Stop Pipex From Charging Me Another Month

[dreamR]

Well just been off the phone with Pipex and Lloyds.

Basically the situation is last month I decided it was time to finally leave Pipex, after months of slow speeds; frequent disconnects; their website and email client seem to break down like clockwork and just generally poor service.

->So I phoned up Pipex last month to request a MAC code.
->They tell me to wait 30 days, in addition he explains due to the intervals of payments I could in effect be charged for another 2 months Pipex Internet before I will be connected to my new ISP.
->So I thought okay I'll just get it over with and cancel the whole service.
->They tell me 'Sir' we can cancel your service in 7 days but we will still have charge you for this months payment.
->My reply is :suspect: so in effect I will be paying £24 for 1-7 days of internet.
----->I should have agreed at this point :brickwall, shame my budget-watching tight ass side kicked in<------

---But then the 'clever' staff comes up with an idea----
->Sir I can automate your cancelation, I'll send you an email and all you have to do is follow it and 7 days before my greedy company tries to charge you for another month of crap internet. You will be disconnected and free to leave.
-> So I take this option with the thought I would I was being clever ;) maximsing my money's worth.


The story today.
I phoned up Pipex to find out what the situation was and they tell me that they can't disconnect me untill they bill me another month. I try to explain to them what the staff told me. But she was resistant and would only tell me there is nothing she can do.

Angry I phoned up TSB the bank they are taking the payment from to see if they could stop Pipex from taking money from me before the 14th or render their transaction unauthorised. They lady at the end tells me take it up with the company we can't do anything because you gave your details to Pipex so it is not fraud.

---

My apologies for the long winded reply and tbh I think the easiest option would just to let Pipex rip me off another month. But it's just that feeling again that us as consumers have no rights, I mean I thought there were endless arsenal of anti-fraud features and rights with a VISA debuit card and the fact I will be on holiday in a few weeks means the dates i'm still paying for the Pipex internet would in effect be unused. Hence wondering if the more consumer wise forum members could lend me some of there ;) wise know-how and enlighten me with some fire power.

[splobber]

Just download Linux distros 24 hours a day until they kick you off.

[dreamR]

Just download Linux distros 24 hours a day until they kick you off.

LMAO!!!!!!!!!!!

Excellent idea. Shame several copies of Linux arn't much fun to look at.
;) Maybe time to reinstall the old tornado.

[yaffle]

They lady at the end tells me take it up with the company we can't do anything because you gave your details to Pipex so it is not fraud.

Are you paying by DD or by VISA?

[bumfrog]

if it's direct debit just cancel it.

[dreamR]

-yaffle & bumfrog

Visa credit card payment unfortunately.
Don't know what I was thinking when I decided to pay using credit card :doh:

Phoned TSB earlier again and spoke to a much more competent staff, he noted down the fact I gave Pipex 30 days prior notice to cancel the contract and explained once Pipex take the funds from my account phone TSB back to get them to chase for a refund.

Not hopeful, but better than the earlier response I got. Always amuses me the different response's you get from staff from the exact same company.

Cheer guys,

[purepauluk]

Cancel the card, ring your bank up and tell them youve lost it. You should get a replacement in about 7 days roughly, unless thats out of the question? They certainly cant take anything from a lost card though as you get a new number.

I went one better than you and had the phone line cut off, and cancelled the card. I refused to pay pipex a cancellation fee when there crappy service let me down for weeks on end, in addition to paying the remainder of my contract (about 3 months). The day after I had the line cut off, I was switched back on in someone elses name. Doing this obviously gets rid of the adsl on your line and doesnt cost you anything. So far I havent heard a peep out of them about that was over 6 months ago.

I then joined freedom2surf. The day after I was connected I then read that pipex had bought the company :nuts:. It wasnt long before I recieved the same crappy service, slow speeds and crappy customer service. I stayed for about 5 months and then did the BT thing again :D Also havent heard a peep out of them :D

I hate Pipex, and wouldnt recommend them to anyone.

Goodluck.

[Gavin01]

if you can amend your card details online do what i did with BT and just change the card number to 0000x0000x0000x0000 that will learn them!

[dreamR]

Thanks for the reply guys.
LMAO @ suggestions!

-purepauluk
Haha, that made my day. Pipex has been the first and only ISP I've had since I went adsl - about 5-6 years ago. They were expensive but the premium meant a much better service, shame that's no longer the case.

I thought about placing a block on the card, but as I am going on holiday in a few days the time it takes for the new card to get to me will most likely overlap.

-Gavin01
Haha never thought about that, might give it a go, was thinking of changing the payment type to direct debit but thought that may constitute as extending the contract with them.
But won't Pipex have some sort of javascript, php, asp code to meet a certain criteria for credit card number?
:suspect: And wouldn't putting in false name and credit card number constitute fraud on my part?


All these ISP's seem to be as crap as each other, any recommendations for a decent ISP?

[yaffle]

thought that may constitute as extending the contract with them.

No.

But won't Pipex have some sort of javascript, php, asp code to meet a certain criteria for credit card number?

Possibly :(

:suspect: And wouldn't putting in false name and credit card number constitute fraud on my part?

Not if it's an obviously false number :)

[mattyp]

I don't see why you can't just say to your credit company that you no longer authorise payments to Pipex and thus any previous authorisation is now finished. Just because you authorised something in the past doesn't mean you authorise it now.

In the same position I would give Pipex another call clearly stating the situation and how you refuse to pay another months rental as a result of what you had been previously told. If they refuse, ask to speak to a manager and if needs be write a letter. As long as you are authoritative, confident and well mannered I don't see how you can really lose. Just don't give in :D

[dreamR]

I don't see why you can't just say to your credit company that you no longer authorise payments to Pipex and thus any previous authorisation is now finished. Just because you authorised something in the past doesn't mean you authorise it now.

In the same position I would give Pipex another call clearly stating the situation and how you refuse to pay another months rental as a result of what you had been previously told. If they refuse, ask to speak to a manager and if needs be write a letter. As long as you are authoritative, confident and well mannered I don't see how you can really lose. Just don't give in :D

-yaffle
Thanks for the reply mate.

-mattyp
Cheers for the reply mattyp, yea I tried to request that, but TSB said they couldn't unauthorise a single transaction, instead would be required to place a block on the whole card - which wasn't feasible for me.

The thing I've noticed, these company are gradually beginning to care less about not only their customers or the law. It's not good enough putting your point across no matter how logical or how correct you are. You can't exactly enforce the law on them unless you go out your way and file a small claims. More of a case of whether your lucky enough to be put through to a staff having a good day.

I've taken Gavin01's advise and changed my credit card details.

[marnstarz]

if you can amend your card details online do what i did with BT and just change the card number to 0000x0000x0000x0000 that will learn them!

Been there - done something similar. I changed my Satrt and End dates arround - they manually changed and still took my money! Rogues - I'd never go back.

[Dave Lawrence]

- Requested MAC code early in July
- Code arrives on the 11th
- My card is billed on the 12th; fair enough, the final 30 days of service.
- I switch to my new ISP on the 21st or thereabouts
- Pipex bill my CC again on the 10th of August :mad:

[Nujol]

I had a very similar problem with Pipex.

Phone them up and absolutely refuse to get off the phone until everything is dealt with.

I had been a loyal customer for 4 years but had same problems and their service was absolutely disgusting. I spent THREE HOURS on the phone to them because they kept trying to fob me off, telling me all these stories about how they couldn't do anything. Eventually after I flatly refused to get off the line until my account was cancelled that day, it was done and my MAC code emailled immediately. I was on Zen within 3 working days!

Advice from this incident: Always pay by direct debit as you can cancel it yourself

If you are having CC problems you need to write to Pipex telling them of their mistake, and send the letter with a covering letter to your CC company. Telephone them too. They will take it up for you if Pipex have been informed in writing.

[Khan]

Cancel the card. If they ask why say you sold an old computer and left some private info on it or say you had a 'virus' on your PC and think you gave them your card info by accident (sounds stupid but a lot of people do it).

They'll issue a new card with a new number.

End of story.