I am pi**ed off with utility company's charging a fee if you are a few days late with a monthly payment. They should realise we dont sit at home all day waiting for their bills to come through the letter box, we have to live and work. I told my telephone/internet provider to go to hell tonight as they said they were going to charge me £10.00 for being 3 days late and I said i would cancel my contract and go elsewhere. OK they said, no charge will be added, thanks for staying with us.
2006-10-03 13:03:30 · 10 answers · asked by RonT 2 in Business & Finance ➔ Personal Finance
When you sign up to a utility, be it 'phone, water etc. You are entering into an agreement to pay your bill on time. If you fail to pay on time, for whatever reason, then ultimately this is your responsibility not the provider.
If you were a small business, how would you feel if large numbers of your customers always paid late? It damages cash flow and at the end of the day, businesses are there to make money whether you like it or not, it's basic economics and what makes the world go round.
If paying on time is an issue, why not set up a Direct Debit? It's far easier and there is never any danger of you missing a payment (unless of course there isn't money in your account, which is a different story!)
Sorry to sound blunt but I get annoyed with all the people who can't manage their money then bleat on and on about it when the companies concerned enforce the agreements which have been legally entered in to.
2006-10-04 22:47:40 · answer #1 · answered by frontera2 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not sure where you live, but here in the US the bills usually have a DUE date and a LATE date. There is often a 7-10 day spread between these dates. If you try to pay by the DUE date and are a couple days late, no big deal. If you wait and try to squeeze it in before the LATE date, you can get into trouble. If that's the way it is there, then force yourself to make it by the DUE date so you don't run out of time. If being late isn't a habit, many will give you a break the first couple times.
2006-10-03 13:25:29 · answer #2 · answered by Dale P 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I like your question, because it opens up a whole new field of hidden charges that would not normally be noticed. I used to pay bills by cheque, well before the due date, but still got additional charges. The reason I got for the additional £5.00 here, and £5.00 there, was because I paid by cheque. I could get discount they say, on my bill, if I pay over the Internet or by credit card. Even paying by cash does not seem to get a discount, even if paid in advance. I think company's like all your card details and bank information so they can sell your details to others. I may be wrong, but this is my opinion. I do not have a credit card, so I pay over the odds every month on my bills, but at least the credit card company's are not getting my hard earned cash, and my personnel details are still personnel.
2006-10-07 01:56:59 · answer #3 · answered by Dr David 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
One of the best things I have found is that a lot of different companies now have a way to pay a bill online, and also to receive an electronic bill or notice through email. Some banks also have the ability to send checks or electronic drafts to companies by using their website.
2006-10-03 13:23:20 · answer #4 · answered by una_jet 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It's not their fault you can't keep track of your money. It isn't a matter of sitting and waiting for a bill, it's a matter of being responsible. If someone owed you money and was late paying it wouldn't you want to charge them extra?
Instead of getting pissed off, grow up and take control of your finances. Set up a tracking system or automatic payment system. There is zero excuse for being late except that you were being lazy and not doing your part to honor your commitment.
2006-10-03 15:53:49 · answer #5 · answered by personal_finance_101 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes, that always happens, especially with the telephone, mobile phone companies and even credit cards (i.e. w.r.t. the annual fee, not the money that you've spent on the card)!
They just want to make as much as they can from us!!! And when we decide to move to another company, they delete whatever charges that they previously felt was all too important and cannot be waived!
2006-10-03 13:25:38 · answer #6 · answered by Kemmy 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
To be honest I feel the same had my gas put up from 48 pound to 88 a month so have changed look into changing uswitch is good
2006-10-03 13:18:03 · answer #7 · answered by Bernie c 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Haha! Stepping in dog poop is supposed to be lucky anyway! I need to pay my mortgage, council tax (GGGRRRRR) and broadband bill by Monday....Paid the leccy last week. JEEZ! Was the guy rich who proposed??!!
2016-03-27 03:55:48 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Good for you! I think they're within their rights to charge, but it's no harm to try to get them dropped.
2006-10-03 13:13:34 · answer #9 · answered by RM 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Call people up and kindly tell them about your situation.
2006-10-07 16:42:17 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋