The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

[#1]

The Bad:-
First invoice of renewed contract for BB arrived and guess what it was incorrect why can't PN's systems get it right first time, are they fit for purpose?
The Good:-
I phoned PN CS at 8.14am and pressed the buttons to get to accounts & billing and my call was answered in under a minute, very good!
The CSC Analyst (Katie S) was very helpfull and hopefully has sorted out the PN invoicing errors, fingers crossed the next invoice in November wil be spot on.
The Ugly:-
As is the way with PN the incorrect sum of money will need to come out of my bank account by DD first before it can then be refunded as it can't be stopped apparently, why not?
Then I will have to wait a unknown number of days before the credit winds it's way back into my bank account.

[#2]

Hi Alastair
Could always use the direct debit guarantee, and let PN sort their own mess out, and bill you properly , strange how PN never inform customer of the direct debit guarantee, when billing go's wrong, preferring to borrow the customers money , then refund , i assume this way is more convenient and less hassle for them, but  more hassle for the customer.
Kind Regards
Mike

[#3]

Hi Mike,
Hopefully I won't have to wait long for the immediate refund, I'll look back at the last time this happened and see when the refund appeared in my account compared to when the DD was taken.
2nd Edit:-
It took around 14 consecutive days from the date the monthly incorrect debit left my account for the refund to be credited back into my bank account.

http://www.directdebit.co.uk/DirectDebitExplained/Pages/DirectDebitGuarantee.aspx
1st Edit:-
I wonder if the guarantee is for when the incorrect amount/payment is taken from an account rather the the DD itself being wrong i.e. DD says £xx and the amount debited by the bank is £yy regardless if the DD should actually have been £ww?

[#4]

Nope - the guarantee just states that "if an error is made" you are "entitled to a full and immediate refund"
Complain to your bank.
As I understand it, if a company who uses the Direct Debit system gets regular complaints about errors then they risk losing access to the Direct Debit facility

[#5]

Not sure about that as it says here third paragraph down:

Quote

If you have any concerns (for example you believe the amount on the advance notice is incorrect) you should contact the organisation directly to resolve.

The organisation in this case being Plusnet.

[#6]

The problem there is the assumption that the "organisation" are capable of  correcting the error *before* the funds are extracted. This is why there is an advance notice. It seems that PlusNet have no facility to change things once the notice has been sent.

[#7]

Thanks for the feedback
Looks like systems rather than individuals on this occasion. Though Katie has also done the necessary to amend and fix the contract.
Matty

[#8]

...or the assumption is that you are able to ensure sufficient funds so that the DD does not fail/incur charges ...  Whilst the DD guarantee suggests a ten working day notice, it is just that, a suggestion.
Additionally, the request for payment is sent well before the payment date so that the payment is received on the due date and, it seems, there is no approved mechanism to make changes once the request has been made. Plusnet appear to issue the "notice of payment" as part of the "request for payment" procedure, which is not contrary to the guarantee, and then refunds the overpayment appropriately (strictly, you cannot refund a payment or part of a payment you have not received ).
For VADD payments, the "correct" amount the is sum notified, as far as the DD guarantee is concerned, though it may not be the amount that should have been requested.
Phil

[#9]

Update
After some ticket contact with PN CS re. the incorrect invoice raised the Direct Debit removed the incorrect amount from my account on the 23rd October, however PN gave me a credit for the same amount via my Debit Card bank account which appeared on the 21st October, not often you get a credit before the debit is taken!
Thanks for getting that sorted Plusnet.