$880.15 Bill, Account number changed, don't even live at the address anymore.

Forums › Spark New Zealand (including Skinny and BigPipe) › $880.15 Bill, Account number changed, don't even live at the address anymore.

Anytech

4 posts

Wannabe Geek

#198541 13-Jul-2016 09:30

I went through a nightmare of trying to get fiber with Spark in September last year.
The connection was intermittent at best and Spark had no idea that I was even their customer. It was like I had a ghost connection.
I never got connected properly and after a month and a half of trying to get somewhere I cancelled the account.
I believe the cancellation finally was put through in January.

This morning I receive a bill for $880 backdated to October from this month.

I have moved houses twice since then and they confirmed in online chat that an investigation was underway.

To be honest there have been so many "investigations" that I do not know if anything will happen.

Any thoughts on a way to handle this? (I have contacted support through chat. They promise the world but never deliver)

kornflake

409 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1592218 13-Jul-2016 19:24

Dnt hold your breath bro, Spark are very inflexible when it come to this, if you don't pay they will send the debt to Dunn and Bradstreet.

Wheelbarrow01

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Chorus

#1592334 14-Jul-2016 09:35

kornflake: Dnt hold your breath bro, Spark are very inflexible when it come to this, if you don't pay they will send the debt to Dunn and Bradstreet.

Wow - That's an extremely generalised observation, presumeably based on your own experience kornflake, however your situation probably bears no relevance to the situation outlined by the original poster.

I can report that there have been 2 major system updates since September (one in October and one a few weeks ago). While not an excuse in any way, shape or form, it is likely that either one or both of these are responsible for some of the issues you have experienced with regards to delayed and/or incorrect billing. It's probably an easy fix once the right people at Spark are engaged and the problem identified.

If the OP can contact me via private message with some details, I am happy to look into this for him. The information I need is as follows:

1. The original address where the fibre was requested, and the account number it was ordered on.

2. The date he requested to have that fibre disconnected. Was this a specific disconnection request, or part of a move of address request? An order number would be helpful if available.

3. Whether he requested Spark service of any kind at either of the subsequent addresses (and applicable a/c numbers)

Once I have these details I will find out what was done and when, and if the disconnection was actually completed, and if not, why not. Generally when Spark is notified that an account is in dispute, a hold on credit action is activated which prevents late payment fees and/or collections action being commenced. An account query can be lodged online here and I'd suggest the OP do this and submit it to us asap.

I will look into what has happened once I have the details. Contrary to what some people believe, Spark is not actually in the business of sending customers to debt collectors due to our mistakes. generally we just need to be made aware of what has happened before we can do anything about it.

Thanks,

Simon

The views expressed by me are not necessarily those of my employer Chorus NZ Ltd

Anytech

4 posts

Wannabe Geek

#1592343 14-Jul-2016 10:20

Looks like it's all sorted!

Email from Spark:

I chatted to you yesterday about the fibre connection and bill you received on acct *********. I’ve heard back from my team leader, and we will be disconnecting the fibre connection and crediting it all back, so please don’t pay the bill.

I’ll start doing this all now, I’ll then change the billing date so the next bill will print within the next week just so I can check up and credit back any further charges if they appear.

Apologies for the trouble you’ve had with this, but this should sort it all out.

xpd

Geek @ Coastguard NZ
13765 posts

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Lifetime subscriber

#1592390 14-Jul-2016 11:27

kornflake: Dnt hold your breath bro, Spark are very inflexible when it come to this, if you don't pay they will send the debt to Dunn and Bradstreet.

I had a run in with them too...... years and years ago. Had phone account, cancelled phone account, years later signed up phone account, next thing I know I'm sent to D&B for a $20 payment from the original account - yet no mention of it was made when I cancelled it or signed up again. THe D&B rep said it should never have been sent to them as it was under their threshold, not worth chasing, but because somehow it had gone through, I had to pay D&B. Asked Telecom why I wasnt notified of the outstanding bill and just got fobbed off. Hopefully things are a lot better than that now :)

Gavin / xpd / FastRaccoon / Geek of Coastguard New Zealand

LinkTree

surfisup1000

5288 posts

Uber Geek

#1592391 14-Jul-2016 11:32

xpd:

kornflake: Dnt hold your breath bro, Spark are very inflexible when it come to this, if you don't pay they will send the debt to Dunn and Bradstreet.

I had a run in with them too...... years and years ago. Had phone account, cancelled phone account, years later signed up phone account, next thing I know I'm sent to D&B for a $20 payment from the original account - yet no mention of it was made when I cancelled it or signed up again. THe D&B rep said it should never have been sent to them as it was under their threshold, not worth chasing, but because somehow it had gone through, I had to pay D&B. Asked Telecom why I wasnt notified of the outstanding bill and just got fobbed off. Hopefully things are a lot better than that now :)

I'd have thought anything under a couple of hundred is not really worthwhile.

However, I wonder if companies can sell bad debt like they do in the US? Really shady industry over there, especially with respect to medical debt.