Overcharged Monthly Billing

[#1]

My contract was set up for £17.99, I have been charged £30.73 for the last two months  Whilst having some internet difficulties for the last fortnight, I engaged with the support team to seek a fix. After the usual rigmarole, I was transfered to the contract team, to enquire about a fibre upgrade.  I took the opportunity to raise the issues with my billing.  I see this issue as an un-agreed change to the contracted billing and as such this is a breach of the contract, in so much as Plusnet are to advise of any changes to billing, which did not happen (2 months isnt really a mistake) I might add that this isn’t related to CPI and the representative on the phone, did not appear surprised that I had been overcharged and inferred that it was a known issue relating to ‘missed discounts’. Noting that for a known issue Plusnet did not come looking for me.

The ‘so what is,’ following a week of poor internet accessibility (rural area with a long corroded copper cable) and being evidentially overcharged, the fibre deal offered over the phone was more expensive and for a longer contract (2 years) than was available to every existing customer via the this website (did not know at the time)  Luckily I did not accept and chose to apply some consideration.

I now notice I have an email stating a credit of ‘ goodwill’.   Sorry but not honouring the contract payment value isn’t a matter of goodwill.  I am in contract to Jan 24 but believe I have grounds for freely exiting the contract, receiving compensation or getting a complimentary deal for fibre.

Appreciate some help/direction.

Many thanks 

[#2]

@RobinTinternet 

Did you advise Plusnet that the billing was incorrect at the first opportunity, that is, as soon as the first incorrect bill was issued, or did you leave it two months before complaining?

If you have your refund then why is it important what Plusnet choose to call it?

If you want the best upgrade deal then ring the Customer Options  Team on 0800 013 2632.

[#3]

Apologies, but people have busy lives and may not notice a issue straight away…  ‘My bad’ I think is the expression.  Overcharging my account is a Plusnet failure, period.  Whether I notice it in month 1, 2 or 3 is irrelevant, it doesn’t change the process failure, only the amount.  One event is a mistake, a second event is confirmation of a process failure and a third event is a trend.

I have not received a refund.

This is not about nomenclature, I care not what Plusnet call it, it could be it ‘Black Adder’, Lord Melchett’ or ‘goodwill.’  Importantly, it is the terminology and intent, a good will gesture is generally an optional compensatory act; returning what was wrongly removed is fundamentally a refund and not an act of good will.

It was the customer options team that rang me, to offer the substandard deal.

Have a great Christmas Baldrick1 and thanks for all your help 

[#4]

@RobinTinternet sorry for the late response, rather busy on this front at the moment.

I can completely understand where you are coming from. They added it as a credit against the account by the looks of it rather than a refund, is that what you were expecting?

[#5]

Appreciate the Plusnet Staff reply, thank you.

So despite the overall negativity associated with my lack of usable internet and the separate issue with being overcharged, part of the solution was to consider an upgrade to fibre. We can all appreciate the limitations of trying to squeeze mega data through a long rural antique copper wire, but I remain positive.

But being referred to an agent to discuss upgrading and then being offered a new contract which was £1.49 a month more than the standard online (existing customer) fibre upgrade option, with a contract 6 months longer than that being advertised, is blatantly rubbing salt into open wounds. Ultimately this was the catalyst for trying this forum.  Naively I had an expectation of a Plusnet Staff member transferring me to a private message area to discuss making things right or maybe just better.

This was where a genuine act of goodwill could have been embraced by Plusnet; appeasing a customer experiencing multiple issues.  Sometimes it’s hard to put a monetary value on customer satisfaction, but we all know there is generally plenty of leeway for proper acts of goodwill.

As for the credit/refund addressing being overcharged, until I have visibility of a physical transaction in my  account (currently only intent in an email) then the problem has not been resolved.  In answer to your question, my expectation is wholly based on the billed amount reflecting the contracted agreement.

[#6]

Update

Brilliant…. Thry apply a refund/credit/ goodwill gesture (call it what you will) which was nice (although my calculations point to them still owing me) then this month they revert back to over charging me exactly the same amount they did before coming on here. Twice the contracted amount.. 

oh dear

[#7]

@RobinTinternet 

I sounds as thought Plusnet issued a refund (by whatever means) rather than correcting the discount that should have been applied throughout your contract as well as the refund for the overcharged month(s).

Hopefully a staffer will pick this up and get it right this time. If not you could pursue it via the Complaints Code of Practice (see the link at the foot of the page) as that team will provide a dedicated handler ( who seem to have more clout within the company from my experience with billing issues) and you can get a written record of what is or is not being done via the ticket system.

Good luck.