I Hate It When This Happens - O2 Contract Change

mr_fishbulb

Got an email from O2 today:

Dear O2 Online Customer,

We've made some changes to your O2 Pay Monthly Airtime Contract.

The updated terms and conditions can be viewed at https://www.o2.co.uk/terms/O2paymonthly

It doesn't actually say what has been changed. Am I supposed to read through it and somehow remeber the previous terms and conditions and compare it?

firestarter

Does this mean you can get out of your contract?

webkami

Apparantly you can not end cotract just cause these terms are changed.

If you are a new customer or an existing customer who has purchased your Mobile Phone/accessories via distance means such as via the O2 online shop or over the telephone, you may cancel this Agreement up to 14 days after receiving Service (the "Trial Period")

Only cooling off can cancel.

and YES thats really annoying that they didnt mention what was changed.
Anybody know email address of somebody in management in O2?
I do need to email them about couple of more issues.

mr_fishbulb

firestarter wrote:

Does this mean you can get out of your contract?

Only if the new agreements are significantly to your disadvantage. Of course there is no black and white definition of that.

8.4 You may end this Agreement by giving us written notice if:
(a) we break this Agreement in any way and we do not correct the situation within 7 days of your request;
(b) we go into liquidation or a Receiver is appointed over our assets; or
(c) we increase Charges for your Inclusive Calls or your monthly line rental charge or change this Agreement to your significant disadvantage, provided you give us a minimum of 30 days written notice (and provided you notify us within one month of our telling you about the changes). This does not apply where the increase or change relates solely to Additional Services in which case you may cancel, or stop using, that Additional Service.

firestarter

I suppose if they did allow you to do that all of their customers could potentially cancel their contracts and get a new contract one selling their old phone. However i would not as im paying £15 for 200 xnet and 500 texts with n70, last year i was paying 500 xnet and 400 text for £10 with w800. So i basically paying nothing for the price i sold my old phone for.

cpjackso

Does anyone know what the exact change(s) were in this contract change? I want to get out of a twelve month contract if possible - but as you point out the change would have to be to my "..significant disadvantage".

mr_fishbulb

cpjackso wrote:

Does anyone know what the exact change(s) were in this contract change? I want to get out of a twelve month contract if possible - but as you point out the change would have to be to my "..significant disadvantage".

That's the point I was trying to make. There's no way of knowing what the changes are unless you had printed off a previous copy and then compared them side-by-side.

webkami

I dont think there would be a "significant disadvantage" type of change.
Which is likely to be call charges increase. On safe side they got the 30 days with them to reduce it back if you ask them for termination.

cpjackso

> That's the point I was trying to make. There's no way of knowing what the
> changes are unless you had printed off a previous copy and then compared
> them side-by-side.

Sorry - should have been clearer... There are ways to get the "old" t+c's .

The new ones are here;
http://o2.co.uk/terms/O2paymonthly

The old ones can be found by putting that URL into google - then clicking "Show Google's cache".

Anyway - I've diff'd the two contracts, there's very little changed - mainly;

• Email contact for mycare has been added.
• Some speeeeling corrected (haha!)...
• Section 8.4 has mysteriously arrived (heading was missing before!).
• They've added "This does not apply where the increase or change relates solely to Additional Services in which case you may cancel, or stop using, that Additional Service.".
• They've inserted 9.2 - "You agree O2 has no responsibility for the deletion, loss or corruption of any Content transmitted or maintained by the Network, unless this is caused by our negligence."
• They've modified 13.5 - they've changed the address where complaints should be sent.
• They've messed up the formatting for the section 18 header. Section 18 text appears intact tho.

It's unlikely that any of these changes are to our significant disadvantage tho!

Lutzie

I've got all the actual changes here, from O2 themselves. If anyone can find a loophole please let us know.

1. When you upgrade your contract, you agree to a new minimum term with O2. This will be for either a minimum of 12 months or any other period agreed in writing. This has always been the case but we wanted to clarify this in the terms and conditions.

2. If we increase charges of inclusive calls or monthly line rental, we will give 30 days notice and a chance to cancel your contract. If we increase charges for other additional services such as Bolt Ons, third party services, premium rate services, you may cancel or stop using this additional service only.

3. Details of premium rate services charges operated by third parties such as Directory Enquiries are available via our web site:

https://www.O2.co.uk/premiumnumberpricing

4. We will now charge a fee to receive a copy of any information from a credit reference or fraud prevention agency, which we hold on file about you. This has always been the case but we wanted to clarify this in the terms and conditions.

5. Our address for complaints has changed to:

Complaints Review Service
PO Box 116
Leeds
LS11 5DS

6. The address that you need to write to if you want to cancel your agreement with us has changed to:

O2 UK
PO Box 242
Houghton Regis
LU5 5WA

7. Within six months of upgrading you must now not move to a tariff with a lower monthly subscription unless you pay us the difference between the monthly subscription on your original tariff and the lower rate tariff.

digp

Para 7 is disadvantagous