# ESB bill need to pay by credit card



## bond-007 (9 Oct 2007)

Is there anyway to pay a ESB bill by visa? ESB themselves refuse it. Are there any other methods to get the money from the CC to the ESB?

Do An post accept them in post offices?


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## so-crates (9 Oct 2007)

hmm - never tried using my cc in the post office but I assume if it came to the worst you could make a withdrawl of cash from your credit card and use that?


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## bond-007 (9 Oct 2007)

Yep, might need to do that.


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## demoivre (9 Oct 2007)

Can you use online banking and select Visa account when given the choice of which account you want the payment to come from? I pay my ESB bill from my current account online but I am given a choice as to which account the payment is to come from, my Visa account being one of them.


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## gipimann (9 Oct 2007)

Is this a change that the ESB have made?   I pay my ESB by direct debit from my credit card and have done for years.


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## Guest111 (9 Oct 2007)

gipimann said:


> Is this a change that the ESB have made? I pay my ESB by direct debit from my credit card and have done for years.


 
You certainly can't pay in the post office...makes sense too. Why would they want the CC companies getting a percentage?


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## bond-007 (9 Oct 2007)

gipimann said:


> Is this a change that the ESB have made?   I pay my ESB by direct debit from my credit card and have done for years.


I shall look into that, thanks.


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## Buddyboy (9 Oct 2007)

Like gipimann, I pay my ESB (and Phone) by direct debit through credit card.  

You just fill in the direct debit mandate with  the credit card details (iirc, the form wasnt' big enough to fill in the credit card number in the boxes, but just write the rest after the boxes on the same line).

The ESB and Phone bill arrive as normal, and state the date the payment will be taken from the CC.


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## bond-007 (9 Oct 2007)

They have discontinued DD by credit card for new mandates.


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## gipimann (9 Oct 2007)

Thanks for that bond, must be careful when I get my new Halifax card (with the free money!!)


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## Bronte (10 Oct 2007)

If you pay your ESB by credit card do you not have to pay interest to the the cc company, very expensive way to pay for utility bills IMO.


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## gipimann (10 Oct 2007)

You don't have to pay interest if you clear the credit card bill before the payment due date.


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## bond-007 (10 Oct 2007)

gipimann said:


> You don't have to pay interest if you clear the credit card bill before the payment due date.


Indeed. I guess the ESB don't want to loose 2.5% to the banks.


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## Sue Ellen (10 Oct 2007)

so-crates said:


> hmm - never tried using my cc in the post office but I assume if it came to the worst you could make a withdrawl of cash from your credit card and use that?


Withdrawing cash incurs an immediate interest charge for you.



gipimann said:


> You don't have to pay interest if you clear the credit card bill before the payment due date.


Don't think this is correct. I withdrew a small amount of money from Visa in error and this incurred an interest charge. This is why only preloaded cards should be used for holidays.


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## Guest127 (10 Oct 2007)

I pay my BT account by dd from cc. I always pay full amount off cc and there is no interest, however if writing a cheque or withdrawing cash then unless the cc has enough preloaded to cover for the cheque/withdrawal then you pay interest on _every_ purchase until you clear the full amount. even then there could be an overspill of interest ie say you had 200 of a bill which included €5 interest and it was posted on 1st of month. and you received it on 3rd and paid off full €200 on say 7th. there would be interest on the €200 from 1st until around 8th or 9th. and if you made any purchases that month then you will have interest on them as the account was never cleared fully. In this scenario it might be better paying of €210, thus definitely clearing the account before commencing using the card again.


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## gipimann (10 Oct 2007)

sueellen, just to clarify - When I said that no interest was payable on cc, I was referring to the specific point about paying interest if I pay my ESB bill by direct debit.  

It is true of course that cash advances are treated differently.


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## Bronte (11 Oct 2007)

So if you pay the ESB by credit card the ESB pays a fee to the CC company.  2.5 % is this correct? Can you get a discount from the ESB if you pay by cash or by DD from the bank?  Also is it correct that the advantage to using the CC to pay is that you get a month's free credit? I'm trying to figure out the reason for using a CC to pay the ESB.


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## demoivre (11 Oct 2007)

Bronte said:


> I'm trying to figure out the reason for using a CC to pay the ESB.



One of two reasons imo - you don't have the cash and need to use a cc or you do have the cash and want to use your cc as an effective money management instrument. Technically if you pay all regular bills such as Esb, phone, grocery, petrol etc. by cc each month, leave your wages/ salary on deposit , then when you get your cc bill clear it completely and on time using the money on deposit, you will have saved a few euro.


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## bond-007 (11 Oct 2007)

demoivre said:


> One of two reasons imo - you don't have the cash and need to use a cc or you do have the cash and want to use your cc as an effective money management instrument. Technically if you pay all regular bills such as Esb, phone, grocery, petrol etc. buy cc each month, leave your wages/ salary on deposit , then when you get your cc bill clear it completely and on time using the money on deposit, you will have saved a few euro.


Correct.


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## Abbeykiller (12 Oct 2007)

This is possible if you are set up for bill pay using internet banking. I have AIB and did it for curiosity one month. When you go to Pay Bill you get the option of which account to use and the visa card comes up as an option similar to the current account.
There is a further advantage to the free credit if you have a card that gives you cashback - an automatic 1% refund !


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## Bronte (12 Oct 2007)

Well I suppose it's great to get the free credit plus 1% cashback.  I don't like it though, paying utilities with a credit card makes it less real, or too easy -maybe I'm old fashioned.


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## Furze (27 Apr 2008)

Received letter from ESB.
Discontinuing accepting direct debit from credit card for payment of supply as of 30/4/08.
I've paid utility bills like this for 10 years +. 
Advantage was, I paid off CC account each month and therefore avoided interest charges.
I'm being asked now to set-up DD with bank - no doubt there will be a charge for that and if I inadvertantly go into the RED, all sorts of angst.

Anyone else receive letter  ?


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## mercman (27 Apr 2008)

You can now pay your ESB by Laser Card


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## GeneralZod (27 Apr 2008)

I pay mine at the last minute using on-line banking from my UB eSavings account. When the bill comes in I make an immediate transfer from the current account into the savings account and set-up a scheduled transfer for a few business days before it's due.


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## annemarief8 (27 Apr 2008)

why not join billpay.ie

you register any utility bil you want with them, then you register any card you want with them and you can even few your bills on line. then you simply go into the site and make a payment whenever you want!

www.billpay.ie

you register and then they send you out a pin number. it's a service of an post


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## annemarief8 (27 Apr 2008)

that should have read..."you can even view your bills online"


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## GeneralZod (27 Apr 2008)

annemarief8 said:


> why not join billpay.ie



Don't billpay have to be paid by direct debit? I try to avoid DDs wherever possible.


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## bond-007 (27 Apr 2008)

Billpay is either laser or DD.


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## ang1170 (27 Apr 2008)

Furze said:


> Anyone else receive letter ?


 
Yep, me too.

I've paid by DD from a credit card for years. This had four advantages:

- didn't have to remember to do it
- cost nothing (CC paid off every month)
- if a mistake was ever made, there was a buffer between the ESB and the ultimate source of the funds
- no question of falling into the red by accident, as with a DD from a regular a/c

It seems this is being withdrawn by all the utilities: eircom won't accept a DD to a credit card any more, and Bord Gais won't do it if you're a new customer.

Not sure what's best now: I dislike DD in general, as you've no control over them.


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## so-crates (28 Apr 2008)

ang1170 said:


> Yep, me too.
> Not sure what's best now: I dislike DD in general, as you've no control over them.


 
I'd agree - I am not too fond of direct debits and I think I have far too many on my current account so I decided to add Bord Gais as a payee on my online banking account ignoring their touting for DDs. It does mean that I lose your first advantage as I have to remember to pay but it isn't terribly onerous and it does mean that the payment is convenient and completely under my control and easily achieved from most parts of the world! (Important if you know Dublin Airport as well as I do) I'm planning to move my ESB that way as well.


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## Mr Magoo (28 Apr 2008)

ang1170 said:


> Yep, me too.
> 
> I've paid by DD from a credit card for years. This had four advantages:
> 
> Not sure what's best now: I dislike DD in general, as you've no control over them.


got letter also - Can they do this? Presume they can. 
Don't like DDs either. Letter says the DD must be on a current a/c, but I'm going to try see if they'll accept a rabo deposit a/c.


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## ang1170 (28 Apr 2008)

so-crates said:


> I'd agree - I am not too fond of direct debits and I think I have far too many on my current account so I decided to add Bord Gais as a payee on my online banking account ignoring their touting for DDs. It does mean that I lose your first advantage as I have to remember to pay but it isn't terribly onerous and it does mean that the payment is convenient and completely under my control and easily achieved from most parts of the world! (Important if you know Dublin Airport as well as I do) I'm planning to move my ESB that way as well.


 
That's what I'll probably end up doing. By the way, if you're a new customer of eircom, they want a DD or otherwise they look for a deposit.


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## bond-007 (29 Apr 2008)

The ESB loose 2.5% in fees when they are paid by CC. That is the real reason they stopping the service.


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## Brussels (1 May 2008)

For info. Bill Payments by Credit Cards are not Direct Debits and are not covered by the Rules or Guarantee of the Direct Debit Scheme. They are deemed to be recurring credit card payments are are subject Card scheme rules.


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## bond-007 (1 May 2008)

Brussels said:


> For info. Bill Payments by Credit Cards are not Direct Debits and are not covered by the Rules or Guarantee of the Direct Debit Scheme. They are deemed to be recurring credit card payments are are subject Card scheme rules.


Indeed, making them very hard to cancel/obtain refunds etc.


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## Past30Now (1 May 2008)

ang1170 said:


> Yep, me too.
> 
> I've paid by DD from a credit card for years. This had four advantages:
> 
> ...



I agree completely with the above, this has been a very effective way of paying my utility bills for the last 10 years or so, and I don't understand why ESB want to make it more difficult for customers to pay their bill.  I won't sign up to a direct debit to my current account, as it will cost me money, effort and time.

The argument that they are paying 2.5% in credit card charges doesn't ring true, I've worked in the retail sector where my client paid rates equivalent to half that rate.  ESB are a massive organisation, who are more than capable of putting the squeeze on the banks for a cut in charges.  

I am writing to ESB to complain about the change and ask them to reconsider.  If they fail to do so I will pay my bills in arrears from now on. It is just another effort by a large organisation to squeeze the small customer.

Past 30


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## Brussels (2 May 2008)

Direct Debit is the most popular way to pay Utility Bills. Over 100 million DD's were processed by DD Originators in 2007.
You have complete control over the payment as the utility is obliged to provide you with advance notice of the amount and date of payment. If you are unhappy with the detail of the notice you can instruct your bank not to pay the DD.
With most utilities you you can set up your DD over the phone and they will confirm the details to you in writing. 
You are offered full protection by the Direct Debit Scheme Guarantee and your Bank will refund you if a DD on your account is not drawn in accordance with your insrtuction.


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## GeneralZod (2 May 2008)

Brussels said:


> You are offered full protection by the Direct Debit Scheme Guarantee and your Bank will refund you if a DD on your account is not drawn in accordance with your insrtuction.



That sounds like a party political broadcast. Do you have any interest in supporting payment by direct debit to declare here?

Perhaps you could offer an opinion on why additional restrictions cannot be made on a direct debit mandate such as:

Maximum transaction limit
Frequency restriction
End date

These would go a long way to addressing the concerns many people have about giving a third party carte blanche access to their current accounts when the third party fails to follow the proper procedures.


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## bond-007 (2 May 2008)

> You have complete control over the payment as the utility is obliged to provide you with advance notice of the amount and date of payment. If you are unhappy with the detail of the notice you can instruct your bank not to pay the DD.


Sadly this looks nice and simplistic but in practice it is far from the real situation. I have often received bills from eircom 2 days before the DD went out. Eircom did not care and the bank certainly did not want to know and they certainly would not stop a DD at 2 days notice.


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## kirvos (2 May 2008)

HI all, must say i detest and avoid DDs at all costs. Wide open to abuse. It gives carte blanche to deduct any amount from your account - which you learn about AFTER  after the event. 
K


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## Black Sheep (3 May 2008)

Kirvos
I agree totally with your attitude to DD. The only DD I have ever considered is for my mortgage which thankfully will end this year.  All other bills are paid by methods of *my* choice. I refuse to give anybody open access to my finances


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## soy (3 May 2008)

Brussels said:


> You have complete control over the payment as the utility is obliged to provide you with advance notice of the amount and date of payment. If you are unhappy with the detail of the notice you can instruct your bank not to pay the DD.
> With most utilities you you can set up your DD over the phone and they will confirm the details to you in writing.
> You are offered full protection by the Direct Debit Scheme Guarantee and your Bank will refund you if a DD on your account is not drawn in accordance with your insrtuction.



Not in my experience. I avoid DD as much as possible.


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## so-crates (3 May 2008)

Brussels said:


> Direct Debit is the most popular way to pay Utility Bills. Over 100 million DD's were processed by DD Originators in 2007.
> You have complete control over the payment as the utility is obliged to provide you with advance notice of the amount and date of payment. If you are unhappy with the detail of the notice you can instruct your bank not to pay the DD.
> With most utilities you you can set up your DD over the phone and they will confirm the details to you in writing.
> You are offered full protection by the Direct Debit Scheme Guarantee and your Bank will refund you if a DD on your account is not drawn in accordance with your insrtuction.


 
All well and good but direct debits load the advantages in favour of the payee and not the payer. The only advantage from a payer's perspective is the convenience of not having to actively generate the transaction yourself, with the advent of online banking this convenience is largely redundant. From the payee's perspective, as all the utility companies show, it is highly desirable way of payment. Until the scale is rebalanced so that the payer has more *genuine* control of the DD, I will continue to think that they are no good to me.


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