Receipts for payments - oblgiatory?

dub45

UTV operate an 'online' billing sytem. They notify customers monthly that the latest 'statement' is available on line and then 7 days later approx the bank account is debited.

However this online 'statement' only shows charges there is no record of payments.

I challenged them on this recently and they stated that the online 'thing' is not really a statement and that a system showing payments would be difficult to implement.

Is there any requirement in consumer law anywhere that requires payments to be formally recorded in 'public' view (any paper utility bill I have ever got has always shown that months payments)

BC

I'm not sure about having to show a record of the payment online. The law is that if you pay for anything online you must recieve either an email or a letter confirmation of the payment. But that doesn't mean you have to be entitled to view records of the payment at a later date...

dub45

BC wrote:

I'm not sure about having to show a record of the payment online. The law is that if you pay for anything online you must recieve either an email or a letter confirmation of the payment. But that doesn't mean you have to be entitled to view records of the payment at a later date...

Just to clarify - utv customers dont pay online - the statement is made available online on a monthly basis - but it is only a statement of the charges incurred during that month - ie calls, line rental. bb charge etc it does not show up any payments made during that month. So in summary a UTV customer never gets a receipt or any acknowledgement of payments made.

Our man in Havana

There would be no way to force them anyway as they are outside the jurisdication, they cannot be sued in Irish courts.

antoinolachtnai

If you ring HM Customs and Excise or even check their website, I'm sure they will very quickly give you a view on whether a UK company is required to give a receipt for payment on a transaction where VAT is charged.

You could also ask at the European Consumer Centre in Dublin. They are supposed to keep track of cross-border issues.

Victor

Generally you are entitled to a receipt, whether in Irish or UK law.

dub45

Victor wrote:

Generally you are entitled to a receipt, whether in Irish or UK law.

I am not especially worried about the UK aspects of it just the question of whether a consumer is entitled to a receipt/acknowledgement of payments made. At the moment UTV dont do this. It seems strange that they consider it an appropriate way to do business.

Our man in Havana

dub45 wrote:

I am not especially worried about the UK aspects of it just the question of whether a consumer is entitled to a receipt/acknowledgement of payments made. At the moment UTV dont do this. It seems strange that they consider it an appropriate way to do business.

Prehaps they see it as an administrive pain to do proper statements?

parsi

Sometimes it appears that UTV consider everything an administrative pain or a technical pain or a...