Please help with O2 - feel ripped off!!

dcfc

Hi all,

Hope someone can help me on this one...

Basically I cancelled my O2 contract at the end of the 18 month contract as decided to change to Orange. I spoke to the lady on the phone in June and advised her i would like to cancel at the end of the contract, she advised me I would receive my final bill in July once it has been worked out etc. I asked if i could keep my number if i wanted, she said you would need a pac code for this so advised she would send it to my phone. She thanked me for being an O2 customer as to which i replied i was very happy with O2 and was sad to leave (oh it would come back to haunt me!!)

Anyway, checking the OH bank statements we have realised that O2 have still been debiting money from her account!

We have O2 broadband and this was coming out as a seperate payment.

So i called customer services today to see what was going on. I looked through her account and saw that an amount had been taken every month in July, August, September, October and November.

The amount taken in July was around £20 which should have been the final bill.

The amount taken in August was around £43.

The amount then taken in September, October and November was £29.67 each month.

This would suggest that the payment in July was the end of the contract hence the price change (contract was £29.67 p/month)

Why was £43 taken in August???

And then back to £29.67 for the last 3 months.

I have not used the phone at all since June and was under the presumption it was cancelled hence my conversation with O2 back in June to cancel.

Customer Services not interested and advised that because they sent a PAC code via text message it would have stated there that if i do not use this code then to contact O2 again to further cancel, if not then the contract will continue.

I decided not to transfer my number so didnt use the PAC code so this is where the error obviously lies.

Points to raise:-

1) O2 aware phone not used once since June but still wont refund
2) OH is sure she cancelled direct debit with bank - cant confirm though till tomoz
3) Why variation in payments if phone not used since June
4) I advised i wanted to cancel in June, this was agreed but not done by O2
5) To my knowledge did not receive text with PAC code advising must contact if dont use code.
6) Thought PAC code was just for transferring number.

I will of course be writing into Customer Services for a refund as feel unfairly done by here. If anyone could answer the above that would be great or any advice is all appreciated as quite alot of money is at stake.

Thanks

OneADay

If you do not use the PAC code, the contract continues on monthly basis.
If you want out, give them 30 days notice - as for claiming money back, hard to see that happening as you should have used the PAC code as advised.

Were you not getting monthly bills throughout those months? or checking online against what was deducted from bank account?

dcfc

Hi oneaday,

I was not advised about the PAC code hence the reason i did not call again.

I was receiving no emails/statements via post billing me for the contract otherwise i would have noticed sooner. My O2 broadband bill comes monthly via email.

Due to us not checking statements with bank for various reasons it was not spotted sooner, i wish it was!

OneADay

Its a lesson learnt I am afraid - unfortunate. Odd about your bills differing, you might want to register online with o2 to see what the past bills have as regards usage. Or request copies of past bills (were you on online billing before?).

PAC codes though are valid for 30 days and if you do not use it, the contract continues on a monthly rolling basis. You can end it by giving notice or request a new pac code and this time use it straight away, still have to pay that last 30 days bill though.

Persumably whats happened is that you were on £20 month plan, final bill would have been £43 (partial month) but as pac code did not get used, they stuck you on a £30 a month plan. You might have a case to get about £30 back on the basis you were put on a plan costing £10 more a month.

dcfc

Just checked my emails again and no bills sent to email.

Also signed into my O2 account online and cannot view any bills believe it or not!

OneADay

O2 never send bills through email as far as I know. Oh yes, I just remembered the bills can be invisible with o2 (security I think is the reason or maybe they have not built the feature).

You will have to phone and ask for copies (they might charge for back copies). But before worrying about that, you should really be giving notice or requesting pac code again and using it to end your contract.

dcfc

Does it not matter though that i cancelled it when i called?

If they could listen to this conversation it will be clear that i told O2 to cancel.

I have nothing to lose so will be sending in a DPA to see what they hold on me and will then more than likely take them to court.

If they do turn up i will get a case together as best as i can!

OneADay

No to cancel outright, you have to send a formal request in writing giving 30 days notice. Cancelling via the pac code is the smoother option or you can ask to be put on pay and go on phone (still be 30 day notice but you formally ask to be put on pay and go - they will do that I think).

eco21

Sorry to hear of your story but I dont think you will get a penny from O2 - you didnt use PAC and you didnt follow industry wide procedures for cancelling - you never checked bills or payments coming from account.

I have previously phoned up to get a PAC and decided to stay with current provider, so it kept my contract rolling month to month - much prefer that than cut me off (flip side of coin)