I've followed the discussions here for some time, and if this subject has already been done to death I apologise - not clever enough to find it/link to it.

There's a general trend nowadays for premium lines used by businesses to be done away with. I couldn't really have cared less about this as there is always SayNoto0870.com to provide a standard landline number nine times out of ten.

However when I renewed my season ticket I had to queue on the 0871 number (the landline number was permanently busy) for over quarter of an hour, and I've just got my Talktalk bill - the call cost nearly £4.

Nice pocket money for Mr Hetherington no doubt. But in the larger perspective how can the club justify this underhand income stream ?

Do all RL clubs rip their fans off in this way ?

Had you considered not purchasing a season ticket for 13 utterly meaningless regular season SL fixtures in the first place, there would have been no need to spend £4 on a premium rate phone call.

Hetherington loves customers like you and if I were him, I'd be offering at the very least a free rhinos mug to every customer who purchased an utterly meaningless SL season ticket via that premium rate phone number.

Leeds Rhinos ticket office - 0113 2786181 Ext 229.

Called from a mobile and it's included in your bundle - you're welcome.

How many utterly meaningless world cup games did you go watch in the last couple of months you hypocrite? And did you not consider saving your money to just go watch that thrill a minute final instead?

Two points : I go to the home games to be with my pals and enjoy the occasion. Over the years I've seen some stunning moments..... from ET and Sam Backo to Jonathan Davies to that diagonal crossfield run by Phyllis and his tackle on Offiah. The nature of the comp has changed - absolutely, but I get an enormous amount of pleasure from just being there.
The 0113 number is the one I have always used in the past. On the last day of the early bird deal it was constantly engaged and I had to go out, which is why I dialled the 0871 number, where I was 'answered' immediately and then regularly told over the next quarter of an hour how important my call was.......

Can they not be renewed online ?

Hetherington doesn't really "need" to justify anything. His role is to generate revenue for the club and he has found a way to do that. As a consumer (that's how he sees you), you have a choice to accept that or reject it and find an alternative.

The cost of the call isn't exactly hidden IIRC. It is on the club's website, on the back of your card and it is stated when you first call.

This is true. But is it not underhand when it is policy to allow the phones to ring and hold for a number of minutes, even though staff are available to take the call? That is the purpose of the premium rate for them, to ensure more minutes means more money.

If you have evidence of that then present it to Phonepay Plus, the regulator for all premium line operators, they have a code of conduct and if its breached then the facility can be withdrawn.

However, I don't think you have.

Ring it any time of day, on any day, in business hours, and you will be waiting a minimum of 90 seconds to two minutes, if not longer.

I've always found that I've got through straight away, once I've listed to about 30 seconds of pre-recorded messages.

Perhaps if people renewed 2 or 3 days before the deadline they may have got through more quickly?
A couple of days at current interest rates doesn't cost too much in loss of income.
I do agree thought that the use of premium rate numbers does nothing to reinforce the notion that the club values its customers except as a source of income.

I can say i was in the shop renewing a couple of days before their 'early bird deadline' and there was a queue about 4 or 5 deep waiting to be served the time i was there and browsing around in the shop.

I'm sure they would would say that people have plenty of warning when the deadline is and that the closer you leave it to the last minute, the more difficult (thus longer wait and more money the call costs) to get through.

I live maybe 3 miles from the stadium so i go up on my bicycle in order to avoid the charges i would rack up by calling them. Understand this probably isn't an option for all, but i think you were able to renew online / via email too (again - so long as it wasn't left until late on when they will have been snowed under with others doing similar...)

Maybe you usually do get through after a couple of minutes, but don't you think you might have had to wait because lots of other people were calling the same number at the same time to do the same thing? Just a thought

Also now the ticket office and shop have been merged so ticket office staff have duties in the shop and are often on the desk serving people rather than answering phones. I'd imagine it's especially busier for both tickets and shop at Christmas.