Can't change call plan- now being massively overcharged

[#1]

Hi All,

I run my Mother-in-law's Plusnet account because she has dementia. She has a landline and copper internet.

She frequently calls us on both landline and mobile, sometimes 50 times per day.

Recently we went on holiday and switched the call plan from Unlimited UK & Mobile calls to Anytime International. This meant that we could receive calls from Mother-in-law without additional charges.

When we returned home we requested that the call plan be changed back to Unlimited UK & Mobile calls on 1st August.

Now I am frequently getting emails to say that my call credit is going to be exhausted and that to continue service I have to top up the account with a card transaction.

I have asked whether the change of call plan can be speeded up and I am told it will not happen until 27th August, by which time I may have to top up the call credit by hundreds of pounds.

Basically I've been told that's it, there's nothing anyone can do about it. It will cost me £150 to cancel the service altogether and that requires 2 weeks notice.

Pretty shoddy way to treat customers, especially when there isn't ,much we can do about the frequency of the calls, whilst Mother-in-law can be a nuisance she relies on the phone (and it is also required for her welfare with an automated calling service to a 24/7 care service in case she falls or wanders). I would even be happy to ADD the call plan instead of switching it but having 2 call plans is also not possible.

I am not hopeful of a satisfactory solution, so if other customers are in a similar situation, please be advised that Plusnet don't really care. Think carefully about switching provider to one with more flexible call plans and charges.

[#2]

@MarkBirch Call plans can be changed, but they change on the next billing date after you request the change - sounds like your mothers billing date is the 27th?

[#3]

Hi John,

yes, I’m stuck on I the international call plan until then, no doubt incurring hundreds of pounds of charges.pretty terrible way to treat a customer with dementia.

[#4]

Unfortunately, @MarkBirch 'That's the way the system works', and I understand your frustration, but there is little anyone can do to solve it, as it is an automated system.

Couple of points which arise from this - Are you an authorised user on the account (I would guess so) and have you filled out the 'Additional Support' form?

[#5]

It's my account, just that the service is at my Mother-in-law's address.

I'm an IT consultant, so I do understand very well that 'automated system' is often simply a way of saying that we don't offer any kind of exception to our established processes. Even in cases where the process could be more nuanced to assist more vulnerable customers. Hence my comment in the original post suggesting that plusnet customers with more flexible requirements might think twice.

I have called customer service 3 times requesting 'additional support' and none was forthcoming, I genuinely fail to see how filling in a form will help?

EDIT: I've filled in the form

[#6]

Moderators Note

This topic has been moved from Home Phone to My Account/Billing

[#7]

I'm not clear what's using the call credit - surely Anytime International plan includes unlimited UK calls? Are the calls lasting more than an hour each?

When you hit the smart-cap you can't make more chargeable calls (in this case that may be a good thing?), but you should still be able to make the inclusive calls.

Edit: actually I've realised that not being able to make chargeable calls may not be good in this case - the alarm calls are often chargeable. I hit that problem with my sister (I am the account holder) when she hit the smart-cap and couldn't make emergency calls to the alarm company. That issue has never been resolved, so vulnerable people with alarms continue to be at risk from having a smart-cap - there needs to be a better solution.

[#8]

Someone moved this - just before I hit post - so I'll have re-type the whole thing

That changes the situation. Plusnet, like most, if not all, CPs automate as much of their systems as possible, and do not employ an army of fully-trained IT consultants as call-centre operatives. At a guess, I would say this applied to all CPs.

As you are the account holder, I agree the A/S form is a waste of time, as it is account-holder not service location specific, although they (PN) may take notice should service issue (no phone/internet access) arise.

[#9]

Apparently not, it's the calls to our mobile numbers that are racking up.

The problem is that the call plans are inflexible, the switching is inflexible, and there can only be one call plan active at any time.

[#10]

Ah, wow! I've re-read the call plan, and there are no UK mobile minutes! So you can call USA mobiles, but not UK ones - amazing!

[#11]

Yes, and I can only do either International OR UK, not both - it's really just a bad set of call plan options given you can only have one.

I would need to go on holiday for an entire billing period for the current offerings to make sense.....

[#12]

There is an option to add 100 minutes UK mobile calls to the Anytime International plan for £3/month

[#13]

Thanks for the suggestion, but she's calling up to 50 times per day......

[#14]

Hi there,

I'm really sorry to see this.

Can you private message me the account username so I can see what we can do? 

@jab1 wrote:

As you are the account holder, I agree the A/S form is a waste of time, as it is account-holder not service location specific, although they (PN) may take notice should service issue (no phone/internet access) arise.

Not a waste of time at all as you can make us aware if there's anyone in the household who needs additional support. 

[#15]

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@Gandalf wrote:

@jab1 wrote:

As you are the account holder, I agree the A/S form is a waste of time, as it is account-holder not service location specific, although they (PN) may take notice should service issue (no phone/internet access) arise.

Not a waste of time at all as you can make us aware if there's anyone in the household who needs additional support. 

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OK, sorry - I wasn't aware of that. Always happy to learn, though.😉