Orange Itemised Billing - £1.50 (merged threads)

seanparkin

Orange covered this in a change in their terms and conditions last year, putting a clause in enabling them to alter prices/services that are not a 'core service' (IE Calling/Texting).

This is one of the reasons I left them in April. They're just getting worse and worse, and are big time taking the mick. Although I moved to T-Mobile, and they're just as bad. Sigh.

indesisiv

Thanks to the people mentioning this ... I never open my paper bill as I look at it online. Nowhere on that version of the bill does it state that they will be charging. However thanks to you MSE I have just opened my paper bill and it is mentioned on there. 1 txt needed to be sent for me.

Thanks again.

fiish

seanparkin, which section of the contract are these allowed changes specified?

I've just gone through my Orange contract (I got mine in March so it should be recent enough) and I don't see anything of that tune. Unless they consider itemised billing an additional service, but when I was sold the plan there was no mention of itemised billing as an additional service on that form I signed.

thegoon

i raang them and argued about the terms and conditions and was told that i could cancel and need to send in writing 14 days before by billing date to cancel this ref 4.3.1 in the terms and conditions! who hoo!

Gatecra5her

I just rang them and explained it's in their terms and conditions section 4.3 and the advisor went away for a minute and spoke to his manager. He came back on the phone and explained that this was not a core charge and was optional, so they would not be able to cancel my contract without charging me. I took the address down to write to and i'll do that, but i really don't know what i'm going to write! Any suggestions? Don't want them to drag it out and have the 30 days expire that i have to inform them of the cancellation!

-Mark

thegoon

i wrote this

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing to inform you of the cancellation of my contract with immediate effect due to the increased charge of the itemised billing of £1.50. I have spoken to a manager in disconnections last night (8/6/06) and I was told to put it in writing to yourselves. I am fully within my rights to do this in conjunction with your terms and conditions. I have quoted these on the telephone and also I am quoting them below.

4 YOUR RIGHTS TO TERMINATE THIS CONTRACT
4.1 terminating your Contract after the Minimum Term
You may terminate your Contract to expire at anytime after the Minimum Term by giving us at least one month's notice. You are free to restore your Contract throughout this notice period, should you change your mind.
4.2 terminating your Contract during the Minimum Term
You may terminate your Contract before the Minimum Term has expired if you pay us: 4.2.1 all Charges that are due, plus
4.2.2 a lump sum equivalent to the total of all the monthly or other periodic Charges still remaining on your initial Minimum Term agreement (except in the circumstances set out in Conditions 4.3 and 15.1). You'll be entitled to a rebate of 5% of that total if you terminate your Contract up to and including the first day of the last month of the Minimum Term.

4.3 terminating your Contract because Orange has changed its terms
You may also terminate your Contract if we vary its terms, resulting in an excessive increase in the Charges or changes that alter your rights under this Contract to your detriment. In such cases you would need to give us at least 14 days written notice prior to your Billing Date (and within one month of us telling you about the changes). However this option does not apply if: 4.3.1 we have increased the Charges by an amount equal to or less than the percentage increase in the All Items Index of Retail Prices published by the Central Statistical Office in the Monthly Digest of Statistics in any 12 month period; or 4.3.2 the variations we have made have been imposed on us as a direct result of new legislation, statutory instrument, government regulation or licence; or
4.3.3 the variation relates solely to an Orange Additional Service, in which case you may cancel that Orange Additional Service in accordance with Condition 15.1.

This leads on to

15.1 we reserve the right to make changes to your Contract
When you Register you are asked to choose a Service Plan and to indicate which Orange Additional Services you require. You may switch to a higher Service Plan at any time. You may switch to a lower Service Plan as often as you like after 6 months following your Connection to the Network, unless otherwise stated. In the event you do switch Service Plan and add to or cancel Orange Additional Services you must give us not less than 10 days notice before your Billing Date (subject to the terms of any promotional offers you have accepted). We do, however, reserve the right to vary the terms of this Contract from time to time and to make changes to your Service Plan. We acknowledge that if we do increase the Charges, withdraw Orange Additional Services or introduce new mandatory Charges - or if your contractual rights are affected to your detriment - you may terminate your Contract in accordance with Condition 4.3. If you do not give notice within one month of our notifying you of any change(s), you will be taken to have accepted the change(s).

In regards to the increased charge of £1.50 for the itemised billing then if I was to accept this there would be an increase on my bill over the retail price index which at the moment is 2.6%. Therefore in reference to your terms and conditions I am fully within my rights to cancel this contract with immediate effect with no cancellation charges. If there are any problems you can contact me on my mobile number.

Yours Faithfully

sweep9

Another nail in the coffin since the takeover by France Telecom

My contract is now terminated!!

zolablue25

How does this affect people who have to send copies/originals of bills to claim cashback? Just thinking ahead to when my existing contract ends.

Will they just have to pay the £1.50 a month?

Cheers

zolablue25

mcek

zolablue25 wrote:

How does this affect people who have to send copies/originals of bills to claim cashback? Just thinking ahead to when my existing contract ends.

Will they just have to pay the £1.50 a month?

just cancel the itemised bill. you will still get a free summary, and that should be enough for cashback claims.

Gatecra5her

Thegoon...that's fantastic! I may just phone and try again, but if they come back with that "it's not a core service it's optional" what can i say to that? :S
-Mark