General Chat

I've just been reading about this on Yahoo news:

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/pressass/20080328/tuk-woman-to-sue-bt-over-cash-charges-6323e80.html

I hope she goes ahead and wins. I recall there are a number of us who've posted on this board who object to being charged extra for the "privilege" of paying bills!

Its on the TV now as well!

Good for her I say!

xx

Yes its a solicitor from Sutton Coldfield who has gone to the High Court to claim that the £1.50 surcharge that BT charge each month to those who don't pay their bills by direct debit is ileagl....hope she wins and they are ordered to refund all such fees

If she wins then all the other companies who have taking to charging customers for paying, will also get taken to account.

This could benefit so many people!

Virgin charge £5 a month !!

Case thrown out by thee court. BT say they have been vindicated, the big boys win again!

Oh no! No justice there then!

She is planning to appeal fingers crossed

Could an representative body like Watchdog instigate a case action? Or even a tabloid paper like the Sun or Daily Mail?

I suspect that enough members of the public will get involved if they are given the opportunity of rallying effectively. This is one where the Big Boys must really be forced to behave!

The lady who sued is a well respected local solititor and broadcaster on local radio so I dont think wev'e heard the last of this one

i have always paid my bt bill as soon as i could, but since the introduction of the £4.50 for not paying by d d i now wait for them to send a reminder. even then i wait until last minute to pay at the bank what i owe.
this time it backfired on me and i left it a bit too late.
i had a phone call to say if i didnt pay it now by debit/credit card i would have the phone cut off and have to pay £20 to have it reconnected.
i had planned on paying it the day after - by cheque (to make them wait a bit longer) but as i need the phone for internet i was forced to act there and then.
we dont really need the phone to make calls as all the family have mobiles, i do not use bt for making calls, i used another company who get prompt payment for calls made.
my last bill was -
£28.07 RENTAL CHARGES
£2.55 CHARGES FROM BT FOR BT ANSWER (?)
£4.50 PROCCESSING FEE
£5.37 VAT

total £40.49 cost of calls 7p making a grand total of £40.56.
for late payment i then had to pay £7.

i am not very happy about this at all.
i hope the solicitor lady doesnt let it lie.
i hate direct debits for things and end up getting in a mess when i cant see proper CASH going out.
tina x

The lady who sued BT has just been on the radio to say she plans to petition parliment to change the law so that such charges become ilegal

I missed the broadcast Colin. Does that mean she's going to set up one of those online surveys?

I've signed quite a few of those surveys, often on quite major issues. They unfortunately achieve nothing apart from allowing the Government to tick their "yes we have a democracy" box.