Complaining to Orange - advice please

MoneyMachine_2

On behalf of a friend who has no access to the Internet:

I have a problem with my Orange contract. I have just realised, after checking all my bills, that for the past two years that I have been charged £4 a month extra for GPRS and £4 a month for Open access, which is i essence another form of accessing the Internet via my mobile phone.

I called Orange and explained that I had not requsted either service and asked what they were and why they had been added to my contract.

The first person I spoke to admitted to me that it was pointless to have both forms of Internet access as they do the same thing and only one was required - however he didn't know how to deal with my complaint.

I called their complaints dept who told me I should have been checking my bill and it was my fault for not donig so.

I replied that this was a null point - as this point of view entitled them to charge anybody, anything they liked and if people weren't checking their bills then they would, according to their policy, be entitled to all the oney people paid, regardless ofwhethe rit was specified in their contracts or not.

Eventually the girl on the phone offered me £12 in the way of compensation - I told her that this didn't even come close to compensating me for the £200 I've spent on these services which I haven't used.
After telling her that the last person I spoke to told me I definitely shouldn't have been paying for both services she told me I had mat some point AGREED to both of these services.

I asked her for proof of this in the form of a written or verbal contract as I absolutely disagreed that I had ever tkaen out either option.

the girl had to admit that Orange had no record whatsoever of my compliance. therefore, as far as I can see, this is unjust and unfair.

Can anyone tell me where I stand with regards to this complaint - I asked numerous times to be passd to somebody higher up who could deal with my complaint but the assistant flatly refused to refer me citing if I wasn't happy I should write a letter to their correspondence address and expect a reply in 14 days.

Am I write to uphold this complaint - seems to me I have been billed for a service i never requested - or used.

Any advice/suggestiopns gratefully received.

Thanks

Steve_xx

Make a note of the persons name when you call them, also note the time of the call. These people often give varying answers and they are unreliable.

On your original contract there would have been references to the additional services, assuming you have a written contract? If no mention is made, then they cannot enforce it and they will have to repay you.

I would advise that you write to them at Orange. This will produce a better result than speaking to anyone there on the phone.

There is a problem in that you have let it run on for two years. Therefore, it could be argued that you have accepted the contract as it is. On the other hand, if you have had access to these services for two years and never once used either of them, then that might be enough to convince Orange that you did not elect to subscribe to them in the first place and that you did not know that you were subscribed to them.

Also, you may hold some sway given the fact that you've been with them for two years. If you send £30+ monthly with them they will regard you as a prime customer and they will want to retain you. You could always tell tem that you're thinking of leaving them.

Tarquin_2

When I complained to three, copying the letter to OFTEL produced much better results than complaining alone. I think it's https://www.oftel.gov.uk GOOD LUCK!

martynonthemove

I've had problems with Orange in the past and there is an address that you can write to, it is:

Orange
Customer Complaints Department
Correspondence Department
PO Box 10
Patchway
Bristol
B332 4GB

I'm sure that they don't want this address being given out, so feel free to tell as many people as you can.

As Steve said, make a note of who you talk to and also get their telephone extension as confirmation - it also makes tracking them down a little easier.

I'm afraid though that I don't think that you will get too far. As Bill Bryson says in "Notes From A Big Country" - "You can't beat the phone company." I'm wishing you all the best of British in your quest though. Keep us informed.

Martyn

andy88_2

martynonthemove wrote:

I'm sure that they don't want this address being given out, so feel free to tell as many people as you can.

On the contrary, they'll give out their correspondance address to anyone that asks; what is more you may even receive letters from there

It's the Executive Office you want to end up at, but write as they say

kevinyork

I would write one final letter.

Lay out the facts. Say you have no record or recollection of agreeing to the additonal services and require them to produce proof that you did. Give them 21 days to either produce the proof or give you a refund or you will take them to the small claims court.

Then if they dont reply satisfactorily issue a County Court Summons at https://www.courtservice.gov.uk for the amount you are owed. This usually prompts a quick reaction and isnt as difficult or frightening as you may think-ive done loads.

Best of luck and dont let them off the hook.

greytroot

Had a few problems myself with some weird and wonderful companies taking money off my account - i never use premium numbers or even pay for any kind of downloads (there are so many freebies out there) - when i called to complain they just gave me the number of the company involved

---

i normally phone back and ask for a customer services advisor as i was cancelling my account

---

each and every time they got their finger out and sorted my account ---- once it was for £12 and they gave me a £20 credit just like that.

Be calm
Be to the point and only give them the facts
Make sure you reiterate to them that you are the customer
ask what they are going to do to keep your business

Woby_Tide

or send in the heavy artillery by going direct to the executive office at Orange, that can often speed things up

executive.office@orange.co.uk
50 George Street
LONDON
W1U 7DZ
020 7984 1886
0870 870 0862

zx2011

You need to put your complaint in writing to Customer Services to Orange. Send it recorded delivery.

Once you have received their reply you then have the opportunity to raise it with the Office of the Telecommunications Ombudsman at https://www.otelo.org.uk

zx2011

Curiously I thought I'd better check to make sure that Orange are actually members of the Otelo scheme. They are not!!!!!!

Neither are T-Mobile!!!!!

There's another scheme called Communications & Internet Services Adjudication Scheme (CISAS) and I'm pleased to say that both Orange and T-Mobile are members. Their website is at http://www.arbitrators.org/cisas

grilli

I've been with Orange now for about 4 years and recently noticed they were charging me for not having my payments paid by direct debit. When i spoke to them about it they said they'd contact the payment section and get back to me, they didnt but on my next bill they put £60 credit on my bill and it was all sorted. I've never had any other problems with them.