Anybody else had these problems with BT?

[SCOUT909]

For nearly 2 years I have paid my total months bill with BT by full direct debit each month (so never have any outstanding balance) but for some unknown reason and without authorisation they changed me on to quarterly direct debit and took £74 (instead of £51) from my account 2 weeks ago. I rang them they said they would put me on a better (cheaper £35) package and refund my £25. However today they have taken another £73 from my account (so nearly £150 in 2 weeks), and have NOT received the £25 refund. I rang them and they apologised and said to ring my bank for an indemnity form so my bank can reverse the payment which came out today. Anybody else had this kind of problem with BT recently? Surely they cant keep taking unauthorised amounts from my bank account?

[craft1948]

I didn't know you could get monthly bills from BT..............

[SCOUT909]

Yes its just a monthly direct debit for the whole amount used, so depending on calls fluctuates from between £51 - £54 per month. Been doing it for ages.

[ojread2]

How strange, and they are luck you had it in your a/c to pay it or they would have cut you off!

Can you change it to a standing order at all? Tell them how much you're gong to pay instead of them having access to your money?

[craft1948]

BT don't accept standing orders.............

[funnygirl]

This is the one reason I won't pay my bills by direct debit.
BT and most of the other utility companies were happy to take a cheque once.
This is just another way of trying to bulk up their bank balances.

[SCOUT909]

They said they had no idea why a random figure of £73.19 was taken out today - it relates to nothing, they actually owed me £25 from the last overpayment taken out, but now owe me £98.19! May be an idea OJread - or I will go back to a paper quarterly bill. They just cannot seem to get it right !

[craft1948]

You can pay by cheque now.............it just costs you more.

[TheNovice]

escalte the problem within BT....and mention writing to OFCOM to complain. They hate that

[craft1948]

lol TheNovice................it never bothered me when I worked for BT.

[Frank97]

I left BT at the begining of Febuary yet they still charged me for the entire month of which I only got £6 back, so I cancelled my direct debit only to then recieve another bill for March. That one they admitted was a mistake so I didn't have to pay, but if I hadn't cancelled the DD they would have still taken the money.
Not to mention the emails they kept sending telling me I was near my broadband usage limit and would I like to upgrade, when I hadn't even used a quater of the allowance!
I'm glad I left!

[SCOUT909]

When I log on to my BT account online and view bills useage etc it says I am £174 in debit ?????!!!!!!!!!! WRONG ! I dread to think what they are going to take out of my bank next.........

[nannybooby]

Scout if you are in credit with them and they have your billing wrong stop your dd and write and tell them what you have done and that it will stay that way untill they sort it out.

[SCOUT909]

But if I cancel a direct debit with the Halifax - they wont re-instate it again.

[boxtops]

I don't understand this at all. We pay BT monthly by direct debit but it's a flat fee each month, based on one-twelfth of our annual usage - it doesn't vary from month to month - then we get a statement every quarter.

[Headbanger]

Get in touch with Watchdog. Anne Robinson would have a field-day with this.!

[ojread2]

scout, as BT dont accept an SO, ask to for the monthly paper bills instead and pay by debit card online - I do this for almost all my bills. Well those who wont accept an SO

[Headbanger]

Hope this link helps:

http://bt.custhelp.co...-can-i-pay-my-bill%3F .
If I were you, I would cancel the Direct Debit and set up a Monthly Payment Plan,which does not attract any extra fees. At the end of the day,they need you more than you need them.

[SCOUT909]

Boxtops that is a Monthly Payment Plan where you decide a set amount you want to pay each month. Mine was a direct debit for the total cost/useage for that month, so fluctuated slightly each month. I have never had any problems until last month when they changed it to a quarterly direct debit in error. Now the problems have begun ! If they cant get this right I will go back to a quarterly paper bill.