# Seeking Bell Canada Advice



## Wolfshead (Jul 17, 2003)

On 13 December we cancelled our old telephone service. Today we received a bill for that phone. Upon calling Bell to remind them that we'd cancelled the service, they informed us that they had no record of the conversation (we do) and that we'd just have to pay the bill (even though the rep acknowledged that it was their mistake). When Bell were told that we refused to pay the bill we were told that they would "hassle" us until the bill was paid. The situation was left there. Anyone else had a similar situation? How was it resolved? Where can we go from here? (The amount of money involved is obviously not the issue.)


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## singingcrow (May 6, 2005)

Wolfshead said:


> On 13 December we cancelled our old telephone service. Today we received a bill for that phone. Upon calling Bell to remind them that we'd cancelled the service, they informed us that they had no record of the conversation (we do) and that we'd just have to pay the bill (even though the rep acknowledged that it was their mistake). When Bell were told that we refused to pay the bill we were told that they would "hassle" us until the bill was paid. The situation was left there. Anyone else had a similar situation? How was it resolved? Where can we go from here? (The amount of money involved is obviously not the issue.)


It sounds as though you were just talking to a rep who has no power. I suggest you call back and ask to talk to a manager and discuss it whith them. Point out you have not used the line, which would be in there records, since you cancelled it. Mention the evidence you have of your Dec. 13th conversation. I'm sure the bill will be dropped. 

Good Luck!


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## TroutMaskReplica (Feb 28, 2003)

they did the same thing to me. after several years of problems with bell, i jumped on the voip bandwagon just to get those thieving subnormal bastards out of my life. 

their parting shot/final act of incompetence was an extra bill. 

i just paid it because i just didn't have it in me to call them one more time.


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## MacGYVER (Apr 15, 2005)

Bell is notorious for pulling crap like this. I called to cancel my phone line as well, they did that, which was fine, but when I spoke with an agent about my Sympatico cancellation, they said no problem. Now this month I received a bill from Sympatico for this months internet connection and I'm not even hooked up to it at my old place where I moved from. So, now I have to call them and have them reimburse me for the money they took. 

Usually when you talk with them, they give you a reference number or something like that, you should have got one from the person you talked with when you cancelled. I wouldn't pay Bell anything and tell them that. You called, you told them you were moving and that was final. If they cancelled the line at the other place and still billed you, too bad. Also tell them, if they don't take care of it, you will be switching over to Vonage in the near future. 

The day Bell does something right for once will be the day hell freezes over


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## HowEver (Jan 11, 2005)

.


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## TroutMaskReplica (Feb 28, 2003)

> Does absolutely no one know how to write a letter, using paper, and keep a copy, anymore? No one?


yes, i did that on an issue i had with bell where they cashed a cheque i had written but failed to credit my account, in addition to faxing to a half dozen different numbers, and making aprox 20 phone calls. got me nowhere.

i didn't want to go through that again, so i cut bait.


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## miguelsanchez (Feb 1, 2005)

I would try to call the Executive Office of Customer Relations. They were set up to resolve matters just like yours.

*Compliments and Concerns*
Our customers come first. We are here to help you. If you have a compliment or concern regarding your visit to our web site, there are a number of ways for us to provide you with assistance.
Feel free to Contact Us by email at [email protected], OR, Call 310-Bell (310-2355) (NO CHARGE) and we will be delighted to provide assistance.

1 866-317-3382

*Situation not resolved?*
Ask to speak to your Customer Service Manager; your Client Representative will gladly transfer you directly or you may write to:

Office of the Manager
P.O. Box 920, Station A
Toronto, Ontario
M5W 1G5

*If you feel there is more that we can do...*
You may speak to the Bell Canada Executive Office of Customer Relations by calling

Québec: 1 866-317-3382
Ontario: 1 866-317-3382

*You may write to us at:*
Bell Canada Executive Office of Customer Relations
P.O. Box 593, Station A
Toronto, Ontario
M5W 1E4

E-mail us at:
[email protected]

To fax us:
1-800-554-5148 (no charge)

link: http://www.bell.ca/ecare/en_CA_ON/PrsCSrvPrvc_Landing.page?language=en&region=ON

Good luck,

Miguel


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## Myrddin Emrys (May 24, 2005)

We cancelled our Bell in October 2005 and made all the proper payments etc. but then we got a bill for the full month of December (it came in November as you pay a month ahead for service). I called Bell and they told me that I would have to pay the bill and we would be reimbursed. We told them that we were not going to pay a cent because why would we pay for a month in advance if we did not use there service. She got all flustered and could not give any answer and that was the end of the matter, ha.

Time goes by and we receive 'non-bills', they would state an amount and credit us on the bill for things like highspeed access. Finally in the beginning of January we got a check and then a bill with a charge for Call Display.

Call #1 had a person who just quickly transferred my call to accounting which ended in a busy signal and disconnection. The #2 call got me someone who was convinced that it was a problem with my Sympatico service, but wait, I have never subscribed to Sympatico but she insisted that I had; once I read off the bill the charges then she, I guess, looked at the bill and decided that is silly that we be charged for a service on a phone account that doesn't exist with Bell.

Finally she got to the bottom of the matter, although I had officially cancelled Bell's service they somehow had it entered in the computer as a 'moving' order, first for the start of January and then mysteriously in October 2005.

We finally(?) have set things straight, and we have received no other statements or bills from Bell.

It does seem that people who want to cancel Bell's service is not logical to their computers and things go nuts.


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## Cameo (Aug 3, 2004)

Bell Mobility is a nightmare as well.
Admitedly, I was late with my payment. I owed $55.00. I phoned them to tell them that I knew I was late and to make an arrangement for payment.
They tell me that I owe $550.00 as they terminated my account - three weeks before the account would die a natural death with the end of my contract. Since there were two lines they charged me $199.00 cancellation penalty per line. I freaked. I phoned them and told them that this was just a money grab and that I had phoned them stating I knew I was late and was going to make a payment. After going through a few people from Bell one of them states that" well if you had only let us know".........I told her to go find the recording of my original call and she would find just that. They finally agreed to drop the penalty charges.

Then two months later I receive another bill for $550.00, showing the cancellation of the penalty charges and then the addition of new ones.

Another phone call ......another couple people.......computer glitch......but they can't send me anything in writing stating that my contract is over and nothing owed. Did finally get a statement with zero balance though.

uuuugh! We just don't need these stresses.......I don't think I will ever bother having a cell phone again that I own.


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## Cameo (Aug 3, 2004)

miguelsanchez has good information......use it. I would make a complaint also regarding their statement about hassling you........but I have found that I get farther with people by being politely angry ........not blowing my cork. Let them know you are not impressed with the lack of resolution and assistance.
I believe that all calls are recorded "for quality purposes". I have worked at a call centre and all calls were recorded so that they could monitor what we said and to cover their own butts.


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## Wolfshead (Jul 17, 2003)

Thanks for all the input everyone. We made another call today and found that there was indeed a record of the original call, a note had been made of it, but that no action had been taken. Turns out that they owe us money and the cheque will be in the mail. We'll see. At least we don't have to think about it anymore, although an apology for their error would have been nice...
We're looking forward to being a Bell Free Zone in the future.


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## mauve (Jan 15, 2006)

I am having very similar problem.
We were sold an "incredible" plan on satellite tv. However when the day came we were told that the price was different, much higher than promised. We canceled on the same date. The person on the other end said that we were withing 10 day grace period and no charges would follow. 
After almost 2 month i receive a bill for 105 bucks. When I called back they told me "we are sorry, but it says here in our records that you'd called us 2 days after cancellation to restart the service". You can imagine my bewilderment! 
After some ordeal I was finally told that the "debt" would be expunged and a shipping box to return the receiver would be sent. In a week I find that the 105 dollars were charged on my credit card! Something that didn't even authorize. 
I called again and was told that the receiver was a refurbished one and the 10 day grace period did not apply in such a case, so they will refund only half of the $105 bill. 
Actually, I remember another representative telling me that the money was a security deposit for the receiver until it was returned. Today they told me that it was purchased for the initial $10 and no returning is required.

Bell reminds me of a monster in a horror film that never dies. I do hope that it will....


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## maxipad (Jun 3, 2010)

Same here. Is it a coincidence that everyone has the same issue with bell.

I canceled a bell line years ago and it never got canceled. Luckily I plugged a phone in the jack a few weeks later and I noticed there was a dial tone. The rep said I should still pay the bill and I will get a refund later. I told him to go #@&%! . A few months later I stiffed them on a sympatico bill joined 3web as a payback.


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

My experience is nowhere near similar. I signed up for Bell satellite TV in the summer of 1997, some 13 years ago. I've had two receivers fail in that time, both replaced at no cost with a free prepaid shipping return label. I once had reception issues and a brand new 24" dish was installed to replace my 18" dish at zero cost to me. I have changed programming, both adding and deleting certain channels over the years and my invoices have always been correct as quoted. YMMV.


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## maxipad (Jun 3, 2010)

Lucky for you but your case is very different as you are an ongoing customer. 

Most of these complaints come from trying to cancel the phone service. You just need replacement parts and of course they will send it to you since nobody is going to pay a monthly bill when the box is dead.


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

maxipad said:


> Lucky for you but your case is very different as you are an ongoing customer.
> 
> Most of these complaints come from trying to cancel the phone service. You just need replacement parts and of course they will send it to you since nobody is going to pay a monthly bill when the box is dead.


You miss the point. The complaint is about Bell's lousy service. I have yet to experience such service, thus not all Bell customers tell the same story. It's called balance.


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## krs (Mar 18, 2005)

SINC said:


> You miss the point. The complaint is about Bell's lousy service. I have yet to experience such service, thus not all Bell customers tell the same story. It's called balance.


Same here.

I have two internet accounts, one with Sympatico where I moved twice in Montreal and the service was transferred to the new phone number each time without a hitch.
I also can't remember ever having a Sympatico outage.

In comparison, I have a different account with a private ISP in Ontario and their service has to be down once every few months. Not quite enough for me to change but certainly enough to keep me annoyed.

The cancellation problem - ie cancellations not being done properly - happened to me with Fido.
It was sort of ridiculous - I cancelled but the bills kept coming.
First time I called the story was that it takes a while for the cancellation to go through the system and not to worry about the bills.
Then, after the bills didn't stop, the story suddenly was that they had no record of the cancellation but supposedly the cancellation could not be done retroactively - ie they expected me to pay for several months of non use.
This went on for almost a year until I finally sent a registered letter to Fido.
That somehow got some attention and the problem was resolved.
Needless to say that I will not get any service with Fido ever again - same as some people feel about Bell.


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## mauve (Jan 15, 2006)

SINC said:


> You miss the point. The complaint is about Bell's lousy service. I have yet to experience such service, thus not all Bell customers tell the same story. It's called balance.


Don't worry it'll come your way. 
What I described is a very common problem. The company is a rotting whale whose stench reaches its customers without fail.
I still don't understand why people overpay bell for internet when there are so many amazing alternatives!


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

mauve said:


> Don't worry it'll come your way.
> What I described is a very common problem. The company is a rotting whale whose stench reaches its customers without fail.
> I still don't understand why people overpay bell for internet when there are so many amazing alternatives!


No, what you described is uncommon in my case after 13 years of service. Got it?


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## Macfury (Feb 3, 2006)

Same thing happened to me--billed for canceled service. After three hours of moving up the complaint ladder, I had the bill canceled.


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## simon (Nov 2, 2002)

SINC said:


> No, what you described is uncommon in my case after 13 years of service. Got it?


SINC - the one man who never pays a bill late, who is completely satisfied with every service provider he has or ever had, and has never had any issues with quality of service or their customer relations.

you're the man - you rock


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## mauve (Jan 15, 2006)

simon said:


> SINC - the one man who never pays a bill late, who is completely satisfied with every service provider he has or ever had, and has never had any issues with quality of service or their customer relations.
> 
> you're the man - you rock


yep, the rock


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

simon said:


> SINC - the one man who never pays a bill late, who is completely satisfied with every service provider he has or ever had, and has never had any issues with quality of service or their customer relations.
> 
> you're the man - you rock


I related my experience with Bell, period. I've had my share like anyone else with other providers. You can stop putting words in my mouth any time. 



mauve said:


> yep, the rock


And you, the parrot.


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## simon (Nov 2, 2002)

SINC said:


> I related my experience with Bell, period. I've had my share like anyone else with other providers. You can stop putting words in my mouth any time.


no problem - and you can stop accusing me of being a deadbeat






SINC said:


> And you, the parrot.


I think he was calling you a rock. I originally said you rock, but I thing I'll change my mind and agree that you're a rock


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

simon said:


> no problem - and you can stop accusing me of being a deadbeat
> 
> I think he was calling you a rock. I originally said you rock, but I thing I'll change my mind and agree that you're a rock


Allow me to suggest you do one of two things. Either quote the post where I called you a deadbeat, or retract the accusation.

I did no such thing.


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## simon (Nov 2, 2002)

SINC said:


> Allow me to suggest you do one of two things. Either quote the post where I called you a deadbeat, or retract the accusation.
> 
> I did no such thing.


really? you are getting senile - you implied I was a deadbeat and here's your quote



SINC said:


> If the OP had paid the bill on time, there would be no collection procedure initialized. Simple solution? Pay on time. Harsh? Nope, it's YOUR responsibility. Step up and pay on time.


the dictionary defines a deadbeat as : noun ~ a person who delays or deliberately avoids paying debts.

and to clarify my complaint on the original post, I wasn't complaining that Rogers called me because I was late but that fact that they called me 20 times in 5 days (even after I paid).

maybe I should rephrase my quote of calling you a rock to be as dumb as a ....


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

Just who is the dummy here? Nowhere in that post did I infer you *deliberately* avoided paying. Your own definition requires the act being deliberate. I request you retract your accusation as untrue.


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## simon (Nov 2, 2002)

SINC said:


> Just who is the dummy here? Nowhere in that post did I infer you *deliberately* avoided paying. Your own definition requires the act being deliberate. I request you retract your accusation as untrue.


Pot calling the kettle black here? 

I'm done with this because you are obviously keep missing half the story and just cherry-picking what applies to you. Let me repeat my dictionary quote for you so you will be able to read it again ~ a person who delays OR deliberately avoids paying debts. (see that you deliberately missed the first half of the definition to make yourself sound better)

So if you are expecting an apology from me ... I think pigs might have a better chance of flying first


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

simon said:


> Pot calling the kettle black here?
> 
> I'm done with this because you are obviously keep missing half the story and just cherry-picking what applies to you. Let me repeat my dictionary quote for you so you will be able to read it again ~ a person who delays OR deliberately avoids paying debts. (see that you deliberately missed the first half of the definition to make yourself sound better)
> 
> So if you are expecting an apology from me ... I think pigs might have a better chance of flying first


Fine by me. You publicly admit you were late, rant about the consequences and when more people than I point out you made your own problem, you begin to nitpick my comments and make false accusations. I'm pretty sure the rest of the people who made similar comments to mine will now have another impression of you. And you can post whatever definition you want, I DID NOT ever say you were a deadbeat, nor did I imply it.


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## simon (Nov 2, 2002)

SINC said:


> Fine by me. You publicly admit you were late. Rant about the consequences and when more people than I point out you made your own problem, you begin to nitpick my comments and make false accusations. I'm pretty sure the rest of the people who made similar comments to mine will now have another impression of you. And you can post whatever definition you want, I DID NOT ever say you were a deadbeat, nor did I imply it.


Is this an inquisition? No, I was late paying a bill. Is it important or life changing (for you or me)? I doubt it. It has happened before and I'm sure it will happen again ... It's not like it was an important bill like my mortgage or credit cards. I ranted, which I am allowed to do (and which you do all the time) on Rogers' over-the-line methods to let me know I was late. 

No false accusations were made, you implied something I wasn't - even though you didn't say it and you continue to deny it. I feel that you did and nothing you can say will change that but I also believe you have every right to feel that you didn't. If you are expecting an apology or an retraction, it won't happen.

Does your opinion of me matter? No because you don't know me and for the life of me I don't know or care who you are either. You can make all the assumptions of me from one rant and our back and forth banter, but at the end of the day does it matter? ... not in the least


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## maxipad (Jun 3, 2010)

SINC said:


> You miss the point. The complaint is about Bell's lousy service. I have yet to experience such service, thus not all Bell customers tell the same story. It's called balance.



I don't want argue with you about meaningless stupidity but how can you say I missed the point. 

The post was about bell failing to cancel a service, I replied saying I also had a failed cancellation, and you reply saying you had great service , you never canceled and you just enjoy great service, who missed the point ?


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

maxipad said:


> I don't want argue with you about meaningless stupidity but how can you say I missed the point.
> 
> The post was about bell failing to cancel a service, I replied saying I also had a failed cancellation, and you reply saying you had great service , you never canceled and you just enjoy great service, who missed the point ?


The point you continue to miss is that one company is not necessarily *all* bad and does some good things that customers appreciate. (If they didn't, they would not be in business.) When that happens it should be acknowledged as it forms part of the overall story. That is the balance I referred to and should be included in any discussion about any company's shortcomings if in fact it exists. In my case, it exists in spades.


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