Procedures for customers with payment difficulties
Draft Code of Practice covering the provision of basic telephone service to residential customers.
General
The following statement describes the principles on which BT bases its dealings with its customers with respect to the payment of bills. Oftel have endorsed it as being consistent with their Model Statement on the subject.
The procedures described here will be fully effective from the autumn of 1997 but most of them are operative now or will be introduced before then. This statement and the policies it describes are aimed at addressing the needs of residential customers who find themselves in difficulty with paying their bill. It will be subject to regular review at least once every three years.
BT RESPONSIBILITIES TO ITS CUSTOMERS
BT undertakes :
On initial provision of service, to offer a free Call Level service for the first 12 months. This will enable a customer to agree, in advance, a certain level of spending on calls. BT will advise the customer when this level is reached.
To issue a bill indicating the date payment is required - normally 14 days after the bill is issued.
If payment is not received by the due date, BT will:
Send a further bill to remind customers.
Attempt to contact the customer by phone to advise them of the final payment date. If we are unable to contact the customer we will send a letter advising them that payment must be made by a specified date and the options if payment is not received by then.
If payment is not made by the final payment date:
Service will, initially, be restricted to outgoing calls barred (in all cases outgoing calls barred service still allows calls to be made to the 999 and 112 emergency numbers). A charge will be made for reconnection to full service.
However, if the customer advises BT that they have difficulties in paying their bill either by contacting us or when we make a courtesy call, we will offer the customer one, or a combination, of the following:
Past payment history will be taken into account in determining the repayment plan.
BT will not charge for restoration of full service where outgoing calls have been barred as part of a repayment plan.
BT has a responsibility to all its customers to ensure that outstanding debts are paid off as soon as reasonably practical. Where a customer pays by Monthly Budget Account, the outstanding sum will normally be collected over a full year. Where payment is otherwise made by instalments the customer will be expected to clear the debt in a substantially shorter time.
If customers reach their Call Level, we will try to contact them. This may lead to the despatch of an intermediate bill for call charges only, nonpayment of which will lead to barring of outgoing calls.
BT'S APPROACH TO DISCONNECTION OF ITS CUSTOMERS
BT retains the right to disconnect customers if:
If a customer provides a cheque or Direct Debit to cover outstanding charges and this is not honoured by their bank, the customer will be treated as if no payment has been made.
Customers who do not pay their bill following disconnection will have their contract terminated by BT. The outstanding amount will be passed to a debt collection agency who will attempt to collect the money on BT s behalf. A charge, (currently £66.11 inc. VAT), will be raised for any subsequent reconnection of service.
CUSTOMER RESPONSIBILITIES
BT expects customers:
{Figure A2.1 here}
* This includes Call levels to assist future budget management, CallMyBill to keep track on a regular basis of their call spend. International or premium rate call barring free of charge to help customers where these types of call have contributed towards the problem.
*This includes call levels to assist future budget management, Call-My-Bill to keep track on a regular basis of their call spend. International or premium rate call barring free of charge to help customers where these types of call have contributed towards the problem.
Figure A2.1 Policy statement on customers with payment difficulties