More billing problems

[#1]

For the last several months, I have been unable to update my payment details, and as a consequence, Plusnet keep sending me warning texts, saying they are restricting my internet access, and I then have to make a payment over the phone.

For added giggles, the first thing that Plusnet cuts off access to is their own website, including the page where I might be able to make a payment.

This month, they have managed to take four payments from my bank, and they still flagged me as in arrears (now, I believe, sorted - until, presumably, next month). In addition, this has led to an overdraft charge from my bank.

I have been with Plusnet from the beginning, when it was called Force9, so, iirc, that's over 20 years - is this really the service you want to be offering to loyal customers?

I have an open support ticket on this, but in all honesty, and given the incompetence and failure to return calls or resolve the issue during the past several months, I'm now going to make as much noise as possible in the hope that bad publicity might spur you into action, since nothing else seems to have worked.

[#2]

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Post released from Spam Filter.

[#3]

Sorry to hear you've been having difficulties in making a payment and you're seeing multiple payments taken. I've added a reply to your support ticket 186696197 regarding this. 

Regarding making a payment online and changing your payment method, you should be able to do this from here. If you're unable to can you try a different web browser/device?

[#4]

Yes - and you're asking me to get a full statement from my bank since you can't find any record of the money you've taken.

For the record, the bank have confirmed that you have taken the money, and I'm currently on the phone with them to see if they can reverse 3 of the payments.

And, btw, I still can't update my payment details, whichever browser I use - you seem to think I've updated details within the last 24 hours.

Bottom line, you're sorry and apologetic, but doing absolutely nothing to resolve this idiocy.

Really not happy - I think you've lost a customer (after 20 years) - "We'll do you proud"? Really?

[#5]

Sorry that you feel this way.

It's likely the payments are showing in a pending state rather than actually taken, but we'd like a statement to clarify this.

With regards to changing your payment details I'd be happy to call you back to sort this out over the phone if you like. Feel free to PM me the best contact number and rough timeframe for a call.

[#6]

FYI I have spoken again to my bank, and these payments are not 'pending' - they have been taken.

[#7]

Thanks for the update.

I can see you've contacted us over Facebook and one of my colleagues has discussed this with our billing team and we've been advised that we need a copy of your bank statement showing this for us to be able to investigate further.

If you can provide this information to the open support ticket nudging us over here or Facebook once you've done so we'll be happy to make sure the ticket is escalated to the correct team.

[#8]

Well, I've now spoken to yet another member of billing, and they could clearly see the four payments. They have informed me that it will take two weeks to issue the refund of the excess three payments. And they are also unable to update my payment details, so unless I chase this, I'm presumably going to have to go through this farce again next month (and this nonsense has been going on since around September).

Can you please recommend a reputable ISP?

[#9]

Hello @Tom_Melly

I am deeply sorry about the issues you have had with your account billing.

I have responded to your query via a ticket. You can view my response by Clicking Here

Should you require any further assistance, please do get back in touch with us.

Many thanks.
 

[#10]

Well, the nonsense continues. I've now received an update on the ticket from another member of Plusnet saying that, no, they don't have a record of the payments, and the member of staff who said they could see the payments was mistaken. AFAICT Plusnet are 'honouring' the repayments - how kind - but could someone confirm that please?

Below is the message, and below that is my reply.
======================

Dear Mr Melly,

Thank you for contacting us on our Community Forum.

I am deeply sorry about the issues you have had with your billing and the information provided today on the call.

I can confirm the ticket I wrote to you earlier today is correct and the information I have provided is accurate. We required copies of your bank statement to view the transactions.

We can see the four payments on our system, however, they are marked as 'not successful' and not been updated on our system. This can be an error on our system part with incorrectly registering the payments. However, in order to have your account up to date, we required the payments to go through.

I can see you spoke with our colleague in our Customer Service Team today. They stated the payments had been duplicated and issued you a refund. Our Customer Service Team are trained to handle billing queries. However, in this instance, the information provided was incorrect on phone, and I have raised feedback so we can continue to improve our services.

Earlier today, I spoke to our Billing Operations Team, who are an offline department that is able to view all billing transactions accurately. They confirmed to me the payments were not successful.

We will honour the refund that has now been processed. It may be the case the payments had been duplicated, as you have been informed by your bank this has been successful. But, we needed the bank statements to check if this was the case and update our system accordingly to reflect this.

I do apologise for any inconvenience caused. 

Should you require any further information feel free to contact us through our Social Media channels or you call us on 0800 432 0200. Thank you.

Kind regards,

Wakas Hussain

=============

I can see you've taken the money, my bank has confirmed that you've taken the money, and, despite what I was told for most of yesterday, you obviously do have some record of the transactions - something that everyone except the person I spoke to last, has said did not exist.

Also, please note that I have provided a full transaction number for one of the payments, which should be all you need to trace it.

TBH if you're refunding the money, I don't care. I won't be with Plusnet for much longer.

Please confirm that you are refunding the money. Once I see it in my account (2 weeks!), I will begin the process of cancelling my contract with you.

Well done, Plusnet - you've just lost a customer that you managed to retain for over 20 years.

[#11]

Hello @Tom_Melly,

Thanks for getting back to us.

I am disappointed to see this issue has caused you to look into moving providers and I do apologise for this. We really do want to keep your custom. I have looked over the account and provided a further update to your open complaint here.

Please give us a nudge here if you reply via ticket so we can pick it up as soon as possible.

[#12]

Latest response from Plusnet on the support ticket and my response.

========

Madeleine Shortall - Customer Advocates - Social Leeds

1:20pm, Wednesday 23 Jan 2019

Dear Mr Melly,

Thank you for your quick reply. 

I am very sorry you have been given conflicting information in relation to your billing query and I apologise for the inconvenience this has caused you. 
My colleague Wakas was correct in saying that to investigate the transactions we would need a copy of your bank statement showing the payments made, along with the preceding 14 days.
After checking over the account it appears our colleague in the Customer Support team has created two refunds for the payments he mentioned on the call with you. I can confirm these will be refunded via cheque as there is no payment details on your account and that will it take up to 12 working days to arrive at your address.

I am sorry that the issues you have experienced lately have resulted in you wishing to move your services to another provider after 20 years of service with us, I do hope that the above explanation and the resent cheques will prevent this from happening.

Please do let us know if there is anything else we can help you with.



Kind regards,

Madeleine Shortall

Your Response

10:05am, Friday 25 Jan 2019

My account doesn't have any bank/card information because you're website keeps rejecting my attempts to update it.

Can you please tell me why you need me to send a full paper statement? What information do you expect to be present that is not present in a screen shot or download of the transactions? If there are particular transaction numbers you are after, then I can get these from my bank.

The bottom line is that a) I can only assume you want a paper statement because you think my claim is possibly fraudulent and b) I see no reason why you should have the right to my full bank statement, since this will include all my financial transactions, and not just those relating to Plusnet.

Your Response

10:06am, Friday 25 Jan 2019

Also, please note that you took FOUR payments from me, so I expect a refund for THREE payments, not TWO.

Can you confirm that the two cheques will cover three payments, not two.

[#13]

Thanks for getting back to us @Tom_Melly,

I have now updated your ongoing complaint ticket with further information. You can view the ticket here.

Please let us know if there is anything else we can support you with.