Orange account cancellation problems

rasselin

Hello

I wonder if anyone can advise me where I stand...

I had been a customer with Orange mobile for several years but in November switched to Vodafone. My contract with Orange had been due for renewal so I called up and asked them to cancel it. I was told it would take 30 days notice but that it was fine and the contract would be cancelled. It was also pushed on my to accept a complimentary pay-as-you-go sim card in case I ever needed to use my old number again. So I received the sim card and ignored it and thought my account had been cancelled.

Now I realise I have been stupid for not noticing sooner, but today I say Orange had taken £30 out of my bank. I checked back and sure enough my £30 has been taken by Orange each month since I thought my contract was cancelled (7 months.) I called Orange up and spoke to a chap who really couldn't understand English but told me it was because I hadn't cancelled my direct debit. I then said, surely you shouldn't carry on taking money from a cancelled account even if someone hasn't cancelled payment through their bank. He passed me to a supervisor who said that I infact hadn't cancelled my account and what had happened was that when I was sent the pay-as-you-go sim it meant that I was not cancelling my account but switching to pay-as-you-go and by not registering the new sim I never finalised the process of shutting my account. Told me to register my new sim and 'no' I wouldn't get a refund.

I went into the Orange shop hoping to get to the bottom of this and they phoned an English customer services person for me who told me that I would have been read from a script where the procedure was explained to me and it was therefore my fault that my account hadn't been closed as I had chosen to switch to pay-as-you go rather than cancel. This isn't true. Anyway they have told me now I can give 30 days notice to cancel my account but I won't get my money back.

I haven't used the account since November when i thought it was cancelled. Is there anything I can do to get my money back, or am I without a leg to stand on?

Any advice would be great.

Thanks

Becs

custardy

rasselin wrote: »

Hello

I wonder if anyone can advise me where I stand...

I had been a customer with Orange mobile for several years but in November switched to Vodafone. My contract with Orange had been due for renewal so I called up and asked them to cancel it. I was told it would take 30 days notice but that it was fine and the contract would be cancelled. It was also pushed on my to accept a complimentary pay-as-you-go sim card in case I ever needed to use my old number again. So I received the sim card and ignored it and thought my account had been cancelled.

Now I realise I have been stupid for not noticing sooner, but today I say Orange had taken £30 out of my bank. I checked back and sure enough my £30 has been taken by Orange each month since I thought my contract was cancelled (7 months.) I called Orange up and spoke to a chap who really couldn't understand English but told me it was because I hadn't cancelled my direct debit. I then said, surely you shouldn't carry on taking money from a cancelled account even if someone hasn't cancelled payment through their bank. He passed me to a supervisor who said that I infact hadn't cancelled my account and what had happened was that when I was sent the pay-as-you-go sim it meant that I was not cancelling my account but switching to pay-as-you-go and by not registering the new sim I never finalised the process of shutting my account. Told me to register my new sim and 'no' I wouldn't get a refund.

I went into the Orange shop hoping to get to the bottom of this and they phoned an English customer services person for me who told me that I would have been read from a script where the procedure was explained to me and it was therefore my fault that my account hadn't been closed as I had chosen to switch to pay-as-you go rather than cancel. This isn't true. Anyway they have told me now I can give 30 days notice to cancel my account but I won't get my money back.

I haven't used the account since November when i thought it was cancelled. Is there anything I can do to get my money back, or am I without a leg to stand on?

Any advice would be great.

Thanks

Becs

you would have been told you had to activate the sim
this action cancels the contract sim,this would also be stated in the accompanying letter
by choosing not to do this you havent instructed orange to terminate your contract

misssarahleigh

I would suggest you ask them to find the all for yet where all this was supposed to be explained.

custardy

misssarahleigh wrote: »

I would suggest you ask them to find the all for yet where all this was supposed to be explained.

eh? you post makes no sense
having gone down the PAYG downgrade option a few times
it is fully explained on the phone in detail as to what is required

pmduk

The one thing to learn to this is to cancel a direct debit as soon as you have finished the relevant contract.

Bunter_2

It looks like you have learned the hard way that Oranges' business practises are what Ted Heath once described as the "unacceptable face of capitalism".

I have had two "run-ins" with Orange. One of them concerned a broadband contract when I moved home and they tried to pin me in to a two year contract (in exactly the same weasel way they have dealt with you).

The second issue arose when I telephoned their help line to ask about an old orange phone I had, the number of which was now in use by someone else. The female on the other end of the line dithered for a few minutes and then put me on hold. After a few minutes without any response I shouted out "are you still there?"
The same person responded immediately still dithering and not giving me any advice or information, almost like she had just been caught napping, so I put the phone down rather than incur any further expense.

I later learned that it was standard practice with Orange to re-issue telephone numbers if no one had used them for a specified period of time. The help-line operator must have know that and just have been under instructions to keep me on hold. I checked my phone bill and there was a couple of pounds charged for the call. Would have been more if I had not hung up.

There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that Orange know exactly what is going on. When I challenged the broadband contract issue in no uncertain terms, they backed down pretty quick. When I challenged the "help-line" rip off I got an email within a couple of days announcing that in response to "customer feedback" they had now reviewed their helpline procedures and reduced the call fees. (Funny that). I also got a telephone call from a guy from Orange who was clearly embarrassed and apologetic.

So I would say challenge them. You rang up to cancel and they used the "small print" of their cancellation policy to bamboozle you and wheedle more money out of you.

Yes, you should have cancelled the direct debit but, as I say you have learned the hard way. Hopefully your post will save some other customer from learning the hard way too.

custardy

oh god,here we go
what small print?
it is explained clearly on the phone what is required when the OP chose to change to PAYG
Im sure they didnt bother to listen and again didnt bother to read the letter with the sim
they then didnt bother to check their bank

Bunter_2

custardy wrote: »

oh god,here we go

Just call me Bunter.

what small print? it is explained clearly on the phone what is required when the OP chose to change to PAYG
Im sure they didnt bother to listen and again didnt bother to read the letter with the sim

Most people live busy lives.

they then didnt bother to check their bank

"they" will in future.

Greetings.

flimsier

custardy wrote: »

oh god,here we go
what small print?
it is explained clearly on the phone what is required when the OP chose to change to PAYG
Im sure they didnt bother to listen and again didnt bother to read the letter with the sim
they then didnt bother to check their bank

You're pleasant.

custardy

flimsier wrote: »

You're pleasant.

its called facts
some folks want hand held through life
hell some folks can't even work a quote feature

baza52

misssarahleigh wrote: »

I would suggest you ask them to find the all for yet where all this was supposed to be explained.

Ill have a pint of whatever youve been drinking.