BT took money when they shouldn't have
02-September-2010
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BT took money when they shouldn't have

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I woke up last Saturday morning, had a coffee and turned on the computer.  I checked my bank account and imagine my disbelief when I saw that BT had decided they were going to take a direct debit payment for £71.50 that I was totally unaware of.  I immediately rang BT to find out why they had taken money from my account.  I ended up speaking to a young Asian man who was as near to Britain as I am to India, who told me "Sir I understand your problem, but your account is up to date and we have not taken any money".

After yet another five minutes of explaining to the man that I was looking at my statement on-line and could see plainly the payment reference was BT with my account number, he advised me to ring my bank to see what was going on!  Great, I thought to myself, as if that's going to help.

However, I obliged and rang my bank... Natwest, I might add.  The guy on the phone was very helpful, maybe to helpful actually.  When I explained the situation he said "No problem sir, the funds will be back in your account by Tuesday."  Well well... I thought as I put down the phone, there is still a reasonable level of customer service out there after all.  I was a little confused to why I couldn't make a complaint about what BT had done, but I decided to drop it and not let it spoil what was left of my weekend.

On the phone to BT

Wednesday morning arrived and I turned on my computer, logged onto my on-line banking, and lo and behold, no direct debit refund from BT!  How stupid do I feel now?  Serves me right for thinking it would be sorted out that easily I guess.  I felt like I had just been fobbed off.  I rang Natwest, spoke to another guy who was also very friendly and he said "Sir I'm going to have to pass this one to my supervisor, can I take a contact number?"  You probably won't be surprised to hear that I'm still waiting for that call.

Natwest, BT and 3 mobile are all companies that I have had problems with recently.  The latter two have overseas call centres and I really believe if they bought them back here alot of there issues would be resolved.  As for Natwest...  Well all was said recently when the chief executive was live on British TV apologising for his inability to do his job!  We're finding things tough enough as it is at the moment without these companies holding on to money that is rightfully ours.  As always, the profits come before their customers.

By: Nick


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Nick You very rarely get this kind of problem sorted out just like that,and I bet your really thrilled that BT off peak time now start at 7! Yes BT has decided to move the evening off peak time by another hour this is followed by Sky and TalkTalk and they are putting their daytime charges up too.Deep joy to all those customers.
I mean not only do they charge the earth for what little service the provide but they are fleecing us in the process!
We;; I had enough and moved ALL my utilities to a very reputable plc company based here in the UK, so you have not got to talk to someone in deepest Africa or Mumbai in India.You talk english to an englishmen/woman and the call centre staff are polite and know what they are talking about...how refreshing.Take a look and just see real value at www.bestbillsaver.co.uk
Well Nick it's really time to get what you pay for and a refreshing company to deal with.
Hope this will give you and many others out there there IS an incredible good service out there for the taking just go and take a look and your not tied to any stupid contracts in anything they do!!
bestbillsaver.co.uk.
*bestbillsaver.co.uk  22-May-2010 16:29

 
Thanks. I just sorted out a D/D problem with your advice. Read the back of your direct debit agreement :)
*Duurty Deepy  05-Jun-2009 12:34

 
says Hello Nick !!! You are probably paying by Direct Debit. Isn't that great !!! Yes ....... have you heard of the Direct Debit Guarantee? ........... No? .............. Let me tell you about it ..... All Financial Institutions who operate accounts with debit facilities have signed up to the Direct Debit Guarantee. It says that if an individual or company has taken money from your account and is wrong, you are entitled to phone your bank and demand your money to be refunded to your account ........... and this must be done the same day.

Now let the onus be on BT contacting you for payment. Do it every time. It will teach these companies a lesson. Did you find that useful? Great. You can always access my website for FREE LEGAL ADVICE.

Regards
Tony
*BT - ......... WWW.SMALLCLAIMS.UK.COM  30-Apr-2009 09:14

 
Call back through BT 1571 Call Minder what a con, especially when I have regular fully paid up national telephone service provision 7x24 free via another provider. Why can't call minder connect via my regular contractor?
*BT stinks  20-Apr-2009 22:46

 
I had similar problem with Vodafone, when they decided to take two identical payments from me via direct debit. So, unexpectedly, I paid twice. I took my bosses advice and cancelled the direct debit and now only pay by calling and giving card details as and when I need to.

In contrast, when I recently called the AA to question why they had taken too much from my account, they called me back after an hour, apologised ans said the difference would be repaid within two weeks. It was. So, it just shows that it can be done properly if they want to.

I now no longer use direct debit unless the amount is specified in the agreement.
*Jez D  20-Apr-2009 06:32

 
If anyone else stole your money you'd go to the police, wouldn't you? If you went into a shop and the shopkeeper swiped £70 out of your wallet then you'd go to the police. So, I can't help but wonder, why not go to the police?
*A consumer  14-Apr-2009 14:41

 
I can certainly understand your anger there! That's what BT used to do to me and take out random payments without my permission, and this resulted in me incurring bank charges as a direct action, so my immediate action was to cancel the direct debit, so now I make the payments through other avenues.

The initials BT stand for something else, if you get my drift??
*Peejay  12-Apr-2009 15:54

 
Customer 'service' is something of a fantasy that exists mainly in job descriptions, job agencies and laid down pre-requisites for potential employees. The reality is that most companies seem to be clueless, or at least employ quite a lot of clueless individuals. Miraculous really considering all the ideals, essential qualities and specifications demanded.

Let's face it, a great many people are rubbish at their jobs and a few don't actually care about customers but have to pretend they do. Having expectations of good customer service is rather like expecting sunshine every day of the week for a month. Possible, but unlikely.
*Owl  11-Apr-2009 23:11

 
The problem with BT is that in order to use anyone else's service you must have a BT line. This was fine when the industry was a nationalised one, where its profit went into the country's coffers, for the benefit of the nation. Now you are feeding some Thatcherite greedy b'tard. Like the Post Office you are now paying for some third world service. Great national institutions have been exchanged for ghastly monstrosities. The new lamps for old have turned out to be unspeakable powerful and unwelcome genies in the bottle, economic nightmares.
*The Downfallen  11-Apr-2009 07:21

 
Get away from BT fast!!!
Please everyone, they are going to destroy everything.
They are about to come up with more ridiculous ideas for services that wont work and cost all customers.
*EX employee  10-Apr-2009 22:45


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