Claimed back my direct debits, what's likely to happen

[SteSE]

Following a recent holiday to Dom Rep i came home to be greeted with a MASSIVE phone bill. I didn't make any phone calls whilst i was away so was surprised to see the £700 bill. The charges we made up from Data Charges.

 

They bill said that i was averaging 91 hours of data charges per day. No obviously that isn't possible and when i spoke to my provider they said that that was the only way they could make the cost fit the week i was away.

 

I've paid the bill by direct debit, it actually spanned across two invoices. A month later on and i claimed back these direct debits under the direct debit gaurentee.

 

It's been over a week now and no letter or call from my provider and the phone still working. What should i do next?

[Mark_Blackpool]

You will need to follow this up with the phone company because you're now in breach of your contract.

 

This is because you've had the direct debits reversed, not just the part you disagree with, but the whole lot - you can't do it partially. (One of the issues with direct debit)

 

So you will presumably owe part of those bills, e.g. the underlying line rental. You haven't paid that, so now you're in breach of contract and the supplier will probably cut the line off.

 

You need to pay the undisputed part which you actually owe, perhaps via cheque and with a letter accompanying it in which you formally set out what you agree with and what you do not.

[buzby]

Data calls are based on data volume, not 'minutes' so I've no idea who would even suggest that was a valid quantifier. When roaming, you do need to kill data access SPECIFICALLY as the phone will quietly be umpating itself and its applicaions, and the data cost - although unwelcome, IS legitimate.

 

I'm surprised you got the indemnity reversal, as I'm sure you were advised in your normal billing cycle that the cost would be 'X'. You cannot get a reversal because 'it's more than I'm repared to pay'. So inless you actually canccelled the DDM completely, they may call for it again.

 

Assuming you did cancel, the network isn;t stupid, and unless hte outstanding amount is paid by the due date, your outbound services will be restricted, followed by your incoming, then your contract will be cancelled, with a default placed on your credit file.

 

The time to negotiate is NOW, to see if you can reach some accommodation in repaying the money owed, but they're not obliged to - and will wreck your credit file if the bill isn't settled.

[SteSE]

Should they not publish they're abroad roaming charges? It's sharp practice to charge so much and one that a responsible provider should, i feel, make you aware of.

 

I didn't cancel the DDM, just claimed back the 2 DD that they took. I thought i would be in a better position to negotiate with the cash in my bank.

[buzby]

They do - it's on all the mobile websites. There will be a per Mb charge shown and the cost is pretty horrendous. It is 'commerce', not sharp practice. You have a choice - if it costs too much, then you don't use their service - when I go abroad I use an Internet Cafe for a couple of $ and for this slight inconvenience I'm laughing all the way to the bank.

 

The high cost is based on the fact the foreign network provides the service and infrastructure, and as a roamer you pay higher than the locals. Then, your network bills you this cost, adding their margin for profit (all legal), and then they bill you. If you bought a local pre-paid SIM you would have out this gravy train.

 

Now that I think about it, credit cards actually work in the very same way, so it's not an unusual occurrence. We all know a CC costs much more to use abroad, and mobile phones are no different.