Thread: NTL

I'm helping my sister to resolve her debt issues and as well as writing to the bank I'm trying to resolve an issue with NTL. She has been charged 'downgrade' fees by NTL as they have reduced her telephone/tv package due to an arrears (she is paying a nominal amount each month to clear). However in addition to the £25 per month for the package she is being charged £11 downgrade fee as they will not reinstate the full telephone/tv package until the arrears has cleared. Basically they are adding a further £11 per month to the debt and I was wondering if the same principle applies as with the bank charges and if you think we would be able to reclaim these too:? ??

Has anyone had any experience with NTL? If it makes any difference this has now been put in the hands of debt collection and NTL won't speak to her on the telephone as they have passed the matter onto the debt firm......helpful as usual!!

Any comments would be most appreciated.

re ntl they are a realy bad firm to deal with
did they try to charge your sister for bills she has not recieved

Wonder how long it is before some posts the classic letter.....

You mean this one...

http://www.wibbler.com/archives/2002/10/ntl_letter.php

Lost that from my favorites thanks for posting - that has to be a classic.

My sister received all her bills so no additional charges there but I've posted the bank letter to reclaim the charges (albeit slightly amended)when I sat down and worked it out she had been charged £82 within a six month period for downgrading - I would accept a one off charge for downgrading because afterall surely you only downgrade once!?!

I couldn't find anything relating to closing the account but at least it means no further charges from now on......the debt firm were quite helpful but said they could not get involved with the detail behind the arrears.

Will keep you posted, nothing ventured, nothing gained........!

Does anyone know about this?

"the debt firm were quite helpful but said they could not get involved with the detail behind the arrears"

What is the legal position on this? I.e. NTL ignore you because they've instructed a debt collector, who in turn refuses to discuss the details of the debt.

Since the customer is disputing the debt, to whom is the fact of this dispute to be addressed?

Couldn't the collection agency be co-liable (or something) for enforcing an unlawful debt?

the debt agency are totally liable if they are enforcing a disputed debt. liability lies with the people who are doing the enforcing.

As I understood it the debt collector acts as an agent of the company that appointed them to collect the debt. The debt collector is required by law and by codes of practice to behave in a particular way (many choose to ignore this). However, the original creditor is legally responsible as well for the conduct of the debt collector.

It is usually better to try to deal with the original creditor if there is a dispute over the debt. If you try to do it throught the debt collector it will slow things down and gives ample opportunity for mis-communication.

NTL cannot shirk responsibility for any errors that they made in administering the account. If they try to do this take the matter to your local Trading Standards office.

Thanks......

Its easy to see why people just roll over, my sister has been pushed from pillar to post on this but they're messing with the wrong chick this time!

Will keep you all posted and thanks again for your comments.

Found this information regarding NTL's T&C. My understanding of this means one months notice to downgrade and therefore 'a' fee will be charged........doesn't mention anything about every month thereafter!

Also, they never wrote to her saying they were terminating the agreement so surely they are in breach of their own terms and conditions?!?!

Comments please..............answe rs on a postcard!


3. Duration

3.1 Our Services are subject to a minimum Initial Term starting on the date we activate the Services. You can only terminate this Agreement during the Initial Term if conditions 19.4 or 20.1 apply, otherwise we may charge you a cancellation charge which will be the charges which would have been payable to the end of the Initial Term. During the Initial Term, you may downgrade all or any of your Services to the entry level or starter package for the relevant Services by giving us one month's written notice. We may charge you a reasonable fee for a Service downgrade.

3.2 After the minimum period, either you or we may terminate this Agreement and/or any of the Services covered by this Agreement on one month's written notice.