Wrong amount 4 months backdated bill actioned on direct debit with no chance to set up payment plan.

[#1]

I was told i would be receiving a backdated bill for upto 4 months payments so contacted PN via chat to tell them they cannot take that amount via direct debit as it would mess up my mortgage payment from the bank etc.....the operator reassured me it would not be taken without 5 days notice and in that time i can set up a payment plan so I left the direct debit in place.

summary quote of first chat....

Me: I've had an email saying you will back date my bill 3-4 months because youve had problems...you can't do that as it will mess up my mortgage payment.
[CSA Removed]: I am sorry about that, unfortunately, we have had issues with our billing system in regards to generating invoices. These amounts are applicable up to 90 days for the services you have been using. If you would like we can arrange a payment plan once the invoice has generated

Me: I'll have to do that, that is why it was on direct debit to spread the cost

Me: so i need to cancel my direct debit or you'll just take it and mess me up?
[CSA Removed]: We would not suggest to cancel the Direct Debit but for us to set up a payment plan, we would need an outstanding balance on your account.

Me: so can you set it now then?
[CSA Removed]: No, as I mentioned we need wait for the invoice to generate first of all.

Me: So how do i know you won't just take it if the diect debit is in place?
[CSA Removed]: We will take if the Direct Debit is in place, however, we let you know of the amount 5 working days before we take the payment. At this point it is your choice if you want the cancel the Direct Debit.

Me: 5 days warning, you swear that?
Me: and then i can set up payment plan?
[CSA Removed]: Yes.

At 3.42 in the morning yesterday i got the email saying my bill was ready...opened it and it was clearly wrong so back on chat to correct the bill and set up a payment plan as i was advised previously.

I am told that yes, the bill is wrong as discounts haven't been applied and the money was requested via direct debit YESTERDAY so it cannot be stopped and i cannot set up a payment plan....EVERYTHING I ASKED PN NOT TO DO THEY DID REGARDLESS.

I have now cancelled the direct debit to stop the payment and am told this will effect my credit rating because of an unnecessary failed payment caused by Plunet.

I guess i will now have to wait until they threaten me with something because the payment failed?

I'm disgusted with the service and advice i have received from Plusnet for a fault of their own.

All this hassle for intermittent broadband! "WE'LL DO YOU PROUD"

Summary quote of second chat....

Me: are you saying it's being taken now?? please see my last chat..told i will have 5 days to arrage payment
[CSA Removed]: the payment was requested by direct debit yesterday

Me: This amount CANNOT be taken from my account
Me: are you there?
[CSA Removed]: At the moment as its been requested i cant stop it being taken

Me: i was only notified of this bill at 3 oclock in the morning via email so have 5 days to sort payment plan as promised!!
[CSA Removed]: On the email it states that : We'll soon be taking a payment of £163.99 for your service. This will leave your account on or after 8th October 2019.

[CSA Removed]: If you bank fail the payment thats when we can look at a payment plan

Me: THAT IS NOT WHAT I WAS TOLD ON MY LAST CHAT!!!!!
[CSA Removed]: Im really sorry if this wasnt what you were advised

Me: Please show me in your terms where it says you can take the money with less than 24hrs notice?
[CSA Removed]: We arent taking it with less than 24 hours notice

[CSA Removed]: We have requested the payment from your bank

[CSA Removed]: This takes around 5 days to process

Me: But stops me from setting up a payment plan and you've already told me it is for the wrong amount anyway....what are you going to do to help my situation that you have put me in through no fault of my own?
Me: why can i not set up payment still?
[CSA Removed]: We cant set up a payment plan without an outstanding balance

Me: Back to my previous question then, what are you going to do?
[CSA Removed]: at the moment I cant do anything until your balance shows outstanding

Me: when is that?...after you've taken it?
[CSA Removed]: It would be if your bank reject the payment which would be around 8/10/2019

Me: Right ,so i've now got to cancel the DD just to get this sorted???
[CSA Removed]: If your bank dont reject it then it will never be outstanding

[CSA Removed]: If you cancel the direct debit this will mean that the payment deffinatly fails

Me: And then what will happen?
[CSA Removed]: at that point you would need to contact us have the bill adjusted and set up the payment plan

Me: So, to summarise you've done nothing that i was advised you would do,...you've admitted the bill is overcharged , taken away my chance to make a payment plan and dropped me in it with my bank and other payment commitments just because YOU have billing problems....WE'LL DO YOU PROUD!!!
[CSA Removed]: im sorry that i have not been able to do anything todsy

Me: Wow...just wow

Moderator's note by Dick (Strat): Multiple CSA names removed (to an area staff can see) as per Forum rules.

[#2]

@Bigfoot1 

Please don't think that I am condoning Plusnet's approach to recovering this money but to be fair::

In the first web chat we have:

Me: So how do i know you won't just take it if the diect debit is in place?
[CSA Removed]: We will take if the Direct Debit is in place, however, we let you know of the amount 5 working days before we take the payment. At this point it is your choice if you want the cancel the Direct Debit.

In the second chat:

On the email it states that : We'll soon be taking a payment of £163.99 for your service. This will leave your account on or after 8th October 2019.

[CSA Removed]: If you bank fail the payment thats when we can look at a payment plan

Me: THAT IS NOT WHAT I WAS TOLD ON MY LAST CHAT!!!!!
[CSA Removed]: Im really sorry if this wasnt what you were advised

Surely cancelling the direct debit is what you were advised to do in the first chat?

[#3]

They also told me.... Me: so i need to cancel my direct debit or you'll just take it and mess me up?
[CSA Removed]: We would not suggest to cancel the Direct Debit but for us to set up a payment plan, we would need an outstanding balance on your account.

Me: 5 days warning, you swear that?
Me: and then i can set up payment plan?
[CSA Removed]: Yes.

Clear as mud...great customer service...

[#4]

What these communications are saying to me is that for some reason only known to their strange and wonderful new billing system is that it is necessary for there to be a DD in place at the time they raise the bill or it will fail at that point causing issues that have not been explained. Plusnet think it's better for a reason only known to themselves that they action the DD then give customers 5 days to cancel the DD and hence stop the money from being taken from the account. At this point they will agree a payment plan.

As I said before, I'm not trying to defend this bizarre way of working. I agree that it does require careful reading to understand.

[#5]

Hello @Bigfoot1,

Thank you for getting in touch and I am sorry to see it is under these circumstances. I really appreciate you taking the time to get in touch and alert us of your experience.

I have looked into the status of your account and responded via a ticket on your account here. This is due to it containing account sensitive information.

Please get back to us if you need any further assistance.

Sammy

[#6]

I am in a similar situation, having not been billed since May. Assuming that I will be subject to a similarly horrendous experience, is there any reason why I should consider staying with Plusnet? Alternatively, should I consider cancelling my DD well in advance?

[#7]

@tijara33 

Putting this into context, if you leave you will still have to pay for the previous 3 months. If you need to agree a payment plan then there is clear advice to not cancel a DD payment until you get advice that the payment will be taken in 5 days, at which point you contact Plusnet.

Considering that you will have also enjoyed several months of free service I am confused as to what you consider to be horrendous. If you do not follow these simple steps then I agree that you will probably have some hassle to sort out.

[#8]

Baldrick1.

" I am confused as to what you consider to be horrendous. If you do not follow these simple steps".

From what I read, it's not my following simple steps which may cause a problem but the fact that Plusnet were unable to follow their own procedures.

[#9]

Hi @tijara33,

I'm sorry to hear that your account is also affected by the suspended billing issue. Our billing team are working to resolve this for all customers and will send you a bill for the previous 90 days of service plus the next month in advance as normal once this is resolved on your account. If you're unable to make the full payment at the time, please contact your bank to stop the payment from being taken via direct debit and then contact us so that we can arrange a payment plan.

[#10]

Thanks Emily,

I'll keep my eyes open. My main concern is that I have been unable to pay my line rental saver & I'm concerned that I will be charged the higher monthly rate. Also I had just renegotiated my monthly broadband charge & I fear that will also be charged at a higher rate..Maybe someone could email with what the charges will be?

[#11]

Hi @tijara,

I'm sorry for your concerns around the line rental saver and your broadband offer. I've had a look into this now and have added this information as a ticket on your account that you can view here.

[#12]

Thanks Emily & I have replied to your message, noting that the price you have quoted is nothing like the figure I was offered before this debacle started in April.

I have now searched through the closed questions, not an easy task, & I have copied the correspondence to your good self. Accordingly please adjust my monthly charge to the agreed price.

Many thanks.

[#13]

Hi @tijara33

Thank you for getting back to us. 

I have provided an update for you via your open ticket here

We will check back over this tomorrow for you. 

Kind Regards

[#14]

Hi @OllieC,

And another day goes by & I hear nothing. All I am asking is that someone will please confirm that the offer I was given in April (see my closed messages) will still apply when you sort out my billing problem. What I am trying to do is avoid being over billed & then having to spent time & energy getting PN to sort it out. Surely this isn't too much to ask.

[#15]

Hi @tijara33,

I've responded to the ticket further. If there's any other queries that you'd like to raise with us then please don;t hesitate to get back in touch and we'll be more than happy to pick this back up for review.