Tesco and the disabled - can it be me?

[Regulargal]

Have namechanged because I don't really want my medical details all over the interweb.

Without warning 3 days ago Tesco Broadband cut my broadband and landline off. This is what happened when I called their premium line to pay the bill, the DD having bounced in error from my bank account.

1. Phone call one - cost €4.50. I am told Tesco will not restore the service, despite having cut me off without warning. They tell me that the fact that I am registered as a disabled person, living alone and virtually housebound means nothing to you.

They tell me that I cannot pay the bill over the phone (I have a VISA electron card), that I cannot pay by bank transfer, that I cannot pay by cash at the post office, that I cannot pay at a bank.

They refuse to let me speak to the manager and end the call. I cannot pay the bill and remain cut off.

1. Phone call two - cost €5. They suggest I send you a cheque to pay the bill. Are personal cheques in use any more? No bank or store will accept them. Like most people in the UK; no chequebook has been issued to me for some years. I cannot pay the bill and remain cut off.

You suggest I 'borrow a friend's card' to pay the bill, helpfully adding 'maybe ask their permission'. You end the call before I even ask what details this 'friend' would have to provide.

1. Phone call three - waited for 20 minutes to be put through at a cost of €8 - unsuccessfully.

1. Phone call four - see three.

1. Phone call five - another €4. They tell me that I can pay the bill online - I check three times your system takes Visa Electron. Tesco man, he say yes.

1. Online transaction - paid a tenner on a dongle to get online. The system does not take Visa Electron. I cannot pay the bill and remain cut off.

Any suggestions, wise women of the world?

By 'you' I mean Tesco - sorry - venting.

Twitter and Facebook

Companies fold under new social media and the pressure and support you will get will make them fold.

If you tweet, add the hashtag on here incase anyone wnts to retweet

I thought Visa Electrons were just cash cards? In which case they can't take payment over the phone or the internet.

Sorry this has happened to you, but I think you've definitely chosen the wrong thread title...unless you're suggesting that they wouldn't treat an able bodied person the same way?

Visa Electron can be used as a Debit card, I thought they were phased out though.
This is Tesco being unmovable, nothing to do with you being disabled.
Sorry but apart from borrowing a friends card and paying them back I'm not sure what you can do.
Oh, speak to your bank about getting a proper debit card. The Electron was a PITA for me, I was so glad when the bank replaced it!

visa electrons are debit cards - they can be used for payment on the internet etc.

Agree about tweeting and facebook

Agreed, use social media. Is it just visa electron they won't take? Have you another card? I'm pretty sure my friend can't use that card sometimes when paying, I know I've had to use my (also visa) debit card and she's given me the cash.

I think it's just general unfriendly customer service and while they re eing pretty out of order with putting phones down and rudeness I don't think has anything at all to do with you having a disability- it's just that they're erring on the side of cynical and think a) you've not paid your bill or got enough to pay it and b) may be trying for sympathy by appealing to them (with the truth) but they may not even believe it or have many people trying something similar.

Odd that they've done this on the first time though, usually you get a warning first with these kind of things.

But social media, write this to them. Maybe leave off about them not caring about your disability because it's not really relevant and you want the focus on the fuck up, not on that.

would they take a prepaid credit card

Invoice tesco for the cost of the calls. A proper formal invoice

Then hit social media until you get answers

And find out the top bosses name and write to him or her and only them. Shit rolls down hill

I'm not sure what Tesco can do about it though - the DD did bounce, accidentally or not you didn't pay for the service hence being cut off. They don't accept Visa Electron. Am not sure why you believe you are being treated badly because of your disability?

Your title is misleading, this is nothing to do with being disabled.

It's about the method of payments that Tesco accept for their broadband payments. If the dd bounced in error, they should be able to try it again.

Were you sent warnings about the bill before they cut you off?

You could also try email through linkedin www.linkedin.com/pub/catherine-thome/18/21b/1a8

Oh ok, I always thought they were just cash cards.

I must admit, Tesco aren't exactly making it easy for you to pay them what you owe.

Still nothing to do with being disabled though.

according to google visa electron don't allow debits to run, the account has to be in credit for the payment to process. So you would think it would be a safer option.

I know it's often available as an option.

social media, definitely.

Not sure the relevance of being disabled. Was it your banks fault the DD bounced? Seems odd that one failed DD = cutting you off immediately with no contact. And I disagree about cheques. I still use cheques to pay for pedicures, my kids' school dinners, the window cleaner etc etc And when the chequebook runs out the bank send me a new one. DS1 has just had 3 cheques from relatives for his birthday. Very frustrating and I hope you get it sorted. Although how are you posting this? I assume that as you have no phone or broadband you have a mobile with Internet capability.

I don't see what being disabled has to do with it, or why you are costing phone bills in euros when you say you are in the uk, or how your phone calls to them are so costly.
I have a checkbook, its not that odd. Or your bank can do a one off type check, or another method. You really should upgrade your card, electron is near obsolete and has never been widely acceptable online.

Also, you need to use website Just Say No to 0870

Pay by cheque. Simple and easy. I pay alot of my bills by cheque. Hope you online again. Also see if you can uograde your card.

The disabled part of your message is not relevant to the post unless you left something out.

Talk talk are pretty shit, but at least they re-connect me immediately after payment by card over the phone. They say within 24 hours but it is usually within 2 hours.

I am pretty sure that when I had an electron card I was able to use it to pay over the phone too, so the OP is correct in that.

I also think the OP is not claiming that they treated her any differently because of disability, but more that because she is housebound because of a disability, it is more distressing to be cut off.

You don't have a cheque book?