Fees double for some Eir customers who require paper bill or to pay by phone

Eir is doubling the cost of paying using a paper bill, paying by phone or by credit card without direct debit for a “small” portion of its customers.

The move will mean some Eir customers will have to pay €12 instead of €6 for the same billing period if they require a paper bill or want to pay through a call centre.

The hikes affect customers being moved from bi-monthly to monthly billing cycles, a cohort that Eir describes as “small” in number, without giving figures.

The penalty for late payment will also increase for the customers being moved – from €18.45 to €36.90 for the same billing period as before.

The new billing rules will also include a €2 extra charge every month, instead of €2 every two months, if customers pay their bills online using a credit or debit card or in an Eir store without having a direct debit system already set up.

The price increases, which are due to kick in tomorrow, come a week after the company was branded a “disgrace” by a Dublin District Court judge for hiding complaints information from customers. While last year, Eir received a €2.45m fine for overcharging its customers.

“Your billing period will move from bi-monthly to monthly,” Eir’s billing updated terms state. “This means you will receive a monthly bill instead of a bill every two months. If you do not have direct debit set up on your account, a €2 charge will be added to your monthly bill. You can avoid this charge by adding direct debit details to your account through selfserve on My Eir app or by phone.”

The move was described by one Eir customer online as “disenfranchising” elderly people, who may not have online systems set up to the same degree as younger customers.

However, customers over 65 can avail of paper billing free of charge, according to Eir.

“The vast majority of Eir customers are on a monthly billing cycle,” a spokesperson said.

“A small percentage of customers are currently on bi-monthly billing.Inlinewithindustrystandards, we are transitioning these accounts to a monthly billing cycle. A €2 fee applies for non-direct debit payments due to higher processing costs. We encourage direct debit to avoid this charge.

“Registered Age Friendly customers, those aged 65 and over, or individuals with accessibility issues, are not charged for paper bills. Customers over 65 can verify their date of birth with our dedicated Age Friendly Care team at 1800 252 252.”