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CPW/O2 Contract Dispute
Hi there, I'm having problems and I'm wondering if anyone can help.
Around 18 months ago, I got a new mobile phone and so cancelled my CPW/O2 mobile contract of £50ish p/m including insurance. I sent a letter to disconnections and thought that was it. They claim the letter never arrived and I foolishly wasn't checking my bank account and so was continuing to pay for a phone I wasn't using.
In late April, as I was nearing my exams, my direct debits stopped due to lack of funds and I was passed on to a debt collection agency. Accepting that this was my mistake for not keeping on top of my finances, I paid the debt collectors and informed them and CPW/O2 over the phone that I no longer wished to have this contract and wrote another letter requesting cancellation.
However, in June, I received another set of demands for money for this contract and on speaking to the Customer Services dept, I was told my disconnection letter had not been received. Being a bit naive, I hadn't sent it recorded delivery. In fairness, the chap at Customer Services was very helpful and advised me to send a letter to disconnections and to high level complaints which I did via recorded delivery.
High level complaints took nearly a month to reply, after which they told me that since I couldn't prove that I had sent the previous disconnection letters, I would have to pay. The fact that I had paid my debts in April as a show of good faith and the fact that the phone has not been used in 18 months (they had to phone my house phone to get in touch) did not seem to matter. Their letter also claimed they have cancelled my account due to bad debt, which I have never been informed of and that they received my letter of complaint 6 days before it was posted. In the time I was waiting for a reply, they have added further charges and passed me to a (different) debt collection agency.
Do I have a obligation to pay? If I refuse to pay the debt collection agency and their legal team get involved, would I lose the small claims court case?
Please help!!!!
Around 18 months ago, I got a new mobile phone and so cancelled my CPW/O2 mobile contract of £50ish p/m including insurance. I sent a letter to disconnections and thought that was it. They claim the letter never arrived and I foolishly wasn't checking my bank account and so was continuing to pay for a phone I wasn't using.
In late April, as I was nearing my exams, my direct debits stopped due to lack of funds and I was passed on to a debt collection agency. Accepting that this was my mistake for not keeping on top of my finances, I paid the debt collectors and informed them and CPW/O2 over the phone that I no longer wished to have this contract and wrote another letter requesting cancellation.
However, in June, I received another set of demands for money for this contract and on speaking to the Customer Services dept, I was told my disconnection letter had not been received. Being a bit naive, I hadn't sent it recorded delivery. In fairness, the chap at Customer Services was very helpful and advised me to send a letter to disconnections and to high level complaints which I did via recorded delivery.
High level complaints took nearly a month to reply, after which they told me that since I couldn't prove that I had sent the previous disconnection letters, I would have to pay. The fact that I had paid my debts in April as a show of good faith and the fact that the phone has not been used in 18 months (they had to phone my house phone to get in touch) did not seem to matter. Their letter also claimed they have cancelled my account due to bad debt, which I have never been informed of and that they received my letter of complaint 6 days before it was posted. In the time I was waiting for a reply, they have added further charges and passed me to a (different) debt collection agency.
Do I have a obligation to pay? If I refuse to pay the debt collection agency and their legal team get involved, would I lose the small claims court case?
Please help!!!!
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