Billed for services I didn't want/ask for

Chutzpah · 14-09-2006, 09:55

Morning all, first post so I thought that I'd make it a good one. Sorry it's long - best of luck if you survive to the end!

I moved in to my new property at the beginning of August, ordered ntl services (ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â£30 for TV, internet and phone) and all was good.

When I went to set up the internet, however, the installation CD wasn't working. I phoned support and the man got me to navigate to a certain IP address to get it all set up. All good still. The words then uttered from him were:

"Mr XXXXXX, we are currently offering customers the chance to trial our 4mb internet services for free. I will upgrade your package for you until the end of the month, and if you like it just tell us and we'll upgrade you permanently".

Thank you very much, I said.

Needless to say, the bill lands on my door yesterday, and I get home from work to find that I'm being charged ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â£24.99 for 4mb broadband next month.

So I pick up the phone... get through to customer services. I'm told that I should have contacted them to cancel it. I stated that I was not told that I had to ring them to cancel any 'free trial', and if I was told that I would have politely declined the trial.

I asked for a full refund of the ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â£24.99, since I refused to pay for a service that I didn't ask for. I was told that they could downgrade me back to 1mb.

At this point I asked for clarification on how much I'd get back - I didn't want the receive credit for three weeks (the bill reads 07 Sep - 06 Oct Unlimited 4MB ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â£24.99)

I was told that I would have to pay for the week I've used, as I've used it. I told them that it's not my fault I used it, it was a service I didn't want, didn't ask for, and I soon as I was aware that they were charging me for it I brought it to their attention to deal with. I wasn't happy paying any part of it whatsoever.

I was told that it was not their policy to deal with bills like that, and that no-one would be able to authorise it. I asked for a customer service address to complain to in writing, and at first the rep wouldn't say it, merely that everyone else would say the same. After a few more words back and forth the revelation was dropped that it was on the back of the bill all along.... why on earth I couldn't have just been told that in the first place.

I was told again that no refund would be issued since I had used the service, and I again stated that I did not feel that I was liable for the bill since I didn't ask for the service, mentioning that I know that they record calls and that I would be happy for them to play the call back and hear the gentleman saying "I will upgrade your package for you until the end of the month, and if you like it just tell us and we'll upgrade you permanently".

At this the rep suddenly said (caught me by surprise how quickly the tone of the voice changed) "right, how about I downgrade your service and put a goodwill payment of ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â£6.25 against your next bill" (the one week that I didn't want to pay).

I said that was fine, although obviously a reduction in the next bill isn't as good as just cancelling part of the bill ("not the way the new billing system works"). But I'm glad I stuck to my guns and saw it through - just want to share this experience so hopefully others in a similar experience do as well.

Jules · 14-09-2006, 12:34

Glad you got it sorted and welcome to the forum

Just a word of advice though, don't celebrate until you have seen your next bill

Chutzpah · 14-09-2006, 13:47

True.... I have my fingers crossed!

lostandconfused · 15-09-2006, 02:54

just as another thought the calls arn't recorded.the message on the IVR says they can be recored for training purposes. basically all that means is that someones team leader can record the calls and then may play them back during an apraisal which will be that day or the day after so even if the call had been recorded it wouldnt have been kept.

ive noticed a lot of tech support have been doing that lately though giving people free upgrades and not telling them to call back to go back to 2mb

greyfox1974 · 15-09-2006, 03:27

i had the same i was gettin a month free for the 4mb and they billed me for the free month i just hate it when it go's to pot

15-09-2006, 09:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by greyfox1974

i had the same i was gettin a month free for the 4mb and they billed me for the free month i just hate it when it go's to pot

Its another case of the left hand not knowing what the right hands doing.
You would think it was simple wouldnt you? working as a csa at ntl with a computer to help you out, sadly the truth bares no resemblance to the reality a lot of times

greyfox1974 · 15-09-2006, 10:42

i feel sorry for some of the nice ppl who work in ntl's cs some do a great job and the other's just let it down

lostandconfused · 15-09-2006, 14:40

in this case its not the right hand not knowing what the left is doing. its more a case of tech support now getting cash for every upsell they do, and whilst this is also the case for CS, tech support dont have to deal with the call when the customer calls in next month when theyve been billed for it so they arnt that bothered really.

oh how i love the india call centres

Jules · 15-09-2006, 15:59

Well said Greyfox

Chutzpah · 15-09-2006, 23:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by lostandconfused

just as another thought the calls arn't recorded.the message on the IVR says they can be recored for training purposes. basically all that means is that someones team leader can record the calls and then may play them back during an apraisal which will be that day or the day after so even if the call had been recorded it wouldnt have been kept.

ive noticed a lot of tech support have been doing that lately though giving people free upgrades and not telling them to call back to go back to 2mb

When I had a dispute with my motor insurer they actually played back a conversation that I had with them nearly a month previously in order to stitch me up for a premium increase (long story, but when I changed my car on my policy they couldn't find the exact model so quoted me a figure. They then sent me a letter nearly a month later telling me that they had found the proper vehicle and added about ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â£200 to my premium. I wrote to complain and they contacted me and played back the person mentioning that the premium might go up).

Just thought that it might have been similar in this case.

Anyone know what the rules are on upgrading people without explicitly asking for it and then insisting they contact you back? I just wondered if it is slightly frowned upon and they just hope that if they stick to their guns you won't complain and will just pay up.

If this is happening a lot I wonder how much interest they're making on peoples' money that they will have for about a month before 'crediting' it back?

---------- Post added at 00:07 ---------- Previous post was at 00:04 ----------

Quote:

Originally Posted by greyfox1974

i feel sorry for some of the nice ppl who work in ntl's cs some do a great job and the other's just let it down

I'll echo that. The one I dealt with had the attitude that I should have known to contact them at some obscure date to downgrade my service back down. I then had to have an argument for about two minutes about 'NTL's refund policy' and to get details on how to complain.

lostandconfused · 16-09-2006, 17:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chutzpah

Anyone know what the rules are on upgrading people without explicitly asking for it and then insisting they contact you back? I just wondered if it is slightly frowned upon and they just hope that if they stick to their guns you won't complain and will just pay up.

basically whenever any service is upgraded it will carry on until the customer calls in to change it again.

the problem comes though when someone says your getting a free upgrade for a month, technically this is true but what doesnt get mentioned a lot recently is that you will have to carry on paying for it after the month,

this issue has been passed up the chain and is being looked at though

Clarkvcr · 17-09-2006, 16:45

Not in the same league as chutzpah but we have been trying to get rid of the Disney Channel for three months now. Each time we call cs they assure us that the channel is now removed from our package. Guess what? next bill comes in and there's the disney channel. ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â£5.00 thanks. Not a lot of money but it soon adds up. You take someone at face [phone] value and trust them when they say everything's sorted but it's not. Just have to keep phoning and try and not loose it!
Is there a higher level to complain to at ntl?
Cheers

Jules · 17-09-2006, 19:24

That is a little strange seeing as it is free now and has been for about 6 months

17-09-2006, 19:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jules

That is a little strange seeing as it is free now and has been for about 6 months

I was wondering about that, we don't pay pay extra for Disney Channel, but I didn't know if it is free on all 'packs', as we have the Movies bundle

Jules · 17-09-2006, 19:36

I have the family pack and it is free on there