Orange charges for unused cancelled? account!

youngstu

Firstly I know we've been stupid for not checking our statement thoroughly for too long but it still doesn't seem right. (sorry it's a bit long but I'll try and explain what happened)

We were with Wanadoo for broadband. In Feb 2008 we changed completely to Talktalk (line, broadband etc).
It would appear (according to the hard talking superviser at Orange) that I had phoned to cancel, phoned again and failed to call back on the Monday morning as I should have done to cancel Orange/Wanadoo properly. I have no recollection of this at all.
In August 2008 we moved house so the phone line got completely closed.
Don't ask why but we've only just realised they've been relieving us of £18 a month since then (£600+ by now):mad:
Spoke to Orange.
First guy: very helpful, keen to get it sorted out, found out how long since we stopped using them etc.

First level supervisor: still quite helpful, offered me 6 months' refund £111. Better than nothing I suppose but still not what I'd like.

Higher level manager/supervisor (class bully I think by the sounds of it) Said the other guy shouldn't have offered me the 6 months' refund. Read out the notes from my calls when we moved to talktalk, told me that I didn't cancel and therefore it's my fault. she said she'd honour the refund offer but not keen.
To cap it off the withdrawal's have been from a debit card that ran out in Jan 2009.
Orange woman suggested I take it up with the bank, they may give me money back which would leave my Orange bill in debt (cue baliffs!)
The first couple of people indicated that this was very common practise from talktalk not cancelling contracts properly, saying that they would do everything etc and not asking for Mac codes etc. It sounds quite common and therefore something that I should be able to get half dealt with I'd have thought.

Does anybody have any suggestions who to try and reclaim through, Orange, my bank, Visa, or should I take the £111 and try to get some back from Visa through my bank (a visa dispute)
Thanks for any suggestions
youngstu

yrp01

Im afraid you dont have much of a leg to stand on here 2008 is pretty long to have any chance of the calls being listened into via customer relations.

But im afraid this isnt a very good situation for you id maybe take the refund of the £111 just due to the fact they have notes on they're system to say you have done this and they more than likely dont have the call on record any more to check into it.

Your choices are limited id say

1) Contacts Customer relations or the CEO email which should be about somewhere and contest this and you may have some luck due to the fact they may have to take your word on it due to no call record but if they do have the call there is a chance they may not offer you any comp.
or
2) accept the £111 compensation and move on.

I wouldn't pull the charge from your bank as they will just indemnity claim and yeah baliffs will be at your door which imo isnt worth the time money and rubbish to follow.

But yeah im afraid there isnt much to do in this situation

brewerdave

It was always YOUR responsibility to cancel YOUR Orange contract with the correct notice. If Talk Talk sold you their unbundled phone/BB service then they didn't need a MAC.
I'm absolutely staggered that you haven't noticed the withdrawals for over 3 years - I agree with ypr01's second "solution" - grab the £111 and run - can't see Orange improving on that offer if there is no record of cancellation in writing anywhere.
DON'T attempt to retrieve the payments via the Bank unless you have the stomach for a very long fight with Orange debt collection and the risk of your credit records being trashed!
Sorry I can't be more optimistic !

biscit

I'm a bit confused, according to the topic the OP claims the account was cancelled- ie when they moved they actually phoned orange and told them the service wasn't needed any more.

But reading the actual post it isn't clear they did that.


Can we clear this up?

macman

OP needs to clarify how the switch was done-did they obtain and use a MAC within 30 days?
Sorry but how can you not notice £18pm debit for over 2 years? I cannot see VISA being interested, as the payment was taken using a valid recurring debit authority.
Another reason for never paying monthly bills using a debit card-always use a DD.

youngstu

Just to clarify.
I believe that I did phone to cancel my Wanadoo/Orange account. (according to the orange woman I did, but I can't be certain).
I don't have any recollection of Mac codes or anything of the sort at this time. The orange guy said that there is some way that talktalk would stop the phone line, then restart it and therefore not need the mac code. (apparently they shouldn't do this but they do)

I'm fully aware that it was my fault and angry with myself for not noticing the payment.

The things that get me the most are the fact that their systems clearly have no way of telling them that a phone line isn't still working and the continued withdrawals from a debit card with an invalid expiry date and address.

Thanks for your replies
youngstu