This must be the record for incompetence!

[#1]

PLUSNET FAILED TO TAKE my monthly payment today - and immediately cut me off. I actually managed to get through on the phone in about 10 minutes - believe it or not - and I was told that being cut off was an error. Like the fact I re-set up the DDR days ago and they still failed to collect it, even though it had been the same for at least two years.
Guess what? I asked for a MAC code to leave and I was put on hold to another department! After 10 minutes I hung up.
When I look at my bill I see that they have the cheek to charge me £1.50 for not using a direct debit!
Can you beat this for incompetence and the very bad treatment of a customer who has been with them for about 5+ years?
I think Sky will be my next call ...
jim:red All caps in title changed as per this Forum Rule mod:end

[#2]

Don't go to Demon Internet - good technology but abysmal accounts department. I cancelled with Thus/Demon solely because of the bad treatment I had from their accounts.

[#3]

Something doesn't seem right here....
Did the original direct debit payment fail (lack of funds in account or cancelled by you)? Did you not get any warning you were in arrears?
It takes 3 days to set up a direct debit and a further 3 days to mandate payment...so setting a new one up days ago would not have worked anyway. I believe it says this somewhere?
It would have been impossible for them to take a direct debit today anyway as it's a weekend.

[#4]

Quote from: ariosto

I think Sky will be my next call ...

Gosh you really MUST be desperate!

[#5]

I changed the DDR setup about two weeks ago and then changed it back to the original account about 8 days ago. There is no problem with funds in the account and on the phone today to Plusnet it was suggested that it may take ten days to set up a direct debit. (But that is not my problem).
In fact the account is the one we have used for the last couple of years, and the bank is usually very efficient, unlike Plusnet.
I'm already looking at alternative ISP's and unless Plusnet gets this sorted in 24 hours I will be leaving. If I do not get the MAC code in four or five days I will be making an official complaint to OFCOM.

[#6]

Quote from: ariosto

<Snip> changed it back to the original account about 8 days ago. <Snip> Plusnet it was suggested that it may take ten days to set up a direct debit

That seems to pinpoint the reason for the problem...  You're not the first person to be caught about by this delay but this page certainly confirms that you should have a couple of weeks before you account is restricted.

[#7]

Hi ariosto, really sorry about that. Glad you're back online and sorry for the messing around. We'll be happy to refund that £1.50, at present we can't from the current invoice as it's still processing but we'd be happy to do so once it's gone through or if you'd rather we can refund it from a previous invoice?

[#8]

Hi Matt Taylor
You could better still send me a cheque to my home address. Thanks.

[#9]

That would take a lot longer to do than wait and process the refund in all honesty. I'll ask though if it's urgent?

[#10]

What I do find bizarre and very strange is that with all the complaints about dreadful service and hour long waits on the phone,  I discovered Plusnet  is actually running the John Lewis broadband. When I phoned them I thought I had got a wrong number because the person who answered with a few seconds said "hello, Plusnet."
I phoned again a few hours later to ask if if Plusnet was the ISP at John Lewis, and again the phone was answered in a few seconds with "hello, Plusnet.."  So I got confirmation that Plusnet is running the show, and this person said that they answer as both JL and PN.
So PN are putting two fingers up to their own customers whilst answering on behalf of JL in less than 30 seconds!!
Personally Io think this is an insult and totally unacceptable.
What do other people think?

[#11]

Based on that , maybe we should all start ringing the JL number instead 
Regards
Mike

[#12]

Maybe JL don't have so many customers with broadband or phone issues [cough]  

[#13]

Hi Mr Taylor
Yes, it would be OK to credit the £1.50 against the next payment or a past payment or the current one which is still waiting for PN to take as a Direct Debit.
I'm still looking at other ISP's. Does anyone know if the Tesco one is any good? (I hope it not also being run by PN!)

[#14]

Hmm Tesco or Plusnet..., I suppose it's a case of horses for courses  

[#15]

I've made an official complaint to OFCOM regarding Plusnet as I asked for a MAC key some 5-6 days ago and it has not been given to me. This is a case of PN breaking the law.