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In the database there are lots of geogprahic numbers for the NT, including one for the Membership Dept. This of course shouldn't diminish the rightful anger about what NT are proposing to do.

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Please provide email addresses so that others can do the same. Threatening non-renewal of membership would be a good idea to try to influence them into abandoning the proposed change.

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0844 is always premium rate but the price varies and without NT publishing their new 0844 number there is no way of knowing how much it will cost.

So, that piece should have read:

"From next February, in response to OFCOM regulations, the Membership Department is changing from an 0870 number to a cheaper-to-call 0844 number .   This comes into effect from February 2008; look out for the new number in your spring magazine."

National Trust - isn't that an oxymoron?

Anyone want to hazard a guess at which 0844 rate they'll choose?  My money's (pardon the pun) on 5p//minute at all times.

Thanks for the input to all who responded.   Have looked at the old thread and agre fully.  One thing about which I am not certain is the email address format as, on their website, it seems to be "@thenationaltrust.org.uk", I think it is Dave who quoted the format as "firstname.lastname@nationaltrust.org.uk" ie no "the" and their address as given in the magazine for the editor is "magazine@nationaltrust.org.uk" so I will have to try various formats & will post here which ones work.   I am going to start with the Director General and the Editor (as well as OFCOM, maybe they will take an interest as it is their reputation at stake as well - yes, I know what forum members already think of them but these bodies often believe they are really popular!) then move on to the Board of Trustees if I get no proper response & once I have cracked the email format (list on NT website).

As for not renewing our membership, we have just renewed on the basis that we have saved far, far more in admission fees than the membership cost us so feel we are redressing the balace a little.  However, they really annoy me and we have resigned our membership in the past (also this eco warrior nonsense etc).

Update as promised.   I sent my email to Fiona Reynolds both with & without "the" & neither was returned as undelivered so I assume either format works.

Secondly, I have received a response from the magazine editor, Sue Herdman, saying she has passed my complaint to the membership department which is fair enough.   However, I also replied that I would like to submit my letter for publication so that ALL readers are aware of the situation.....!   I wonder if they will print it?!  (Think this needs a smiley but couldn't decide which!)

UPDATE.   This afternoon, I had a telephone call from a member of staff in the Customer Care Dept (nothing yet from Fiona Reynolds) who had been passed my email by the magazine editor.  The lady who rang had been briefed by the Head of Customer Care & asked to ring me with "the facts".   Firstly, I was told that when NT had first started with 0870, they had been "caught short" with the number with problems which "were not of (NT's) making and left stranded".   She continued that, financially, they cannot provide the telephone system any other way, they make a very small income from 0870.   She, personally, tries to take a broader view &, out of their 3.5 million members, has had very few complaints about 0870 [this was contradicted by what was in the magazine item and she admitted that some members had complained and resigned their membership when I pressed her re the thread on this forum].  She emphasised people could always write or email (I pointed out they have many older members who are less likely to have email, also people have already paid membership &, possibly, a phone package - why should they pay again to phone or write?)

I asked why they did not make a geo alternative available, giving people a choice, drawing reference to COI guidelines which, while not relevant as such to NT, did indicate that there was strong feeling against ngns.   She stated that they won't make geo alternatives available for "technical reasons" but could not say what these were.  She also cited this as why they were going for 0844, I pointed out that most if not all advatanges were available on a geo no.

Oddly, when I asked about 03 numbers, she said they could not use them as they would have to pay to receive calls but was unable to give me any source for this statement, other than the head of Customer Care's briefing  and that it had "all been investigated at director level.   I really would appreciate comments from those more knowledgeable than I am on this point.

I did point out that it was not unknown for telcoms cos to be "economical with the truth" when trying to get their customers to sign up to particular systems (cf NEG & drs)!   I repeatedly pointed out that the only change happening in Feb 08 (?) was the end to revenue sharing on 0870 which would make a move to 0844 attractive - she believed this not to be the case & again, there were "technical reasons" decided at director level.

Basically, I think this lady had been set up to try & fob me off/pacify me having to rely on what she had been told.   Whether the directors etc really believe what they are saying, don't understand telecoms enough or are just adjusting the number to continue the rip-off from customers is a question which really needs answering.   I did repeatedly refer her to this site, she said she had not looked at it but a colleague had.

After 33 minutes, we had to agree to differ!  I did say I still expected a response from Fiona Reynolds & would be forwarding my complaint to the members of the Board of Trustees.  By the way, I did 1471 and the number which called me was 01793 817858.

I would appreciate any comments anyone has (also ref. to the thread about OFCOM backing down over the changes to 0870) as I really need some clarity on this beore I can proceed any further.

Barbara wrote on Oct 29^th, 2007 at 7:01pm:
Perhaps you could ask about those NT members who live overseas who will fnd it difficult or expensive to contact the membership department if it persists with NGNs. I am sure there are plenty of NT members who live outside the UK, although I am myself not one of them.

I find it difficult to take any UK organization seriously when it offers, as the only means of contact, a number that begins 07, 08 or 09, and I include 0800 and 0808 in this statement.  The exclusive use of such numbers demonstrates how the organization feels about me as either a customer or potential customer.

UK customer service has plummeted since I left Treasure Island.

I'm visiting briefly in December, and I expect to see billboards, newspapers, magazines, TV ads plastered with 0844 this and 0870 that.

So, in light of the above comments, do I abandon my complaint?  If not, where do I go from here, bearing in mind I have received no resopnse from OFCOM after approx 10 days?  (It was made quite clear to me that NT deals with a majority or "broader" as they describe it - view even if the stance taken upsets a minority.)