Grrrrrrr

[Neil]

Originally Posted by gary_580

Do you go to the cinema and expect to pay half way through the film?? no you pay in advance, if you cant manage your money then dont pay by direct debit!!

Sorry to be so abrupt but if you dont pay on time dont expect good service is my view.

I think you're missing the point Gary, ntl took the money late, that is nobody's fault but ntl's.

They also are lying to Ben by saying he is now in a new 12 month contract following the transfer of his services to his new address.

Ben-tell them to poke it, & get Sky/ADSL, it's the only way companies learn when people vote with their feet/wallets.

[Edit]-Also, ntl are the only company that I have ever dealt with that are not flexible with their DD dates, & this is purely because their billing system can't hack multiple date changes.

Originally Posted by gary_580

no prior notice?? they send you a bill before they take the payment. They are then leagally entitled to change the date

Yes, but you are overlooking the authority bit, and that authority would need to be confirmed by explicit consent, not assumed by not getting in touch with them to challenge it.

Originally Posted by gary_580

I bet your council tax doesnt. Mine is fixed on something like 13th, they wont change that either. I have a life assurance policy, the company say that the payment date on that is fixed to. Its not just NTL.

*Every* other company that I pay by direct debit has given me the choice of billing date. A couple didn`t let me choose just any date, but they did give me a choice of several spread out over the month. Are you sure you're not getting fobbed off by your assurance company?

[Ben]

Whatever the case they didn't imform me that the DD failed and didn't inform me they where going to cut me off. They just went ahead and cut me off without giving me any warning.

Now I can understand that these things might be automated but jeez they can have there money on payday as i will pay them right away but I want my services back otherwise I'm off - I have been with them for 3 + years and this is how they treat me? Sorry but I feel I will be moving over to BT/Sky as soon as a possibly can as I feel I have been deceved about the contract anyway

[paulyoung666]

Originally Posted by dr wadd

Yes, but you are overlooking the authority bit, and that authority would need to be confirmed by explicit consent, not assumed by not getting in touch with them to challenge it.

kinda where i was coming from my mate

Originally Posted by Neil

I think you're missing the point Gary, ntl took the money late, that is nobody's fault but ntl's.

They also are lying to Ben by saying he is now in a new 12 month contract following the transfer of his services to his new address.

Ben-tell them to poke it, & get Sky/ADSL, it's the only way companies learn when people vote with their feet/wallets.

[Edit]-Also, ntl are the only company that I have ever dealt with that are not flexible with their DD dates, & this is purely because their billing system can't hack multiple date changes.

i agree about the 12 month contract but. But taking the money late should not be a prob, if they took it early then yes every reason to complain

Originally Posted by dr wadd

Yes, but you are overlooking the authority bit, and that authority would need to be confirmed by explicit consent, not assumed by not getting in touch with them to challenge it.

doesnt the DD guarentee only require them to inform you of a change. I dont believe any consent is required

Originally Posted by Ben

Whatever the case they didn't imform me that the DD failed and didn't inform me they where going to cut me off. They just went ahead and cut me off without giving me any warning.

Now I can understand that these things might be automated but jeez they can have there money on payday as i will pay them right away but I want my services back otherwise I'm off - I have been with them for 3 + years and this is how they treat me? Sorry but I feel I will be moving over to BT/Sky as soon as a possibly can as I feel I have been deceved about the contract anyway

you ought to check up about phones, (not sure if u said u had phone) but i think ppohne is classed as a vital service and therefore they are not allowed to cut you off without notice. I bleeive they are supposed to notify you and can stop u making outgoing calls except form emergency calls. I might be wrong but im sure ive read that somewhere

Originally Posted by dr wadd

*Every* other company that I pay by direct debit has given me the choice of billing date. A couple didn`t let me choose just any date, but they did give me a choice of several spread out over the month. Are you sure you're not getting fobbed off by your assurance company?

yes, i work for the said company

Originally Posted by gary_580

doesnt the DD guarentee only require them to inform you of a change. I dont believe any consent is required

Grr, you may be right on that one Just checked the DD Guarantee and it says they need to inform you 10 days in advance of the change. I don`t pay any of my NTL bills by DD so I can`t check any, but I wonder given NTL's track record on communication whether this was explicitly stated on the bill.

Originally Posted by dr wadd

Grr, you may be right on that one Just checked the DD Guarantee and it says they need to inform you 10 days in advance of the change. I don`t pay any of my NTL bills by DD so I can`t check any, but I wonder given NTL's track record on communication whether this was explicitly stated on the bill.

not sure but i think its supposed to tell you the date that it will be taken. Or at least state an date and thereafter to cover them taking it late. I haven't looked at my NTL bill so not sure what they say.

[Ben]

I think they say the money will come out between the 10th and 12th or between 2 dates. - I can't look at my bill either yet as I'm at work

Anyway I just either want my services back or i'm off simple - I think its bull about the new 12 months contract just because I have moved to a new flat

[Neil]

Originally Posted by Ben

I think they say the money will come out between the 10th and 12th or between 2 dates. - I can't look at my bill either yet as I'm at work

Anyway I just either want my services back or i'm off simple - I think its bull about the new 12 months contract just because I have moved to a new flat

I would tell them to poke it m8, pay them what you owe them & get some decent service from a decent provider.

Originally Posted by Ben

I think they say the money will come out between the 10th and 12th or between 2 dates. - I can't look at my bill either yet as I'm at work

Anyway I just either want my services back or i'm off simple - I think its bull about the new 12 months contract just because I have moved to a new flat

i agree about the 12 months thing, but i bet theyre doing it to cover free installation. Did you sign anything when u moved? if not cant see there being a problem

[andygrif]

Originally Posted by tkiely

Surely it should be, if ntl can't operate their direct debit service like everyone else, then they shouldnt offer the service!

Funny how they won't change your payment date when asked but when I look back at my old bills I see that my payment date drifts around all over the place between the 6th and the 13th of the mth.

never mind, BT are coming this week :-)

Whilst I sympathise with your situation, in my experience there are many companies that do not offer a choice of date to collect your Direct Debits. I know it can be difficult to ensure that there are always funds to last until they are due to be collected, but at the end of the day that is your responsibility, not ntl's.

Can I suggest a couple of options?

1. Try to plan forward to ensure that there is enough money in your account on the day things are due to be collected. Easier said than done I know, but it is the best solution all round.

A good way to do this is to open another current account, you bank will be happy to do this. The day you get paid, transfer all the outgoing money (council tax, water, phone, gas, etc) into this bills account, then you can be sure that nothing will be returned. Anything left over in your current account is yours to spend.

2. Arrange with the bank manager an overdraft to the amount you expect your ntl bill to be.

3. Pay by cheque. I know it will cost you £1 more a month, but it does solve your problem (assuming the chque clears of course).

I do understand that ntl are appaling at how they handle collection of payments and especially disconnections (rarely giving notice of such). But like I said, and sorry to sound hash here, it's your responsibility to make the money available to them.

Hope you can get your situation with ntl resolved.