Not billed for 7mths!!!

cityhunter · 18-07-2003, 14:03

I took out bb with ntl in january through a cable modem option, gave the rep my bank details to setup the direct debit. They rep told me i will be billed in the nxt month or 2, just depends how quick they will setup the mandate, which i thought fair enough.

Two months passed and no payments had been taken, in third month i called customer services who didnt take any personal details and said it shouldnt be too much longer and payment will be taken if ive given my bank details. Called customer services again 2 just check and same thing happened again.

Another month passed and i was having problems with my connection so i called technicial faults (or whotever they are called). The rep there said he couldnt find my modem on the system and maybe thats why i hadnt been billed as i told him about it. He made note on the system that i was having probs that they would send an engineer out, and that he would get someone to sort the billing out for me. Which i thought fantastic!

Guess what.... nothing!! So I cancelled the direct debit a month later.

Today a letter dated 11/07/03 arrived telling me i owed them ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â£250, which is a lot of money 2 pay out in one go!

What i need to know, do i have to pay this as ive tried to have it sorted out? Or is there anything that can be done? other than paying (which i will do if its my fault). In my opinion isnt it down to ntl to sort there billing?

Any suggestions or help would be appreciated.

grum1978 · 18-07-2003, 14:12

To be honest i know its not your fault but you do still owe the money for the service even though you have tried to sort this out. The only thing i can suggest you do is ring the accounts team for your area explain the situation and see if you can pay this off over a few months.

Not ideal i know but probably the best way foward for you

**Chris** · 18-07-2003, 14:22

I'd have to agree with Grum. You do owe the cash after all, and if you explain the situation they ought to be reasonable (I had a similar problem a few years ago with British Gas).

If it's not a rude question, if you had already planned to pay ntl ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â£25 a month for BB, why weren't you putting it aside for the day they inevitably asked you to pay it ... ?

CameronDalkeiri · 23-07-2003, 12:32

Thye should let you settles over about 50% of the time during which the bill was accumulated, as it was their error. Don't accept any nonsense from them, because knowing NTL they WILL try it on. Just be sure to take the assertive perspective from the first step - else they'll rebuttle your attempts! It's all a game of strategy with NTL customer support...

cityhunter · 23-07-2003, 13:14

Quote:

Originally posted by CameronDalkeiri
Thye should let you settles over about 50% of the time during which the bill was accumulated, as it was their error. Don't accept any nonsense from them, because knowing NTL they WILL try it on. Just be sure to take the assertive perspective from the first step - else they'll rebuttle your attempts! It's all a game of strategy with NTL customer support...

Too late they MADE me pay it off, they said all they cud do was spread payments over 3mths! I complained and got months free! (whoopie!!!). They also said id keep getting a month free untill they sort the billing out! Better than nothin considering they dont av clue about anything!

andygrif · 23-07-2003, 15:18

Quote:

Originally posted by cityhunter
Too late they MADE me pay it off, they said all they cud do was spread payments over 3mths! I complained and got months free! (whoopie!!!). They also said id keep getting a month free untill they sort the billing out! Better than nothin considering they dont av clue about anything!

I would write them a letter, registered post, saying that if they do not collect funds from your account within 60 days of issing an invoice, then the bill becomes void.

Might not be legally binding, but you can be sure it will make them sort their billing out.

As for being made to pay it? Well 3 months is not far off the 50% of the 7 months as one person suggested they would do, as I doubt they're smart enough to be able to collect it over 3.5 months! I would have personally hung on for 3 mths free line rental and BB, but I guess it's all water under the bridge now.

Stuart W · 23-07-2003, 15:24

OK.... the law....

You owe the money. If you had trouble getting the money to ntl, or ntl had trouble taking the money, you should have kept it to one side as you know it is ntl's money NOT yours.

If ntl decide to 'let you off' some of the bill, it would surprise me as they have no legal requirement to do so.

BTW, writing to them and demanding they take monies within a time period will do nothing legaly to defend you in the future. I'd sugest a well placed phone call to a senior. Explain the situation and your feelings on the mater, then explain if it hapens again you will send back equipment and take your custom elswhere.
You should find no problem in getting out of your 12mth contract over the payment problems in the past.