General Billing Query.

Sold a dongle at £18,99 a month in a shop..

Get the bill - I am being charged VAT Ontop of the £18,99!

Is that not illegal? I wasn't aware a shop could sell items to the public Excluding VAT?

It bumps the bill up to £23,33. Just wondering.

Monthly charge in advance £18.42
Messages £1.02

Total before VAT £19.44
VAT at 20% £19.44 £3.89
Total after VAT £23.33

This is the deal I thought I signed up for

http://store.three.co.uk/Mobile_Broadband/MiFi

???

Edited by pcoventry76 (Sun 15-Jan-12 23:05:44)

Terms and Conditions on their site:

6.15 Your bill will normally include your fixed Charges for the next period and any administration fees along with Charges for your use of the Three Services in the UK in the last period and outside the UK in prior periods. It may also include an amount to repay the cost of your Three-compatible Device (depending on the payment scheme you have chosen). Your initial bill may also contain a Connection Charge. VAT will be added to your bill where appropriate.

Not sure what to suggest. For end users, prices normally include VAT. For business packages, they exclude it. So I agree, this does seem a bit off. Not sure if you can do anything about it.

Well i've contacted the local TS to see what they say. It is after all mis selling. At no point was I told the price I agreeing to was ex VAT. The 8 foot billboards in the shop certainly say nothing about price excluding VAT.

direct.gov.uk says..

"The prices you see advertised in shops include VAT. No tax will be added to the price when you pay. This is a legal requirement."

Hmm..

Edited by pcoventry76 (Mon 16-Jan-12 13:32:51)

They do the same package on line and theres no charge for VAT and the package I have there is no extra VAT either.

I think it could well be just me. My parents don't have this problem with their 3 service.

I've asked for trading standards to investigate this as I believe that this is a problem. I wonder how many others there are out there who have had this problem or who have this problem.

Have you spoken to 3 customer services about this? The difference in the amount is probably due to the stretching of the first bill to deal with the mis-match between sign up and your billing date.

You'll most likely notice the "correct" amount taken next month.

I'd give them a call to check.

My next bill is due to a few days so I will check it then - they say it will all be right. But my phone bill which has been running for 7 years also has this on. Yet my parent's bill does not.

Just wanted to update you.. After an investigation it seems 3 ARE breaking UK law and I have been told bye consumer direct that I can recind my contract without penalty. If 3 refuse TS is willing to take up the case via the courts if necessary.

So result

Nicely done!