Desperate to cancel Orange Mobile Contract

nursebrian2008

Hi all moneysavers

This is my first post and I desperately need your help.
I have just upgraded my sons mobile contract with orange on 7th december. Today I have received a bill for previous months usage and he has 600 minutes and unlimited texts, this bill is for 1400 minutes so he has gone over by 800 minutes. He is 14 yrs old and contract is in my name. They have just debited my account to the tune of £213. I want to know if there is any way I can cancel the contract with out paying out 18th mths line rental. I am a student nurse and am desperate to prevent this happening again. Orange customer services say because I upgraded in a shop its up to the managers discretion to cancel within 14 days but the shop said we never cancel contracts for any reason.
Please does anyone know how I can get out of this, im desperate as I cannot afford for this to happen again. Also asked if they could block phone when 600 minutes are reached but they said thats not possible either.
Thanks everyone

Nursebrian2008

eranou

im sorry but you dont have my sympathy

you decided to give your 14 year old son a phone on contract always a recipe for disaster. why should orange have to lose money for your mistake you wouldnt accept that if it was the other way around would you?

best advice I can offer is to take the sim off him and put him on PAYG

topbadger

Try speaking to Orange again. It might be possible to put a cap on the amount that can be used every month.

nursebrian2008

Hi topbadger thanks for your reply

Have asked orange if they can block the phone after the 600 minutes have been used but they say that not available at moment.

GentleGiant_2

You might have to wait for a set period befoe alterign the contract.

However give them another call - if it was the 7th December, is there a cooling off period?

nursebrian2008

Hi gentle giant thanks for your reply.

I have to wait 9 months to change contract to a lower tariff as its an 18 month deal and have asked re cooling off period and they say because I went into an orange shop and upgraded then there isnt a cooling off period.

I would be happy to change it to a pay as you go but they say that not possible either.

williham

Simple answer - tell your son not to use more than 600 minutes. If he does, then take the phone away.

brettcta

23 and a half hours talk time used? when my brother was 14, he barely spoke that much in a year, never mind a month.

Poppy9

eranou wrote: »

you decided to give your 14 year old son a phone on contract always a recipe for disaster.

Why is it "always" a recipe for disaster?

My 14 year old DD has been on contract since she was 10 years old and we have never had a mega bill. Contract has always been the most cost effective option as I did cashback deals which brought monthly line rental down to less than £5 a month including handset.

OP if I was you I would register your son's phone online and periodically review the bill. You should also insist on daily checking the balance with Orange (not sure if you just text balance or if you ring a short number from handset). Your son should be told if he goes over his minutes, he pays the extra and you should show you mean it even if it's only £1.

I assume you have checked that the last bill was correct as Vodafone did overcharge me once by £50 as they hadn't set up the Vodafone family correctly. They did refund it.

Personally I think 600 mins is a lot for a 14 year old to need as my DD mainly texts and doesn't use all her 300 mins. The unlimited texts is the most useful part of her bundle. For 300 mins and unlimited texts plus handset I pay £15 per month. Do orange do a price match for the same tarriff on another net work as this maybe a way of getting the bill down.

~Also check Orange tarriffs on line. Perhaps if you would move from 18 month to 24 month tarriff they may give you a reduction.

eranou

not literately always but the vast majority

I used to work in customer services for a mobile network and very rarely did you hear of someone like your daughter using the phone responsibly.

in fact you might find that your daughter suddenly starts using the phone more due to meeting new friends or boyfriend and you too could be landed with a big bill it can happen I lost count of the number of complaints like this I had to deal with

frannyann

I would first suggest to your son that he gets a paper round and attempts to pay you some of the money back.
Then tell him to monitor his usage carefully, he can use the timers built into most phones.
If you feel that he will go over again, take the phone off him and keep it for yourself and give him a totally untrendy £10 PAYG phone and make him top up himself.

Oh and good luck with the training, remember how hard it was myself!!

ETA: You can view usage online, maybe worth checking regularly over the next month.