NTL billing error theft
 

I used to have a 2nd NTL line for dial-up access line for AOL. Got a marketing call from NTL persuading me that I'd be better with NTL Broadband, and I had Broadband installed in October 2003 and the 2nd line disconnected at the same time. NTL continued to bill me for the 2nd line and I didn't notice this until late December 2005 when NTL changed the bill format.

I pointed this out and asked for a refund. After many letters over the last 14 months, they have given me a partial refund but I am still around £150 short of what I paid.

NTL have tried to justify this as being "the law", "it is the customers responsibility to check bills" and most recently that they only have to go back a "reasonable period" which Ofcom don't specify but which is usually treated as 3 months.

Surely this isn't right. I don't see anything in their Terms & Conditions limiting the period for refunds for billing errors. I believe the legal position is that you can claim back 6 years in England, or 5 in Scotland where I live.

Any advice on what I could do next? Is it worth going to Otelo? I suppose it would be disproportionately expensive/inconvenient to take them to court.

Any advice?
thanks
Alan

Re: NTL billing error theft
 

Small claims court possibly but you have to ofset the costs against what you would gain. Might just be easier to see if a team member can help get you in touch with someone who will be able to sort it out for you.
BTW it's Virgin Media now not NTL :)

Re: NTL billing error theft
 

Make sure that you have records of everything that you have discussed with NTL to date including offers and agreements that have been made.(You could also make a data protection access request for all data the NTL have on you will cost upto £10 and take 40 Days) Write one last letter to NTL stating your case and why you believe they still owe you the money put a deadline of a couple of weeks on a response.

If they still refuse, go to regulator with the details and see if they can progress this issue.

If this fails, go back to NTL, restate your case and threaten them with court action again give them a deadline to respond.
If they still refuse to settle then start legal preceedings. You can find plenty of details on the web regarding re-claiming bank charges and this is the same process so if you look up those then you'll know what you would need to do.

Personally I would expect thatthe regulator will advise them to pay up.

On the other hand there are some VM staff on here and they might be able to step in and sort this out for you.

one last point. if they actually say tough luck, its your fault for not checking your bill then. ask them to put it in writing.

Re: NTL billing error theft
 

Hi Alanb7.
I am in dispute for a TVDrive box overcharged by £10 for 10 months. When I noticed, they said they could only refund back to 3 months, as per Ofcom rules. When pushed, they changed tack and said Ofcom rules go back 6 months, and agreed that. Manager told me I should check my bills........

Re: NTL billing error theft
 

Hello Everyone

This is my first time on the site. My problem with NTL ( National Theiving Limited ):) Episode 1: When I started the service 2005 I had 1 line and an internet service then I requested a second line for my fax I was told I would be charged £5 for the fax line lo and behold I check my bill after a couple of months and I was charged £11. I contested the amount and I was refunded 3 months money and was told that the person should not have authorize such a deal ha! ha! I am someone who just pay my bills and dont really go through them with fine tooth comb.

Episode 2: First let me make a confession I am a very high call user.I call the States and the Caribbean very regular.I am on talk unlimited because I can make call upto 1 hour and its free so I terminate my calls within an hour. The person who I spoke to re: fax line, notice my bills were quite high she told me about talk 400, call anywhere in the world and the uk on 400 minutes for the month I ask her how much minutes I use per month and she told me I have to speak to customer services , called customer service they could not tell me so I ask about 0845 and 0870 numbers if I would be charged seperately or would they be taken from the 400 minitues. I made a general enquire. I started to use calling cards and cheap access numbers to cut down on very high bills. In Janurary of this year because of financial difficulties I started to check my bill lo and behold I was taken off talk unlimited and put on talk 400 which I did not authorize. Called NTL about it, customer service told me to hold onn but I was disconnected and that happend twice. The third time I was left on hold for 20 mins or so. Fourth time I got hold of someone who put me through to a team Leader who was very rude and shouted constantley like he was speaking to a dog. Thats CUSTOMER SERVICE for you. I was told I authorize the move to talk 400 and he did not want to hear anything I had to say because if I did not why would I make an enquire about 0845 and 0870 numbers and he ended the call . Fifth call, I spoke to another customer service rep Jennifer Wade ( Scotland office) and was put through to Debbie Williams. She could not do anything but she put me through to James Fulton, Line Manager Payments dept, he was very helpful. I explained to him what was happening and he gave me an instant discount of £10 because of the rudness of NTL customer service staffs and was very annoyed because incompetent NTL staffs did not log any foot prints on my account so he could trace who I spoke to. He then begin to check my bill. James found out that my fax line had on all different types of features although the line was dormant, he told me he would take them off and look into the account and make an internal complaint. That was Jan 10 2007. Still waiting. I called on the Feb 15 2007 spoke to three other persons, will look into the matter and call back, still waiting. Call on the Feb 26 2007 Spoke to customer service rep put through to Vicky Brocas, she told me all she could refund was £20. I told her no I would not accept the £20 she told me I must have authorize the move from talk unlimited to talk 400 because I called and ask about 0845 and 0870 numbers. I made it clear to her why I called She told me I will have to make a complaint. I told her james told me he would make a complaint and deal with the matter internally. She told me I was given the wrong advice. Can someone PLEASE tell me how to deal with this matter. HELP HELP HELP :confused: