Genesis billing problems

[trickyjoe7777]

My wife has contract phone with Genesis Commuincations. When account was set up 4 years ago it was on DDM. Each month she gets a bill from Genesis showing charges for that month, usually around £30 - £40. We have both assumed that this amount was being taken via DDM monthly.

Yesterday she receives a statement from Genesis stating no bills have been paid for 10 months and she owes circa £500!!

Phoned them immediately and explained that as far as concerned were on DDM - Genesis state that this is not set up.

They then demand full payment or will cut-off phone.

Explain that there is no way can pay this amount off, no sympathy, told pay it or lose service.

Now I know that you will all rightly say that we should have been checking bank statements and noticed DD not going out but whole basis for us putting all payments on DD is that we can then be confident they are paid monhly and not have to pay particularly close notice to them.

I understand that around the time the DDM was supposedly "cancelled" Genesis installed a new billing system which caused no end of problems, incorrect billing etc. I know for a fact that neither I nor my wife have cancelled the DDm with our bank.

Now I have no argument that this money is owed to Genesis but is it feasible for them to demand it all in one go and threaten to cut service if not paid?

At NO TIME during the last ten months have they contacted us via post, sms or phone to advise account was overdue.

Each bill received merely stated previous months charges and did not show an overdue amount.

I would have expected service to be suspended after first bill went unpaid, rather than let debt mount for nearly a year - surely this is the norm and that would have triggered a response from us and we would have been made aware DDM was not set up correctly.

In June, my wife actually upgraded her handset with Genesis! Surely they should not, from their own perspective, upgrade customers who were already 6 month in arrears with payment??? At this time my wife had numerous telephone conversations with members of their staff and received emails which form the upgrade contract - not once did anyone even notice the account was overdue!

As I say, no argument that monies are owed but surely Genesis have been completely at fault for allowing this debt to mount and not taking action sooner (or not even realising there was a prolem) and therefore an agrrement to pay back in installments which are affordable to ourselves whilst retaining use of the service is something they must agree to??

[buzby]

You're quite correct - you have a responsibility to pay your debts, but you gave Genesis the ability to take their payments and it was their error that they payments were not taken. Add to this they did not contract you in a timely manner to advise the payments were not being taken (note, not 'failed').

As they have shared responsibility you are looking to them for their proposals in order to lessen the problem - perhaps a 20% discount? If they plan to disrupt service anyway, and the numbers you have are important, arrange to have them transferred to another network or PAYG. They cannot prevent the numbers being ported due to an outstanding debt.

[trickyjoe7777]

Thanks Buzby - even if number is still in contract (upgrade in June) can my wife demand a PAC?

[buzby]

I've not had a straight answer from OFCOM (after 8 months!) but the issue over the contract is that the network (or Airtime Company) can summarily disconnect your service and when this happens no PAC is possible. However, if you have a binding contract is is for SERVICE not a particular number, so if you wanted to ensure its safety (from being held to ransom) is to say you want to transfer the number* elsewhere and as you are still contracted, you'd like them to provide a NEW number for your existing contract (for which there may be a modest charge).

Although I agree, if their communications skills are pretty dreadful so far, this will tax them to the limit!


*Say because of some short-term abuse by some nutter