Help! Been paying for a mobile I haven't used in 5+ years!

scotlass99

Hi

Not sure if this is the best place for this...if not, feel free to move it elsewhere!

So, i've just discovered that i've been paying line rental for a mobile phone I haven't used in more than five years!!!_pale_

Basically whats happened is around 5 years ago I went in for an upgrade and there weren't many offers so the guy in the shop suggested I take out a new number and get a new customer deal. So this is what I did. He said he'd take care of it all and asked me to sign here, here and here!

Last month I decided to scrutinise my bill as there had been charges wrongly applied to my bill after upgrading to the iPhone. This is when I noticed that i'm paying around £10 for my old mobile number!! Now I know that I should have discovered this before now, but I took it for granted that everything had been sorted out.

I spoke to Orange regarding this and they offered me 2 months free line rental as compensation, which I refused. He said that since it was so long ago and conducted through an Orange store, he didn't have any notes. I explained to him that when I took out this new number, he will see from my bills that the old number has not been used since this time as I assumed it had been disconnected.

So now i've to write a letter to them and i'm a buit stumped as to wat to say! Just wondered if any of you had been through something similar and could help with this?

Thanks

dmg24

I would be surprised if they reimburse you for more than a few months, and that would only be as a goodwill gesture. It is your responsibility to check that the contract has been cancelled and you did not do that.

scotlass99

I have now discovered that it hasn't been cancelled so surely they would just refund the money or is there a timescale I don't know about? It's all been lumped into the same bill, very sneakily hidden...

In my opinion, orange bills are far too complicated and not user-friendly!!

Jon_01

Most networks will only go back 3 months, the reasoning being that you should be checking your steatments monthly.

dmg24

I don't find Orange bills particularly complicated.

The onus is on you to prove that you cancelled. Taking out a new contract is not proof of this.

JPR

You have to try and shame them into making a decent goodwill gesture. Find out who the head of customer relations is and start there - emails and recorded letters and don't give up.

If they keep saying No, go down the small claims court route. They will not want to go there, I'm sure..........

Colliefrog

the guy in the shop suggested I take out a new number and get a new customer dea

Did he specify that he would do all the cancelling for you? Taking out a new contract does not automatically cancel the old one. Without some kind of proof that what you signed was a cancellation then I doubt you will get much more than a few months back as a goodwill gesture as they have been billing you every month for 5 years. How could you not notice an extra £10 going out of your bank each month?