading pipinfort, I think I will give this option a miss......Tony alias Robot1002 ,,,see I have a name now

lindsay ormerod · 24-02-2010, 19:20

I hate dealing with BT, it's never anyone with any grasp of basic English for a start and if it's anything to do with the broadband they assume you are some computer anorak and start baffling you with geeky terminology.... once my contract is up with them I am offski!

Less · 24-02-2010, 19:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by lindsay ormerod

once my contract is up with them I am offski!

Might I suggest that when you do cancel do it by snail mail and keep a copy, otherwise if like me you ring to cancel you may just find some unexpected complications.

Stanleymad · 24-02-2010, 20:16

No other option but bt to some degree, least thread reminded me to pay my bill on time before the heavies pester my peace.
Posted via Mobile Device

Neil · 24-02-2010, 20:36

Lindsay is a good honest girl and will pay the final bill though

Benipete · 25-02-2010, 09:56

I pay my phone and broadband by Direct Debit to BT.They send me an email telling me the account is available for inspection about two weeks before it is due and then take the amount on the agreed date.Last quarter was £98 00.(about £7.50) per week.

No problem, simples.

MargaretR · 25-02-2010, 10:48

I pay everything by direct debit too, and never had any problems.
Advantages - some cheaper tariffs, saves on shoe leather/travel/postage cost of cash/cheque

Benipete · 25-02-2010, 11:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by MargaretR

I pay everything by direct debit too, and never had any problems.
Advantages - some cheaper tariffs, saves on shoe leather/travel/postage cost of cash/cheque

Another advantage is that if you need to get in touch for any reason all you need to do is cancel the order and they are all over you like a cheap coat sorting out the problem.