Â£10 late payment fee

m419 · 07-03-2012, 21:43

I think this Â£10 late payment fee is a joke.

I had a difficult month after losing my job but thankfully got a new one but it set me back a bit.

They then slap on a Â£10 late payment fee. That's just getting me in more debt.

Therefore, i've come up with an idea, don't pay my bill!

Not for as long as possible then they will restrict my services and then they will have to re-credit my account for the time without service, which means that Â£10 late payment fee is on them.

Also they tell me they have restricted my services already? REALLY?

Everything is still on and paid my last bill on 27th january. Very odd!

scrotnig · 07-03-2012, 23:52

I would sincerely hope they DON'T credit your account for time on restriction. They never used to when I worked at ntl all those years ago, I'd be amazed if they started now.

If you don't pay and they cut you off - you should not have a credit for services.

Peter_ · 08-03-2012, 06:16

They will not credit you for being on a Non Pay Disconnection as it is down to you to ensure payment reaches them in time and that your account has sufficient funds, your account would have had at least 2 requests for payment over a couple of days and after that they would charge for a late payment as per the terms and conditions.

jb66 · 08-03-2012, 06:19

Don't see why customers that do pay on time should subsidise the cost of folk that don't. If you can't afford virgin then cancel due to the price increase and go back to freeview

**Kymmy** · 08-03-2012, 09:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by m419

Therefore, i've come up with an idea, don't pay my bill!

Not for as long as possible then they will restrict my services and then they will have to re-credit my account for the time without service, which means that Â£10 late payment fee is on them.

Read the terms & conditions, if they restrict your services you still have to pay.. It's not their fault that you were late paying and did you actually try to talk to them as soon as you knew the situation??

All you'll be doing is wasting your own money and/or ruining your credit score.

BenMcr · 08-03-2012, 09:24

The late payment fee isn't charged on an account until the next bill is produced - which is usually a week or two after the actual bill due date

The restriction on services in then another week after that - I think around the same time as you'd get the next bill in the post

So there is plenty of leeway built into the billing as it is. To get a late fee and restriction means you are very late paying the bill

carlwaring · 08-03-2012, 10:02

Of course, VM aren't the only company to have a penalty for late payment either; though I do think there is one of, if not the, highest amount. I think BT's is something like Â£7.50?

Quote:

Originally Posted by m419

Therefore, i've come up with an idea, don't pay my bill!

It's a wonder you have a job at all if that is an example of your thought processes

m419 · 08-03-2012, 19:41

I don't have to pay a penny and can exit as and when I choose, it is in my grandmothers name, I have been telling them for a year she passed away, they said they would send a letter to change the name of the account after three tries, I gave up. So no harm done to my credit file.

Furthermore, get freeview? It don't work! Keep complaining to the council and they say get Virgin Media.

And they do re-credit for the unused services as far as i'm concerned they can wait.

Vicki · 09-03-2012, 15:16

Sky do not charge a late payment fee and they automatically credit you for anytime your services were restricted.

Virgin can be a bit of a pain with things like this, even if they over charge you they expect you to pay then have a credit next month. If you don't pay the restrict you even though you've been over charged.

This never happened with Telewest and they almost never inforced any late payment fee. This is all from NTL.

---------- Post added at 16:16 ---------- Previous post was at 16:14 ----------

Quote:

Originally Posted by BenMcr

The late payment fee isn't charged on an account until the next bill is produced - which is usually a week or two after the actual bill due date

The restriction on services in then another week after that - I think around the same time as you'd get the next bill in the post

So there is plenty of leeway built into the billing as it is. To get a late fee and restriction means you are very late paying the bill

One time Virgin tired to charge me a Â£10 late payment fee I told them I wanted a receipt with full breakdown of costs which the law says I'm entitled to as I believed the Â£10 was just a figure they pulled out the air. They didn't charge the fee, says it all really.

BenMcr · 09-03-2012, 15:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vicki

which the law says I'm entitled to

Didn't know that. Could you provide a link to the relevent legislation?

Vicki · 09-03-2012, 15:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by BenMcr

Didn't know that. Could you provide a link to the relevent legislation?

In certain circumstances you're legally entitled to a receipt for goods/services. Or a V.A.T receipt at all times. Not everything you buy/pay has to have a receipt by law.

BenMcr · 09-03-2012, 15:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vicki

In certain circumstances you're legally entitled to a receipt for goods/services. Or a V.A.T receipt at all times. Not everything you buy/pay has to have a receipt by law.

Yes if you buy, say 'Persil Washing Up Liquid' for Â£4 then that's the receipt. You can't then ask for breakdown e.g. Â£2.40 for transport costs Â£1 for manufacturing costs etc.

Same applies for the Â£10 Late Payment Fee. The fee is the fee is the fee. As long as it's clear what it is for - which the name does - then Virgin are under no further legal obligation to break it down into their own internal costs.

Vicki · 09-03-2012, 15:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by BenMcr

Yes if you buy, say 'Persil Washing Up Liquid' for Â£4 then that's the receipt. You can't then ask for breakdown e.g. Â£2.40 for transport costs Â£1 for manufacturing costs etc.

Same applies for the Â£10 Late Payment Fee. The fee is the fee is the fee. As long as it's clear what it is for - which the name does - then Virgin are under no further legal obligation to break it down into their own internal costs.

1 is goods the other is a service,

BenMcr · 09-03-2012, 15:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vicki

1 is goods the other is a service,

Same applies to Virgin's other service costs

You can't ask for a breakdown for the line rental cost, or the broadband charge or the install fee any other part of the service because that's internal to Virgin Media.

Same applies to BT or Sky or any other service provider.

carlwaring · 09-03-2012, 17:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by BenMcr

You can't ask for a breakdown for the line rental cost, or the broadband charge ....

Erm... Ben. We used to get these things itemised on our Bills. Then they changed it for the worse and everything is now just one lump sum; which I hate.