BEWARE: BT Can't Correctly Bill Newly Chargeable !571

Now that BT is charging for BT Answer 1571, they are incapable of charging for it correctly. Just got my March BT Bill.

On a line electing to pay for BT Answer 1571 they have charged 3 x for the same periods; the period from when the charging began, Jan 4, to present and the period for the 3 months in advance. 2 each of these charges are duplicates that should never have been charged.

On a line not taking BT Answer 1571 they have charged 2 x for these same periods. All these charges should never have been charged.

I have raised this with them that they have completely screwed up my bill and they have promised to reissue a corrected paper bill shortly and to lodge a formal complaint. I expect this to affect everyone who was ever on 1571.

I assume this is the RENTAL for the service and not for dialling it.

"I expect this to affect everyone who was ever on 1571."

Really? On what basis?

Yes, dialling 1571 is always free. Unless you are one of those that confuses calling it with asking it to do a 20p Call Return for you .

That was the case but it is now chargable

Dialling 1571 is free. It's only callback and the rental that are chargeable. This has been done to death recently.

I think you have just been unlucky, BT got mine right from January:

Line Rental 5 Mar - 4 Apr 14 £0.00 (we paid 12 months advance)

BT Privacy at Home - Caller Display 5 Mar - 4 Apr 14
This is the cost of your BT Privacy at Home - Caller Display up to 4 Apr 2014 at £1.75 a month £1.75

Package Broadband and Calls 5 Mar - 4 Apr 14 £8.65

Unlimited Anytime Calls Add-on 5 Mar - 4 Apr 14
Includes anytime calls to UK landlines and discounts to UK mobiles £7.00

Total line rental and other basic charges £17.40

Mind you it took months to understand their charging system whereby the advance charge for line rental is taken off your first months' bill etc. After all that we're leaving anyway when our contract expires

In reply to a post by TheEulerID:

Really? On what basis?

Just cuz I see no reason why BT would treat me any differently.

In reply to a post by Bob_s2:

but it is now chargeable

What is? Not just dialling 1571 and just listening to it; that's free and always has been.

There are all sorts of individual things that can go wrong which lead to individual billing errors. If it was a systemic fault that applied to everybody, then you'll see an avalanche of these sort of reports.

I've had billing faults in the past, and they've been particular to circumstances. Personally, I very much doubt it will affect everybody who has ever had 1571.

What is? Not just dialling 1571 and just listening to it; that's free and always has been.

Please no, don't yank Bob's chain, life is too short !

In reply to a post by XRaySpeX:

In reply to a post by Bob_s2:

but it is now chargeable

What is? Not just dialling 1571 and just listening to it; that's free and always has been.

Yes you can dial 1571 and it now says 'This line doesn't have a call answering service' and you don't get charged for being told that you don't subscribe for this service , however >>

##BT Answer 1571 is a great, easy to use voicemail service � just dial 1571 from your home phone to check your messages, or you can also access them remotely. This service costs £1.75 a month.##

In reply to a post by Zarjaz:

What is? Not just dialling 1571 and just listening to it; that's free and always has been.

Please no, don't yank Bob's chain, life is too short !

Innocent posters like Moi might not be aware of Bob's chain........is it electrified ??

Whereas here is the offending part of the bill for my line that is subscribed to 1571:

BT Answer 1571
4 Jan - 15 Mar 14
This is the cost of your BT Answer 1571 up to 15 Mar 2014 at £1.75 a month ...£4.18

BT Answer 1571
4 Jan - 15 Mar 14
This is the cost of your BT Answer 1571 up to 15 Mar 2014 at £1.75 a month ...£4.18

BT Answer 1571
4 Jan - 15 Mar 14
This is the cost of your BT Answer 1571 up to 15 Mar 2014 at £1.75 a month ...£4.18

BT Answer 1571
16 Mar - 15 Jun 14
This is the cost of your BT Answer 1571 charged in advance (£1.75 a month) ...£5.25

BT Answer 1571
16 Mar - 15 Jun 14
This is the cost of your BT Answer 1571 charged in advance (£1.75 a month) ...£5.25

BT Answer 1571
16 Mar - 15 Jun 14
This is the cost of your BT Answer 1571 charged in advance (£1.75 a month) ...£5.25

BT Privacy with Caller Display free for 12 months ............................................. £0.00
30 Dec - 15 Mar 14

BT Privacy with Caller Display free for 12 months ............................................. £0.00
16 Mar - 15 Jun 14

Note the repetition of dates! Only one entry of each batch is valid.

Are you on quarterly billing or monthly billing?

In reply to a post by XRaySpeX:

Whereas here is the offending part of the bill for my line that is subscribed to 1571:

BT Answer 1571
4 Jan - 15 Mar 14
This is the cost of your BT Answer 1571 up to 15 Mar 2014 at £1.75 a month ...£4.18

BT Answer 1571
4 Jan - 15 Mar 14
This is the cost of your BT Answer 1571 up to 15 Mar 2014 at £1.75 a month ...£4.18

BT Answer 1571
4 Jan - 15 Mar 14
This is the cost of your BT Answer 1571 up to 15 Mar 2014 at £1.75 a month ...£4.18

BT Answer 1571
16 Mar - 15 Jun 14
This is the cost of your BT Answer 1571 charged in advance (£1.75 a month) ...£5.25

BT Answer 1571
16 Mar - 15 Jun 14
This is the cost of your BT Answer 1571 charged in advance (£1.75 a month) ...£5.25

BT Answer 1571
16 Mar - 15 Jun 14
This is the cost of your BT Answer 1571 charged in advance (£1.75 a month) ...£5.25

BT Privacy with Caller Display free for 12 months ............................................. £0.00
30 Dec - 15 Mar 14

BT Privacy with Caller Display free for 12 months ............................................. £0.00
16 Mar - 15 Jun 14

Note the repetition of dates! Only one entry of each batch is valid.

Is it possible that their Bill-Printer sneezed or maybe someone is preparing an elaborate April the 1st hoax .....on you ???

In reply to a post by KelvinBridge:

Yes you can dial 1571 and it now says 'This line doesn't have a call answering service' and you don't get charged for being told that you don't subscribe for this service , however >>

Yes, you can equally dial 1571 and it says 'Welcome to BT Answer. You have the following messages ...' and you also don't get charged for being told that you DO subscribe for this service.

What's your point?

Nobody's denying that you do get charged for having the service, but not for making the call!

Quarterly as you can see from the periods.

In reply to a post by XRaySpeX:

Quarterly as you can see from the periods.

Possibly an issue that only affects quarterly billed customers? Have you seen evidence of this on monthly billing too?

No, I've only see the 1 bill for my 2 lines and as I said in OP both lines are billed wrongly.

For completeness the bill for the non-1571 line reads:

BT Answer 1571
4 Jan - 15 Mar 14
This is the cost of your BT Answer 1571 up to 15 Mar 2014 at £1.75 a month ... £4.18

BT Answer 1571
4 Jan - 15 Mar 14
This is the cost of your BT Answer 1571 up to 15 Mar 2014 at £1.75 a month ... £4.18

BT Answer 1571
16 Mar - 15 Jun 14
This is the cost of your BT Answer 1571 charged in advance (£1.75 a month) ... £5.25

BT Answer 1571
16 Mar - 15 Jun 14
This is the cost of your BT Answer 1571 charged in advance (£1.75 a month) ... £5.25

BT Privacy with Caller Display free for 12 months ............................................... £0.00
30 Dec - 15 Mar 14

BT Privacy with Caller Display free for 12 months ............................................... £0.00
16 Mar - 15 Jun 14

I'd admit I'm extrapolating from my experience as I'm not anything special to BT.