Check Your Bt Direct Debits You Could Be Paying Too Much

[shoegirl]

Earlier last year a direct debit didn't go through ( due to bank charges). So BT set up a new monthly direct debit which was higher to cover the cost. After a few months of paying this I was fed up with paying £54 per month and other companies had better offers, so I canceled my BT contract and joined another company ( which I pay only £20 per month, phone and internet bundle). BT have sent me letters to pay their bill for the past 6 months. After numerous emails which never resolved matters I sat down and calculated how much extra I had paid BT by agreeing to the monthly direct debit.

BT 3 month charge normally £114.54

BT Direct Debit £54

Paid 03/06 - 04/07 = £702

BT normal charges for 12 months at £114.54 = £458.16

Deducting the bill that didn't go through( that started this) I had overpaid BT £129.30 by paying the new direct debit amount .

If BT have set up a higher monthly direct debit due to late payment check to see if you have paid too much for the same service other consumers are getting.

I have put this information in a letter to BT also adding that I want a refund of the overpayment and have given them 14 days to reply. Fingers crossed.

[buzby]

The figure BT use to calculate is an AVERAGE of the anticipated used over 12 months. A missed payment and seriously mess up the amounts, so irrespective of how you paid (assuming you allowed it) you would still have overpaid them due to the arrangement you had made.

 

As much as I dislike DDs, this was a different problem, and if you've now no need for this arrangement, BT will refund any overpayment when the account is closed without question.

[snu]

If you log in to your online account you can take payment holidays and reduce your monthly DD amount etc.

[shoegirl]

It is now January and BT still haven't refunded me.

Instead they have said that I owe them money from September to November 07, when I had cancelled them in March07. They referred my old account to Westcot Credit services, who for a credit agency have been great. I sent them a copy of the letter that I had sent to BT and explained the problem. They sent a letter to say that they would investigate the account. A couple of weeks later they sent a letter stating that they have investigated the situation and have closed the debt on their system and will not take further action, they had returned the account back to BT.

Can anyone tell me what to do next? I have written a first letter asking for my money back in the next letter what should I mention? Can I take them to the small claims court as in the way bank charges are reclaimed?

[BlueMeany]

They referred my old account to Westcot Credit services, who for a credit agency have been great.

 

That bit concerns me.

 

I'm guessing that BT may have been crediting your DD payments onto your "new"?? account. How come you have an "old" and (presumably) a "new" account?

 

You need to find out where your payments were going - only then can you work out things. If BT have taken more than you actually owe, then they WILL refund (I'm sure!) but they may have then refunded it onto your "new" account. Who knows?!!