Plusnet now want to charge me £1.50 extra a month.
Compared with some people those on DD will have avoided a lot more than an extra £1.50 being taken from their accounts. Perhaps the email should say
"If we make a mess of the billing system again you will be safe in the knowledge that we will be able to stop the money being taken from your account"
"If we make a mess of the billing system again you will be safe in the knowledge that we will be able to stop the money being taken from your account"
Sorry, but this seems to be a problem that Plusnet is having with it's own administration and bank. To say that it's to encompass failed payments is a bit of a nonsense really. The truth of the matter is that Plusnet, like many other companies needs to update it's software for handling the new Visa-Debit cards, instead of laying it on their customers. The problem has been around for a while, so you can't say that you've been taken unawares by it:
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/cards/2010/02/new-debit-card-holders-hit-with-mystery-charges
Even the OFT thinks these charges by banks and various companies is unfair. There are even cases where customers have successfully claimed back their money. Now I don't mind using direct debit, but I do hate being coerced into doing so. Thing is, do newly registered customers get charged this fee when they first sign up? No? Then it should waved for all of us!
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/cards/2010/02/new-debit-card-holders-hit-with-mystery-charges
Even the OFT thinks these charges by banks and various companies is unfair. There are even cases where customers have successfully claimed back their money. Now I don't mind using direct debit, but I do hate being coerced into doing so. Thing is, do newly registered customers get charged this fee when they first sign up? No? Then it should waved for all of us!
I heard a discussion about this on the R4 Today program.
You are stretching things rather by comparing the £1.50 charged by Plusnet with the £40 charged by Ryan Air!
Also it its a totally different type of payment. Plusnet's monthly fee is on a continuous authority; they are already providing the service. If the payment fails they have to go in to debt recovery procedures.
With Ryan Air it is a one off transaction with the customer on line actually waiting to see if the payment clears - if the payment fails Ryan Air don't provide a ticket - simple - no debt recovery.
You are stretching things rather by comparing the £1.50 charged by Plusnet with the £40 charged by Ryan Air!
Also it its a totally different type of payment. Plusnet's monthly fee is on a continuous authority; they are already providing the service. If the payment fails they have to go in to debt recovery procedures.
With Ryan Air it is a one off transaction with the customer on line actually waiting to see if the payment clears - if the payment fails Ryan Air don't provide a ticket - simple - no debt recovery.