How do you fix NTL billing when staff can't?

NTL owes me money and is currently incorrectly billing me, but afting spending a year trying to sort it out it seems that the staff just can't fix it. I even wrote to the managing director, who said he would sort it out but who also got it wrong! Even when it's in black and white...

Last August we canceled 2MB broadband, phone and TV. We were still being billed for it until early this year. NTL thus owes us somewhere between £50 and £90. NTL does not seem to know the exact amount, it changes every month and is never refunded despite repeated claims a cheque is in the post.

A month ago we had 10MB broadband installed. We also have a 1MB broadband line at the same address, so we have two now. The 10MB line was supposed to be billed to a different person (me), and sure enough NTL were given all the account details for direct debiting. Actually, they were given the account details three times after numerous cock-ups involving broken broadband accounts and failure to generate PIN numbers etc. Problem is, they are billing the wrong person, and it seems unlikely they will be able to fix this.

It should be noted that we should be paying the half-usual price for the first three months, but we have been billed full price.

How can I get this sorted? The call centre staff cannot fix it, they have tried repeatedly. They won't let you talk to anyone in charge. The MD can't fix it either, apparently he is illiterate and could not understand our letters. Who can actually sort this out?

To be honest, I'm thinking Small Claims Court might be the best option at this point.

[Neil]

https://www.moneyclaim.gov.uk/csmco2/index.jsp

Thanks Neil, I have used Small Claims before and it's very easy to do. But I'd rather avoid it as I am actually quite happy with the broadand service I get.

[MovedGoalPosts]

So has anyone at ntl actually taken ownership of your problem, given you a personal contact name, so you can keep dealing with them rather than going round in circles? The MD idea is nice, but realistically he's going to delegate it back down the line, as chances are he hasn't a clue how to manipulate the ntl computer systems, but yes he should retain an overview to see that it has been addressed, sounds like that hasn't happened?

[hotscotchbonnet]

It seems to me that NTL routinely overcharge customers and offer to credit the difference back against future bills.

Say they overcharge you £15 and keep that for a month and return it later.
What they are asking for is an interest free loan.

Say they do this to a 100,000 customers (not many in a nation of phone users). That is a 1.5 million pounds intererest free loan. That money is not floating around in the ether - it is is NTL bank accounts earning interest.

£15 loss to you and me is thousands of pounds profit to NTL.
We don't have punitive damages in the UK, so the small percentage of customers that go as far as court may cost NTL maybe a few thousand pounds here and there in damages. Overall, however, they are not going to really lose out. They have no incentive to really address these issues.

Personally, I am taking NTL to court. My case is a little different, but its the overchaging that i am interested in.