Non direct debit fees..

[Consumer dude]

Are they legal ?

[Consumer dude]

Further to this, my mobile service provider wants to charge me £3.50 because I apparently paid on a credit card. I had informed them at the start of the contract that I am unable to pay by direct debit and I do not believe they should be charging me to pay by any other method. Where do I stand ?

[Consumer dude]

Anyone ?

[jacktheband]

Yes, they are legal, but the charge must do no more than cover the costs the company incurs in processing the payment. I'd say that £3.50 per month is about standard.

 

Ofcom introduced regulations in 2013 relating to payment surcharges (which is what non-direct debit fees are classed as) - more info found at http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/consultations/addcharges/faq

[Consumer dude]

My contract with T mobile had ended and therefore I looked around for a new 12 month contract, so moved to EE who gave me there account details to pay online. I was surprised to note that the account number and sort code was exactly the same as the T mobile details. I therefore continued to pay in the same way, only to find the payment never reached EE, anyway fast forward, I found myself having to pay by credit card on this one occasion to bring my account up to date as a cheque was sent to me in order that I could make another payment. (I'm not making this up honestly) I have incurred a fee for apparently bringing my account up to date. How bizarre is this..

[Consumer dude]

I am intending to make a formal complaint to EE. How best to go about this ?

[2ltr16valve]

I wouldn't waste your time. I've done that route with EE CEO office about these charges and got no where.

 

I pay my bill online, using my debit card. An still get hit with this charge !! How it can possibly cost them anything for a computer to allocate the payment to my account is beyond me.

 

I will never have a direct debit with them as they sometimes add random charges and try taking them.

[Consumer dude]

As the fee is separate from my normal charges, can I just deduct that fee from the normal bill and challenge them to sue me ?

[2ltr16valve]

As the fee is separate from my normal charges, can I just deduct that fee from the normal bill and challenge them to sue me ?

 

Nope as it will just build up and then they will suspend your account for overdue balance. Been there too lol

[SabreSheep]

the fee is part of your T+Cs

 

They would have grounds to sue you for the shortfall plus any costs incurred of the legal action. Also the fee would simply be an arrear on the account and could result with all the normal sanctions such as disconituing service etc.

[Consumer dude]

I agreed to the contract verbally and I had not agreed to fees/charges for paying by any particular way..

[jacktheband]

You would have agreed to their Ts&Cs - where it is referenced within. They are quite covered in charging it, and although i don't agree with the charge myself it is fairly above board and not something you can get away from paying if you have taken out a contact with them (and have therefore agreed to their TS/Cs)

[Consumer dude]

I had verbally accepted something completely different and any t&c which may have been sent, well who would read them. Another stitch up in this computer generated [problem] of a system..