Final demand from an ISP

[kiethton]

bhstewie said:

kiethton said:

Only became regulated a few weeks ago and this historic, think this was borne from confusion - first place

I just don't understand how they can just randomly decide how much to charge without me knowing, they advertise £2.50 a month, happy to pay them that and no more - £10 tops... £230 is a bit much really!

I think the point that people are making is that companies can't just magically and randomly start taking money from your bank account - they have got the details somehow.

The paperwork you think you might have completed appeared somehow.

For it to be in your name something will have happened at the ISP.

Are you honestly saying that if you call the ISP they are disavowing any knowledge of having you on their system as a customer whilst they're conceding that they have a direct debit mandate in place and they have sent a final demand for non-payment?

Respectfully something just doesn't sound right about your version of events.

The only paperwork I sorted for the flat came from either the solicitor or the previous owner, all just DD forms with no supporting documents.

When calling it requires you to input your home phone number before they put you through (I have never asked or used this so don't have one). So I can't talk to them.

When on the online chat they have no details of anything bar my name, the flat address and the previous owners contract starting in Jan and finishing in Septemer when I got my sky contract. I've never used a service from this ISP as I only moved in a little while ago (refurb).

When I noticed that money was being taken by them I got all charges reversed by the bank as I could get no help on the Internet chat (can't phone) - (c.£70 to when I noticed about 8 weeks ago) and have now got a demand for £230....I've never requested or used the service provided and now there in my name.

I know that no contract is valid without the terms of that contract being disclosed, a signed DD can't mean that they are free to take what they like without prior warning or notification of conditions. I'm now struggling to actually tell them to go away, can't get past the monkey at the typewriter to get to somebody with authority/a brain.

Very tempted to let it run and sue me as they won't get anywhere owing to the above.

[PurpleMoonlight]

kiethton said:

I know that no contract is valid without the terms of that contract being disclosed, a signed DD can't mean that they are free to take what they like without prior warning or notification of conditions. I'm now struggling to actually tell them to go away, can't get past the monkey at the typewriter to get to somebody with authority/a brain.

Well Mr Pot, I suggest you write to them instead and ask for proof of debt.

[wiggy001]

Why don't you say who the ISP is and I sure someone can give you a number to call to actually speak to someone about this. Or are you just asking for a way of getting out of a contract you have signed up to by mistake?

As already said, I worry about your clients if you are happy to sign paperwork without reading it

[kiethton]

To be fair I'm normally rather anal, was just in the middle of half a million things so utilities and DD's weren't the most important thing at the time.

Happy to nane them, just didn't know if it was against N&S, Talk Talk

[jammy_basturd]

kiethton said:

When calling it requires you to input your home phone number before they put you through (I have never asked or used this so don't have one). So I can't talk to them.

Stay on the line and you should get through to an operator.

Still can't believe you went signing DDs without knowing what or how much they were for!!

[wiggy001]

Why don't you say who the ISP is and I sure someone can give you a number to call to actually speak to someone about this. Or are you just asking for a way of getting out of a contract you have signed up to by mistake?

As already said, I worry about your clients if you are happy to sign paperwork without reading it

[pinchmeimdreamin]

The way I read it the op received several DD mandates from he previous tenant and was told they were for utilities and signed without checking.

Can yo no contact he previous tenant and ask hem for here old phone number ?

[JustinP1]

kiethton said:

I know that no contract is valid without the terms of that contract being disclosed, a signed DD can't mean that they are free to take what they like without prior warning or notification of conditions. I'm now struggling to actually tell them to go away, can't get past the monkey at the typewriter to get to somebody with authority/a brain.

There's an exception to the contractual situation you've described.

If they reasonably took from your actions that you wanted to have an agreement with them, and they have acted upon that, then that makes your situation a little more sticky.

And old sod can say I didn't read the T&Cs, that's not a defence.

The repost to what you have said is "What kind of reasonable person signs an authorisation for a company to take money from their bank account without the genuine belief that they are entering into contractual relations?"

How did you get the DD mandate to them? Surely it would have had to have had their name, your name and your address on it?

[Seesure]

wiggy001 said:

Why don't you say who the ISP is and I sure someone can give you a number to call to actually speak to someone about this. Or are you just asking for a way of getting out of a contract you have signed up to by mistake?

As already said, I worry about your clients if you are happy to sign paperwork without reading it

I believe he has ... Speak Speak

[Moonhawk]

kiethton said:

I just don't understand how they can just randomly decide how much to charge without me knowing, they advertise £2.50 a month, happy to pay them that and no more - £10 tops... £230 is a bit much really!

£2.50 per month sounds like a very basic BB package - which probably has data limits that you have exceeded by watching streaming video. Going above your data cap normally involves additional charges (will have been in the T&Cs)

[DrDeAtH]

OP... That ISP company is a shower of st to deal with. Friend of mine kept getting monthly grief about a 'disconnection charge' even though he was free to leave his contract. Took about 5 months to resolve and numerous phone calls. You need to get past the initial call handler and onto a different department. But speak directly with a manager.

Good luck

[kiethton]

Moonhawk said:

kiethton said:

I just don't understand how they can just randomly decide how much to charge without me knowing, they advertise £2.50 a month, happy to pay them that and no more - £10 tops... £230 is a bit much really!

£2.50 per month sounds like a very basic BB package - which probably has data limits that you have exceeded by watching streaming video. Going above your data cap normally involves additional charges (will have been in the T&Cs)

That's the thing, I never used it or even knew it was running...

I was saying the £2.50 to just to pay away the confusion based on their advertised cost

[TheHound]

This makes no sense at all! OP you received a DD from the previous occupier (not even the company directly) and just signed these blindly? WOW!!!!!

Pay the money and put it down as a Stupidity Tax.

[Marti99]

Have you double checked that it is actually sky supplying your broadband and not this other company?

[BertBert]

OP you have been a bit of a tt. If you have signed a DD, then that says please take money from me.

What on earth did you think that signing the dd mandate meant?

FFS what is wrong with people?

Bert

[Hythan]

Option 1;

Read their complaints procedure on their website. If there is an alternative number, call it. If not, write an email stating your case. They are obliged to answer. If you reach a deadlock on the matter, you can refer to the communications ombudsman.

Option 2;

Write to them.

Dear ISP

I write to you regarding the debt, you allege, I owe. If you have evidence of the services you have provided, or a contract of which I have entered, please provide it forthwith.

Yours

keithton


ETA: The above is not intended to avoid payment of this bill, it's to try to clarify WHY you owe the money, as you seem to be confused about that point. I would think it highly likely that you will owe the money.

Also, if they are a major ISP, do they have a physical shop you can visit? Even if just a stall in a shopping precinct?

I don't accept the fact that you cannot speak to somebody and ask for this to be explained to you by a human being. Type in a random telephone number and it will probably say "Sorry, that number is not recognised, please hold while you are transferred to a human". Is anyone you know with this ISP? If so, get them to call, use their number, once through to a human, start the conversation.

If you can't/don't want to do any of the above, then it would appear that you are just attempting to avoid a bill, rather than get to the bottom of why you owe it.

Edited by Hythan on Saturday 1st November 23:27

[rscott]

I can see how they've come to a figure of £230 - £2.50 a month for broadband plus you have to take their line rental (probably £13 or so a month) and they've billed for the remainder of the 18/24 month term.

[wiggy001]

TheHound said:

This makes no sense at all! OP you received a DD from the previous occupier (not even the company directly) and just signed these blindly? WOW!!!!!

Pay the money and put it down as a Stupidity Tax.

This. Several times over.

When I last moved I called all my suppliers and took out new contracts or moved my existing contracts to my new property. Why would anyone even see the need to take over someone else's BB contract, let alone blindly sign a number of DD mandates for other people's contracts?

[littleredrooster]

DrDeAtH said:

OP... That ISP company is a shower of st to deal with.
Good luck

^ ^ +1
An absolutely abhorrent shower of st. When my mother died, no-one in their (overseas) call centre understood the words 'deceased', 'died', 'dead', or 'passed away'.
"No, no - you owe two months line rental; pay now or have bailiffs"

[Gareth79]

It sounds like the previous owner printed out a "change of bank details" form or something, and the OP signed that.

I can't see how that binds the OP into any sort of contract with the ISP, the previous owner should have cancelled the service and/or got a MAC to transfer it. Unless the OP did sign some sort of contract/change of owner then the previous owner is liable for all charges.
.