Home Phone Price changes and Line Rental Saver

[#1]

Despite my doubts expressed in this forum I did decide to leave legacy 240 and sign up for LRS. On past use there wouldn't have been much in it but I anticipate that my usage patterns may be changing in the year to come.
Today I received "advanced notice" of the direct debit that Plusnet is going to take from my bank account. Having taken my LRS payment  PN still billed me £12.99 for the line rental. Despite getting on the phone within 10 minutes of the email arriving I was told that the DD cannot be stopped and that the overpayment will be refunded once it is received.
Why is it that Plusnet has such problems with billing correctly and why is it that, unlike any other utility that I have come across, one doesn't get a week or two to correct any errors BEFORE the payment is taken? However good customer service gets bad billing will significantly reduce customer satisfaction.

[#2]

@littlebird
We should be honouring any retention offers made to you. Let me know if you've been told to the contrary.

[#3]

littlebird last posted 2 Nov and was taiking about leaving
Name: littlebird
Posts: 22 (0.043 per day)
Position: Member
Date Registered: 22/07/2010, 19:29
Last Active: 02/11/2011, 20:18

[#4]

As a matter of interest has BT Wholsale increased their prices if so by how much, or is it just retail providers putting their prices.

[#5]

Quote

last posted 2 Nov and was taiking about leaving

no one had replied and we still have to try!

[#6]

Quote from: glloyd

As a matter of interest has BT Wholsale increased their prices

Doubt you'll get an answer to that question 

[#7]

Just took a look at BT's prices, though I've signed up for PN's Line Rental Saver so won't be changing back to them for line rental.
Not only does PN work out cheaper for 'Anytime' but also for 'Evening and Weekend'.
BTs basic 'free' package is 'Weekend' only; you have to pay £3.15 a month to get 'Evenings and Weekend' calls as inclusive: http://www.productsandservices.bt.com/consumerProducts/displayTopic.do?topicId=30390

[#8]

No surprise if I don't so I will assume wholsale have not increased prices.

Quote from: nadger

Quote from: glloyd As a matter of interest has BT Wholsale increased their prices Doubt you'll get an answer to that question

[#9]

Sorry Glloyd, we can't really go into that. There's been a number of factors that determined the price rise and the decision was made by ourselves to do so.

[#10]

I would not mind betting that because BT retail decided to raise their prices yet again the rest of the providers, including plusnet, jumped on the bandwagon. This is why I think it's time OFCOM and OFT looked into it.

[#11]

Quote from: Mad

Just took a look at BT's prices, though I've signed up for PN's Line Rental Saver so won't be changing back to them for line rental. Not only does PN work out cheaper for 'Anytime' but also for 'Evening and Weekend'. BTs basic 'free' package is 'Weekend' only; you have to pay £3.15 a month to get 'Evenings and Weekend' calls as inclusive: http://www.productsandservices.bt.com/consumerProducts/displayTopic.do?topicId=30390

Incorrect I'm afraid at least in my case.
BT "Evening and Weekends" is free if you take a 12 month contract - and since you're paying up front for 12 months line rental there's no reason not to go with that.
Just one "however" - and that is that when I switched my line rental from monthly to yearly, although the website correctly noted I already had a 12 month E+W free contract in place, there wasn't an option at the website to select it. I rang up and a very helpful Scottish lady noted she knew the website was defective and would put it straight through at no cost so I just paid the £120 - no problem...

[#12]

My answer above is of predicated on there not having been a change on December 3 when BT's prices changed - I switched on December 2 to obviate any problems.
EDIT  ... and I suppose that offer may only have been available to existing customers in any case as a "loyalty" bonus - I've had it several years now.

[#13]

That's not what seems to say here for Evening and Weekends:
http://www.productsandservices.bt.com/consumerProducts/displayTopic.do?topicId=31674&packid=uewp
i.e. states that it's a 12 month contract - cost £3.15 + £10 line rental (the £120 up front presumably), though it also says you do get 3 free Call Features
The Weekend (only) inclusive calls is just the £120 up front 12 month contract.
http://www.productsandservices.bt.com/consumerProducts/displayTopic.do?topicId=31674&packid=uwp
If BT's E&W is indeed free, then they definitely don't describe it very well, as you say you were told!!!
I went over to PN's line rental early 2008 when there was some sort of offer and then took the Anytime special offer. Now I've opted for the 12 months up front offer. Prefer to have it all as one bill! (Used to have BT for line rental, Tesco for calls and PN for Broadband.)

Just seen your reply, so maybe it was a loyalty bonus like several I've had from PN.

[#14]

Sorry if this has been asked before, I haven't got time to go through the 9 pages of posts
I have E&W now (monthly @12.99) + 1 call feature
If I change to the Line Rental Saver ( £113.88 a year) would I still have E&W calls? (obviously the call feature is separate)
Thanks!

[#15]

Yes you would - I checked by going here http://www.plus.net/packages/?source=subBox and clicking on "+line rental from £9.49" under the left hand column which covers exactly your situation