Charged for mobile after contract ends

Lesley4711

Hi everyone,
I often come on here for a look, but now I find myself in need of advice.
I have learnt a big lesson today...to check emails/ bills and bank statements very very thoroughly. I know u all know this, and I feel really really stupid...but here goes...

I cancelled my Carphone Warehouse contract in September 2009, or at least I thougt I had. After a total mees up with an upgrade. The contract was due to end in Sept, so i informed them I did not want to renew it.
Because I am an idiot- they have continued to charge me £30.99/ month for a number that has not been used. I didnt realise because I was still paying Carphone Warehouse for my talk talk landline, and my new mobile is with 02 direct...so when emails arrived I didnt check them properly.
I realised today, phoned them and apparently its just tough.
They say that I would have been told on the phone to write in to cancel, I have no recollection if I did or didnt...my memory isnt great at the best of times. I do generally do things like this as soon as I am asked to, but honestly I have no proof if I did or didnt.

The first person I spoke to said I could contest this, and make a complaint...but then was told that as it was in my origional contract that it must be closed in writing, I couldnt complain.

To make matters worse, I have just moved house, and cant find the notebook I was using at that time last year- I always document phone calls like that (because my memory is so bad) to check back what I was told.

It still says in my online account that the contract ended on 23rd Sept 2009 (!) so how can they still charge??? Especially when they can see no calls or texts at all, and yet when I was using my mobile they would now and then call me to make sure I was on the correct tarrif etc????

I know this is partly due to my lack of keeping on the ball, but am wondering if there is anything I can do, anyone I can take this up with.
Thanks for listening!!
Lesley