http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-18524552

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Existing customers are being charged to call a string of banks, insurers and energy companies unlike some new customers, a consumer group has said.

Which? tested 34 businesses and found that 27 of them advertised free 0800 numbers for new customers to call.

Existing customers, including some who may call to complain, were only given these free numbers by six businesses.

These companies argue that costs are kept low and options include emails and call-backs.

Information from regulator Ofcom shows that various number prefixes are charged at different rates to callers. For example, 0845 numbers are typically charged at between 1p and 11.5p per minute, depending on the time of day for landline customers. Some BT customers can avoid these fees by making calls at certain times of day.

Calls from mobile phones to 0845 numbers generally cost between 20p and 41p per minute.

Which? found that 20 companies made their customers call 0845 numbers to complain about bad service or problems with their bills.

However, new customers were invited by many companies to call 0800 numbers which are free from landline telephones, but not from all mobile phones.

"It is unbelievable that companies would add insult to injury by charging their customers a premium to make a complaint," said Richard Lloyd, Which? executive director.

"It is even worse when they offer new customers access to 0800 numbers while leaving loyal customers to pay more.

"We want to see providers being fairer to their existing customers and being more transparent on their call charges, so that people are clear what it will cost before they pick up the phone."

Three businesses highlighted by Which? as having a two-tier charging system have defended their position.

First Direct bank and energy provider Scottish Power said that customers who had to wait on the line were offered the option of a call-back.

The duo, as well as Churchill insurance, said that the use of other 08 numbers meant they could deal with calls from customers quickly and efficiently.

Which? found that five energy companies offered free 0800 numbers to new customers, existing customers and complaints.

They were British Gas, Cooperative Energy, EDF, Npower and Ovo. SSE pledged to offer 0800 numbers for all customer services in the near future.
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There's an EU dictat on the way that will make it illegal to advertise a telephone number for complaints (and some other) lines that costs more than the standard geographic rate.

How slow are Which? in picking up this problem?   As an organisation which I thought had the prime mandate of protecting consumers, surely they should have been among the first and leading the way in fighting this battle?

Barbara wrote on Jun 21^st, 2012 at 8:21am:

How slow are Which? in picking up this problem?   As an organisation which I thought had the prime mandate of protecting consumers, surely they should have been among the first and leading the way in fighting this battle?

Which has been campaigning on the issue of 08 contact numbers for a long time.

More here


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/money/bills/article-2162169/Rip-phone-scam-big-companies-charging-customers-calls.html

Re kasg's reply to me above, I now have a concrete example of what I mean.  Apparently, Worcester Bosch have received numerous awards from Which? but how can Which? give awards to companies such as WB which are changing their already iniquitous 0845 numbers for service to even more iniquitous 0844 numbers and shutting down their geo numbers?   Surely a pre-requisite for any award by Which? is that the company should have contact details which are not a rip off for its customers and no company using such numbers should be considered for award or even praise unless and until they have ditched all 084/7 numbers and use only 01, 02, 03 numbers.   It makes a complete nonsense of any comment by Which about "two tier fees" when Which? are actively supporting and promoting these companies (WB use their Which? awards on their intro recorded message!)