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Firms changing from 0870 to 0370 numbers - and ditching all premium rate lines :)

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  • Firms changing from 0870 to 0370 numbers - and ditching all premium rate lines :)

    So the EU consumer rights directive comes in on the 13th and from then firms helplines can only be charged at standard rate. "Businesses who provide consumers with a telephone line for the purposes of contacting them in connection with their contracts will not be able to charge the consumer more than the applicable basic rate for that call. For those businesses who operate one telephone line for all enquiries (whether pre-contract or post-contract), steps will need to be taken to ensure that the number being used complies with these requirements."

    The resulting UK law means companies have to give up their 0844, 0845 and 0871 phone numbers for customer enquiries and helplines including complaints. They have until 13th June 2014 to move into compliance.

    SRA have announced theirs, do we want to list others as they do them?


    The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) will be changing some key telephone numbers on Thursday 5 June.

    Details for the Contact Centre, Professional Ethics and confidential reporting line Red Alert will change, dropping the "08" at the start and instead using "03". Anyone using the "08" numbers will hear a message advising them to redial using the "03" prefix. This message will remain in place for the foreseeable future.

    The new numbers will therefore be:

    Contact Centre: 0370 606 2555
    Professional Ethics helpline: 0370 606 2577
    Red Alert: 0345 850 0999

    Firms that have the SRA's contact details on their website should ensure the new versions are displayed. Firms that have existing printed materials carrying the SRA's contact details can continue to use them as the re-direct message will be in place. However, any new printing should use the new numbers.

    The change is being made so that the SRA complies with European Union Consumer Rights Directive 2011/83/EC. Under the Directive, calls to customer helplines must be charged at no more than the basic rate.

    Charges for calling "03" numbers are the same as for calls made to standard UK landline phone numbers. Calls to "03" numbers are also included in mobile phone call packages in the same way regular landline numbers are.
    Last edited by Amethyst; 12th June 2014, 07:44:AM.
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  • #2
    Re: Firms changing from 0870 to 0370 numbers - and ditching all premium rate lines

    At last! That has always been a bone of contention for me:tinysmile_twink_t2:
    Last edited by Ruby; 9th June 2014, 17:59:PM.

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Firms changing from 0870 to 0370 numbers - and ditching all premium rate lines

      Pity that calls to Police via 101 and Government departments aren't subject to same rules

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Firms changing from 0870 to 0370 numbers - and ditching all premium rate lines

        The Home Office decided that calls to Police 101 should be charged at 15p per call. Most of that money goes to the telecoms company running the 101 number.

        However, the Home Office requires every police force to also advertise a standard 01, 02 or 03 number for those who are unable or unwilling to call 101. There's a list here:
        http://www.police.uk/contact/alterna...gency-numbers/

        Many police forces have previously used expensive 0845 numbers. All but one have now stopped doing this for their main call centre number. A few are still using 0845 numbers for contacting individual police stations.

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Firms changing from 0870 to 0370 numbers - and ditching all premium rate lines

          While the Consumer Rights Directive and subsequent Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 legislation does not cover government departments and public services, the Cabinet Office has issued appropriate guidance on this matter. This stems from the National Audit Office report published in July 2013 and the subsequent Public Accounts Committee inquiry in September 2013 (report published November 2013).

          The Cabinet Office guidance recommends 03 numbers be chosen as the 'default option' for all government departments and opines this advice may also be useful across the wider public service landscape. See:
          http://www.gov.uk/government/publica...-service-lines

          HMRC changed their 0845 and 0870 lines over to cheaper 0300 and 0345 numbers in several phases between April and October 2013.
          The EA "floodline" moved from 0845 to 0345 on 3 February 2014.
          DWP changed most of their 0845 lines over to cheaper 0345 numbers on 17 March 2014.
          Police Service NI has moved away from 0845 numbers, to the new Police 101 number.
          NHS24 (Scotland) has moved away from 0845 numbers, to the new NHS 111 number.
          Lancashire County Council and Devon County Council have also moved away from 0845 numbers and over to new 0300 and 0345 numbers.
          A number of city, town, borough and local councils have also moved away from 0845 numbers, mostly to 03 numbers.
          There is still much to be done, but it looks like almost all of it will be completed by the end of 2014.

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Firms changing from 0870 to 0370 numbers - and ditching all premium rate lines

            This is excellent news and long overdue. In answer to Amethyst's question, personally I'm happy to look up the numbers as they will become the default number for the institution. Anyone seeing them here obviously has access to a computer so could look them up easily enough.

            Comment

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