Assistance needed!! have o2 disregarded my customer rights??

Bowlerd

On the 28th of March O2 took £624 from my bank account, obviously concerned i called O2 to seek an explanation, I was told that unfortunately a billing error had occurred but not to worry the money would be returned within 48hours, 48hours later and a further phone call i was told sorry about the wait it will be Friday the 3rd at the latest. Friday came and still the money hadn’t been returned, i have now been told that i won’t have the money returned until it appears on my next bill which is the 14th and that it will take 10days from that date to register in my account.

This £624 taken left my overdrawn since i have missed Direct Debit payments to my landlord and for my TV license and have amassed bank charges totaling £104, i have had no money for nearly nine days now and am constantly borrowing money just to get to work, and my landlord as expected is growing very annoyed about my missed payment, I contacted o2 3 times by telephone was mislead twice and am still awaiting a response to my email to the complaints department,

As a fairly young adult at 21 I’m really unaware about what i should do next, where do i go from here as I cant wait until the 24th for this money,

Please advice as I’m getting worried

dacouch

If money has been taken out of your account by a direct debit by mistake you are entitled to it back immediately. Speak to your bank and advise them you want to claim under the "Direct Debit Guarantee". They will refund you immediately and claim it back from O2.

They will try and fob you off that they can't but if its been taken by mistake they have to do it.

P.S Then get onto O2 and get them to refund the bank charges

I can give you a link to it if you want

butler_helen

Could you take them to court if they refuse to refund all the loses you have incurred (bank charges, late payment fees to the land lord etc)?

Also, having worked in a branch of a well known bank- head to a branch to get the money back, the guys on the phones aren't always clued up on DD issues.

Bowlerd

Cheers for the advice il head to my bank tomorrow, hopefully il get it all back asap because atm im struggling with this issue

dacouch

Here you go, I have found info on the Direct Debit Gurantee, the banks always try and pretend they don't have to give you the money back straight away.

http://www.thesmartwaytopay.co.uk/media/Direct_Debit_Guarantee_leaflet.pdf

Bowlerd

Cheers il print this and take in with me tomorrow

iwanttosave_2

Go to your bank and ask to do an indemnity claim, the money should be back in your account within 24 hours depending on the bank.

When you get your bank statement through fax it to o2 customer services and you will get your bank charges refunded. the refund will go on to your next bill and you can either use it to pay off your upcoming bills or you can have it refunded to your bank account by form of BACS.

dacouch

The banks hate refunding under the gurantee, be polite but firm and if need be show them the leaflet (They know all about the gurantee but it creates work for them so they try and avoid it)

Bowlerd

I made my indemnity claim on Monday at the bank and there saying that as it was a Variable Direct Debit they are struggling to make the claim, iv been told that there is a chance it may be in by tomorrow but there not to sure, o2 have also contacted me nine days after my complaint to tell me that in order to get the charges i need to send statements showing the charges, im willing to do this but again this is going to delay the time taken for my account to appear as it was before the 30th of March, does anyone think its worth going to Citizens Advice over as i haven’t had any of my own money since the 30th of March now.

OlliesDad

Bowlerd wrote: »

im willing to do this but again this is going to delay the time taken for my account to appear as it was before the 30th of March, does anyone think its worth going to Citizens Advice over as i haven’t had any of my own money since the 30th of March now.

Im fairly sure that CAB will confirm that the company does need a copy of the statements as they will need proof of how much their error has cost you.

In regards to the banks claims. I am fairly sure that the direct debit guarantee states that they will refund if either the retailer or bank makes an error, in this case o2 has admitted the error.

Bowlerd

Got it all back finally, cheers for all the advice

kind regards

David