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I recently had cause to use 118 118 Directory Enquiries to find a number (unsuccessfully, I might add).

I have just received my phone bill & was horrified to see the following charges incurred:

Directory Enquiries 04/06 16:57 118118

DIRECTORY ENQUIRIES DQ146 00:02:00 £6.09

If I had realised those were the sort of fees they charged I would never have used them in the first place. You can be sure I never will again, and woud advise anyone to steer clear of them also.

Wow, that's daylight robbery!

Thanks for the warning

FourPart;1458623 wrote: I recently had cause to use 118 118 Directory Enquiries to find a number (unsuccessfully, I might add).

I have just received my phone bill & was horrified to see the following charges incurred:

Directory Enquiries 04/06 16:57 118118

DIRECTORY ENQUIRIES DQ146 00:02:00 £6.09

If I had realised those were the sort of fees they charged I would never have used them in the first place. You can be sure I never will again, and woud advise anyone to steer clear of them also.


Why not try online if you need to look up a number?

My wife on one occasion was in a hurry and used 118 118. She believed at the time that they were most charming and helpful asking at the end of the call, would there be anything else she needed help with along with a prolonged thank you. Likewise when we saw the charge of almost £10, we were astounded, even believing at first, it must be an error. I remember the days of directory enquiries for 50 pence a throw.

It's real life extortion i believe to prey on those without internet.

Bruv;1458637 wrote: Why not try online if you need to look up a number?
Because before you can get the info you want you've got to subscribe - with a fee, of course - And even that doesn't guarantee of getting the number you wanted.

I also seem to recall the old Directory Enquiries only charged if they found the number - certainly not for time on the line - which they deliberately try to extend.

I don't recall ever seeing the costs for 118 118 on their TV ads - or if they were there, they must be so small & on for a minimal period, so as not to be noticed. Something really should be done regarding advertising regulations.

I have just done a search on BT for no charge, my number, it is ex directory so couldn't find it obviously but it was free.

Also Ukphonebook.com has 5 free credits before charging.

Many service providers give a lower cost directory enquiries

Bruv;1458661 wrote: I have just done a search on BT for no charge, my number, it is ex directory so couldn't find it obviously but it was free.

Also Ukphonebook.com has 5 free credits before charging.

Many service providers give a lower cost directory enquiries
As an update, I complained about the rates to 118 118, and have actually managed to get a refund (on its way, by way of a cheque).

According to their records the call lasted for 1:17.4 mins, although on my TalkTalk bill it was itemised at 2:00, so I called TalkTalk to query this, and they said that the call only actually lasted for 1:09 mins, and even then couldn't explain how come it was listed as 2:00 mins, as numbers aren't supposed to move on until they reach the minute - they actually round the minutes down, with 1 min being the minimum measure, of course.

However, if this matter of an error in listed call duration weren't bad enough, I learned that they charge an additional fee of £1.50 connection fee & £2.50 for each additional minute thereafter, so not only am I paying massive rates to 118 118, I'm paying nearly double that ON TOP, so while the fee paid to 118 118 would actually have been about £2.60, the remaining £3.49 was actually charged by TalkTalk, even though they're not the ones providing the service - a fee they keep very quiet about.

I also suggested that TalkTalk initiate their own Directory Enquiries service, and cut out the Middle Man altogether. In that way it would be cheaper for the customer, as they would only be paying the TalkTalk Premium Rate, rather than that of 118 118 on top, plus providing an additional source of income for TalkTalk, as well as a Marketing tool. They seemed to like the idea, so who knows - maybe that is a service that may be implemented in the future. You heard it here first.

Even so - what a rip off.

Good for you standing up to them.

Oscar Namechange;1458746 wrote: Good for you standing up to them.
As I've said before, I can be a cantankerous old git when I want to be .

FourPart;1458791 wrote: As I've said before, I can be a cantankerous old git when I want to be . I had a similar experience recently and I'm like you. I'll phone the buggers up and demand an explanation.

I have been a BT customer for decades and had my reasons because I do actually believe they provide a better service. We updated to BT Infinity fibre optics a couple of years ago and It's a dream. I also like the efficient help lines.

Anyway, all of a sudden, we were being charged for extra broadband usage. It just didn't make sense. I have a laptop and my Inferior half has a PC at his desk. Neither of us have ever been Into downloading rubbish and the most I do Is watch every horse race from the days racing before I go to bed with a site I subscribe to. Yet, I had been doing this for years and had never Incurred extra charges. Then suddenly we are being charged extra. My husband phoned BT and was told, ' you MUST be playing games, you Must be downloading, you MUST be doing this and that... errrr Nope.

So we deliberately cut down on everything just using the broadband for this forum and Facebook. We were still charged for extra broadband usage In the next monthly.

Phoned them back and they still Insisted we were using In excess of our usage and advised us to pay extra for unlimited usage.

My husband then downloaded some AP where you can track your daily usage of gigabytes each day. Just a few days before we were due for the next monthly payment, were actually 40 gigabytes under our allowance but the day before, It suddenly shot up over the allowance despite us not using the PC at all over those few days.

Then I rang them and told them I could prove this and considered It fraud and would be going to Trading Standards to Investigate.... Our bank account was Immediately credited with £160 and we've never exceeded our allowance again.... bastards !!!

Oscar Namechange;1458806 wrote: It suddenly shot up over the allowance despite us not using the PC at all over those few days.


Yes I remember that............................I thought I had gone deaf.

The thing is that the vast majority will just pay up unquestioningly, thinking that they must know what they're doing, secure in the knowledge that they're the ones with the technology. Even if they're certain it's wrong, most people will let it ride, not wanting to make waves. Not me!!

FourPart;1458867 wrote: The thing is that the vast majority will just pay up unquestioningly, thinking that they must know what they're doing, secure in the knowledge that they're the ones with the technology. Even if they're certain it's wrong, most people will let it ride, not wanting to make waves. Not me!!
So right !!! That's what I think they rely on...folk just paying up without question.

That was BT sorted.... now..

Don't even get me started on the parking fine I'm contesting taken from a webcam In a spy car :-5:-5

I took one right the way to the Magistrate's court. I was booked for allegedly blocking a garage forecourt.. I went back and got photographs of the concrete bollards that meant where I had parked, no vehicle not even a bike could enter or exit the forecourt. It was thrown out by the Magistrates... HA

Oscar Namechange;1458869 wrote: So right !!! That's what I think they rely on...folk just paying up without question.

That was BT sorted.... now..

Don't even get me started on the parking fine I'm contesting taken from a webcam In a spy car :-5:-5

I took one right the way to the Magistrate's court. I was booked for allegedly blocking a garage forecourt.. I went back and got photographs of the concrete bollards that meant where I had parked, no vehicle not even a bike could enter or exit the forecourt. It was thrown out by the Magistrates... HA
Good on you. I think the problem there is that so many of these Parking Enforcement Officers work for agencies that are franchised out by the councils & are often paid on a commission basis, as opposed to the 'Good Old Days' with those much loved Traffic Wardens (well, you did love to hate them), but at least they were only working to a fixed wage (although often mistakenly believed to be working to a Quota).

There are even those agencies these days who carry laser gauges to check precisely how far you are from the kerb, just in case you exceed the regulation maximum distance by as much as a couple of millimetres.

Once again it's a case, though, of not many people contesting it, not only because they feel the odds are stacked against them, and the "couldn't be bothered" attitude, but also the fear of having additional Court fees slapped on them as well if they lose their case.