ESB bill need to pay by credit card

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.:confused:
 
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 ?
 
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.
 
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
 
Furze said:
Anyone else receive letter ?
Click to expand...

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It seems this is being withdrawn by all the utilities: eircom won't accept a DD to a credit card any more, and Bord Gais won't do it if you're a new customer.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.
 
ang1170 said:
Yep, me too.
Not sure what's best now: I dislike DD in general, as you've no control over them.
Click to expand...

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.
 
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.
Click to expand...
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.
 
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.
Click to expand...

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.
 
The ESB loose 2.5% in fees when they are paid by CC. That is the real reason they stopping the service.
 
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.
 
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.
Click to expand...
Indeed, making them very hard to cancel/obtain refunds etc.
 
ang1170 said:
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.
Click to expand...

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
 
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.
 
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.
Click to expand...

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.
 
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.
Click to expand...
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.
 
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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