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Opinions please


Alan Fawcett

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Hi All

 

I would like your opinions on whether this is discrimination against myself & others in the same situation.

 

I have contacted NTL over their charging system & asked how i go about paying for an unmetered package as i haven.t got a credit/debit card & my bank account isn't one where you can pay direct debits from it.

 

I know its illegal to discriminate against me because i have a criminal record (not proud of it but i don't hide it) i have served time inside for a few things which i won't go into on here

(if you do want to know then mail me as like i said i don't hide it)

 

Under the rehabilitation of offenders act my time is nearly spent & after that period i no longer have to declare it, the same law also states it is an OFFENCE to discriminate against me due to my criminal record.

 

Now if its illegal to discriminate against me for that then surley its illegal to discriminate against me for not having a credit/debit card or a bank account which i can use to pay direct debits isn't it??

 

below is a reply i recieved from the "help" desk of NTLworld.

 

quote:

 

Hi

 

Thanks for your e-mail.

 

Unfortunately you will not be able to register for a package without a

bank account.

 

In terms of payment options we have decided to make payments possible

through direct debit or credit/debit card as these are the means that

suit almost all our customers. In the event that you do not have a

credit/debit card, don't worry - we can still offer you our pay as you

go service, which will be included with your telephony bill. pay as

you go leaves you in charge as you pay only for the internet access

you use, paying on a minute by minute basis! All this at the

incredible price of 1p/minute!*

 

*---- Calls are subject to a 4.9p connection charge


 

If i spend on average anything upto 8hrs a day on the net (when i ain't at work) this equals £4:80 a day if you multiply that by 31(for the longer months) it equals £128 a month, those of us without the credit/debit cards or DD bank accounts are suffering & paying a whole lot more (one day is nearly the same as a month on the unmetered).

 

I'm not to good at maths so if they're wrong then i apologise.

 

Anyway like i said whats your opinion?

TROGG (Alan)

a government is there to serve its people not rule them

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It appears the reply you received is just a standard cut & paste paragraph that the company use.

 

You could try ringing them and let them know what payment arrangements are suitable to you.

 

I do think it's wrong of them to do this as you wouldn't force a disabled person to pay at the post office.

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Sadly it's not illegal to discriminate against people who do not have credit facilities. (Or bank accounts etc..)

 

No matter what the reason is that they don't have such things.

 

It's bad business practice. As, sometime in the future, you may well be in the position of having these things and remember the companies who told you to 'sod off'.

 

Furthermore, as I'm sure you know, even 'spent' convictions are kept on record and, for certain jobs and other things like Visas, are often brought out of the cupboard and held against you.

 

It seems the Great British society has no time for the poor, or for people who make mistakes, or for people who just don't like to use banks and credit cards.

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You are not alone. I remember the story of the man who wanted a sky-type dish for his telly, and was in the same situation as you bank account/debit card-wise. He offered to pay cash up front, a year's sub at one go and was told they had no facilities for accepting cash! You couldnt make it up!

Could you not open an account capable of DD just for things like this?

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And don't forget that despite everything the companies may say, everything is done for their convenience and not yours. Sadly as far as they're concerned you fall into a category that is either too small for them to be interested in or too much hassle for them to maintain on an ongoing basis.

The thing about DD and automated regular credit/debit card payments is that they cost the companies literally pennies to operate the account. As soon as it's anything out of the ordinary that requires any kind of manual intervention then their costs start to rise steeply. Labour costs are a hugely significant part of company operating expenses and so companies like NTL (who owe more in debt than many 3rd world countries) would rather milk the easy customers than provide the service for all. WOn't stop them paying rediculous bonuses to directors mind... :mad:

DISCLAIMER: All opinions herein are fictitious. Any similarities to real

opinions, living or dead, are entirely coincidental.

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i was looking to change my bt account from "surftime " to "anytime" bearing in mind these are the same price ,unfortunatly "anytime" needs a credit card ....hhmmm

Believe NOTHING anyones says or writes unless you witness it yourself and even then your eyes can deceive you

None of this "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" crap it just means i have at least two enemies!

 

There is only one opinion i listen to ,its mine and its ALWAYS right even when its wrong

 

Its far easier to curse the darkness than light one candle

 

Mathew 4:19

Grangers law : anything i say will  turn out the opposite or not happen at all!

Life insurance? you wont enjoy a penny!

"To compel a man to furnish contributions of money for the propagation of opinions which he disbelieves and abhors, is sinful and tyrannical." Thomas Jefferson

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Guest NickInTheNorth

Don't know if it helps Alan but AFAIK you can open an instant plus account with abbey national which gets you dd facilities. When I opened one there was no status check - that's why I opened it!! Take a look here.

 

Unfortunately they are allowed to discriminate against people on the grounds of not having a credit/debit card or dd facilities. Another example of the rich getting richer and the poor getting pi$$ed on.

 

GREAT Britain?

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Thanks all for the replies

 

I'll try the abbey national in the morning.

 

Nick you wanna be careful mate or you'll end up with a criminal record.

you're not allowed to say GREAT britain anymore according to europe it is degrading to other member states so we've got to drop the Great from Britain, they actually want us to be known as the United kingdom but with devolution of Scotland & Wales would that be politically correct cos we know what they're like for political correctness in europe :rolleyes:

TROGG (Alan)

a government is there to serve its people not rule them

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Alan how do they know of your record ??? after it is "spent " there is no reason to mention it ,i wasnt always the kind thoughtfull and graciouse person you see here ,in my youth i too spent "holidays" away from my family,but never found it to my detriment to "not" to mention these facts, 1015 granger

Believe NOTHING anyones says or writes unless you witness it yourself and even then your eyes can deceive you

None of this "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" crap it just means i have at least two enemies!

 

There is only one opinion i listen to ,its mine and its ALWAYS right even when its wrong

 

Its far easier to curse the darkness than light one candle

 

Mathew 4:19

Grangers law : anything i say will  turn out the opposite or not happen at all!

Life insurance? you wont enjoy a penny!

"To compel a man to furnish contributions of money for the propagation of opinions which he disbelieves and abhors, is sinful and tyrannical." Thomas Jefferson

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Granger ay ere didn't you kill my bruvva?

 

Sorry mate i've caused a bit of confusion.

 

I used my major criminal past as an example of how its against the law to discriminate against a person for any reason.

 

Its through the ex-wifes spending habit that i can't get a credit/debit card or a current account with a bank not my criminal record.

 

my respect to you for your revelation mate not that it matters in this day & age.

Some are "proud" that they have no criminal record but this is only because they've never been caught.

 

No one on this forum can honestly say they have never broken the law.

(& i ain't going for cover either cos i know i'm right)

 

So chesters when you killed those poor defenceless sheep did you feel any remorse at all or did the goats have your mind under such good control that you felt it was your godly duty to do it? (or did the bank manager promise you a current account with a credit card if you did it??) :D

TROGG (Alan)

a government is there to serve its people not rule them

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