Domestic & General - 3 Appliance Kitchen Protection Plan - exasperating administrative incompetence
Please note that up until this episode, we have been satisfied customers of D & G and that this complaint pertains only to the Customer Service and Customer Accounts Departments of D & G.  We hope that the Managing Director, Mr Wilson, will take note of this log and ensure that other customers are not subject to the trouble we have had.  If Dyson and many other companies are now providing 0800 telephone numbers to Customer Services, a large established company like D & G should not continue with their 0870 numbers, given that our need to make repeated calls is due to their administrative problems, their inadequate computing systems or some other problem.

22 May 07
Sent application to cover Washer, Dishwasher and Oven/grill  - monthly Direct Debit of £9.99
Undated reply, enclosing Kitchen Protection Plan document for stated account number, from Ken Wilson.  We were asked to check the document and get in touch if it was incorrect.

So, we rang the number given for Customer Services and pointed out the error.  We were told that we would be sent a new document.  The new document was identical to the first.  When we rang back to point this out, we were told that Customer Services could not alter the incorrect information and that we should write in.

18 June 07
We wrote to Mr Wilson, enclosing the duplicate plan and pointing out the error in the entry in the fee box, and asked for a corrected document. 

11 July 07
We received a reply with initials but no name, informing us that our Protection Plan had been cancelled at our request and that we could take out a new plan at any time.  We rang the two contact numbers (both 0870 ...) and got no response after listening to piped music for ages at our expense.

27 July 07
So, we had to write to Mr Wilson again with copies of all correspondence and a copy of the erroneous Plan.  We pointed out that we had at no time requested a cancellation of our Protection Plan and asked that the Plan be reinstated.

29 August 07
We noticed that Domestic & General had not only debited the monthly payments which were due but had also debited a further £39.96.  We were also concerned that our account was being debited when we had not been sent a revised Protection Plan.  So, we rang Customer Services and the person who answered the phone (Laura?) agreed that there was a mix up and that someone had set up two identical Kitchen Plans.  She agreed to take the following ACTIONS:

• send us the new Protection Plan

• cancel one of the duplicate plans

• repay monies owing to us.

3 September  07
It was quite clear that none of the above ACTIONS had been taken as promised.  In case the accounts were only updated at the end of the month, we decided to wait until then.  But, it turned out that the two accounts were still in operation.  We got through to Robert in the Indesit Section who also confirmed that there were now 3 Protection Plans in our name, namely:

• YYS xxx1, which had been cancelled

• YYS xxx2, which was still operative

• YYS xxx3, also in force

A total of £49.96 was owing to us by this date and we were concerned that the two monthly direct debits would continue unless prompt action was taken.  We were insistent that he took the stated ACTIONS straight away.  He assured us in no uncertain terms that he had taken the above ACTIONS while we waited on the phone and that he had requested the cancellation of one active Plan .  He told us that we should receive:

• a copy of the Protection Plan for YYS xxx3 from him,  and

• a letter from the Accounts Department in 7 - 10 working days saying that a) YYS xxx2 Plan had been cancelled and b) indicating how the money owed to us would be repaid.

26 October  07
Given the intervening postal strike, we decided to wait until October - but as of 26 October 2007, we have received no further communication from Domestic & General nor a refund of the £49.96.  If two more direct debits of £9.99 are taken on 1 November 2007, D & G would have erroneously taken £59.95 from our bank account. 

We tried ringing the D & G Head Quarters at 0208 946 7777 after being put through to various call centres etc.  Mr Wilson obviously does not take calls and I asked to speak to his Personal Assistant.  Elaine Dring who answered the phone did not disclose her position in the company.  Since her response was almost identical to that of Laura and Robert, we wrote a formal letter of complaint posted First Class to Mr Wilson on 26 Oct 07, attaching this log up to this date.  We stated that if this matter is not resolved by the end of next week (2 November 2007, which is over 9 weeks since our initial complaint), we will a) take the matter to the ADR Group - the independent dispute resolution service provider, used by D & G; b) alert the media; and, c) publish an edited version of this log at http://rani.aeshost.net/CustomerTalk/pages/praise-complain.htm 

We cannot believe that all the people we have spoken to to-date are incompetent or that Royal Mail has lost the various copies of the cover note they promised to send.  Could there be some inadequacy in their computing system?  If it is that bad, can they be trusted with our personal details?

1 November 07
We received a letter from D & G's Customer Accounts, noting that "We obviously don't want you to pay twice so we've cancelled the duplicate plan ... Sorry for not spotting this sooner.  A refund of the amount shown below has been paid ...".  We found this apology to be lame since the error was repeatedly pointed out to them.  However, the stated action had been taken as we found out later.

5 November 07
Susan from D & G Customer Liaison rang.  She explained that the computer system does not allow them to edit details in a cover plan and that the only way in which they could correct the error was to cancel the existing plan and start a new one.  For some yet unknown reason there were two new identical plans created.  All except YYS xxx3 were now cancelled and the sum owing to us would be credited back to our account. 

I noted that despite repeated requests, we have yet to receive a valid cover plan.  I pointed out the time, trouble and telephone cost we had incurred and the fact that we had lost the interest on our money since August.  It is deplorable that had we not written to Mr Wilson on 26 October 07 as we did, D & G may have continued to take double the premium due for the whole year despite our efforts to put matters right.  Susan said that she needed to investigate why the actions detailed under 29 Aug 07 had not been taken and that she would then send us the Kitchen Plan cover.

15 November 07
We received a letter from Susan enclosing the Kitchen Plan.  Also, the money owing to us had been refunded.  As a gesture of goodwill we were also sent cheques to cover our telephone and other expenses.

The problem has been fully resolved to our satisfaction and we hope that Ms Rouse's investigations have corrected the root causes.

25 January 08
Letter from Customer Care Manager seeking feedback via a form.  We replied offering some suggestions for improving the complaints procedure and will report on outcome.

M Visvalingam
Last updated on 26/01/08