Incompetence at MTN

MTN is completely *********** and has been unable to change my debit order to a new account. Towards the end of September I requested to have my banking details changed and was informed that it would take about 20 days to take effect, so I decided to wait 1 full month before closing my account. I also made numerous phone calls to verify that my banking details were indeed correct and that the update had taken effect. I was told yes to all of these questions.

On 2 November (this is over a month since my change of banking details) all of my updated debit orders took effect except MTN. I phoned the service number to find out what was happening and was assured that the debit order went off, and that my banking details were correct and I should just be patient. A few days later I phoned again since the debit order had still not taken effect and was once again assured that it can take up to 7 days for the transaction to show in my account, and once again was assured that everything was in order. MTN was unable to provide me with provide me with any proof of the debit order request, basically take our word that we did change your bank details and attempted to debit the correct bank,

On 12 November my account was frozen and I was charged an administration fee for a failed debit order. I immediately went to the Bedford Centre branch to get this resolved, now in the store I was once again assured that there were no problems with my banking details and was told that perhaps the problem was with my bank. This doesn't make a lot of sense since every other debit order worked properly, but despite that I called the bank who confirmed that there was no debit order request from MTN. After some negotiation my account was unfrozen and I was told that they would try run the debit order again. Reversing the administration fee which I would have considered automatic considering the circumstances was never offered. After this incident my phone was unable to make phone calls for a full day despite being told in store that it should take only about 5 minutes. Once again I was given no proof that the debit order request was even given to the correct bank.

On 21 November my phone was frozen again since the debit order was clearly still not working. This time I went to the Cresta branch and gave the branch manager hell which he took to his credit despite this not being his fault. He once again logged the problem and asked if I could simply pay the outstanding amount using my credit card in store. This time I also insisted that the administration fee for both failed debit orders also be reversed. I was once again assured that my banking details were correct and the debit order in December should work correctly perhaps the one in November just needed more time. Fortunately this time after the credit card payment the phone was working again before I left the store (why it took 24 hours the previous time is still a mystery). Once again MTN was unable to provide any evidence that the debit order request was given to the bank.

If the debit order went off correctly on 1 December I would not be writing this review. I returned to the Cresta Branch on 5 December to once again pay the account by credit card since I cannot afford to have my phone be suspended. I was informed that the admin fee was still not reversed, and once again told that perhaps the debit order was rejected by the bank since the bank details recorded by MTN were definitely correct. My bank confirmed absolutely that there were no debit order requests by MTN and that if they were rejected they would be listed in my monthly statement.

One more thing is that for each of the past 3 debits that failed, MTN has been unable to provide proof that the debit order was

Up to now I have had to go to the MTN branches 3 times in 2 months, let us estimate that this has cost me about 3 hours. I have phoned the MTN support number numerous (I estimate at least 10) times over these 3 months, perhaps this has cost me another 2. I have also had to phone my bank 4 times to follow up on the debit order that MTN seems incapable of resolving. This has probably taken my another 2 hours. In total this has cost me a full day of work time.

At this stage if the debit order is not resolved and the administration fees are not reversed before by the time of my next debit order in January I will be changing do a different service provider. Quite frankly being cut off twice and the time that I have put into these errors by MTN, a nice gesture would be for them to give me a credit on my account but none of this even matters since I have little faith that anything will be resolved.