Orange Won't Cancel My Contract

notenoughcash

Hi all,

Having a real nightmare with Orange at present and wondering if anyone could help?

I took out a mobile phone contract with them in August 2009 for 18 months which by my reckoning means I was in contract with them until February 2011.

So I pay my bill in full and on time every month by direct debit as agreed and on 16 March 2011 (just to be on safe side re 18 months) phoned up to cancel my contract with them. I explained that I would like to keep the number on a PAYG basis which they said would be fine and a sim card would be sent out in time for the notice period ending.

I received a bill on 16 April 2011 which I presumed must be my last bill but then another on 16 May 2011 and still no sign of the sim card. I called to query why I was still being billed and was told sorry, our mistake, sim card will be with you by end of week and we'll refund the extra charges.

26 May 2011 arrives, still no sim card and direct debit gone out of my account for the bill received 16 May 2011.

I rang Orange customer services again and spoke to a very rude and unhelpful character who tells me the reason they are still billing me for the account is because I have continued to use the handset which they take to mean I still require the contract. I explained that I wanted to keep the number on PAYG and that is why I have continued to use the phone and will continue to use it on a PAYG basis otherwise I wouldn't have asked for that, plus I have surely paid in advance for my minutes and texts and so see no reason why I shouldn't be able to use them. I would also expect Orange to stop me from making calls and texts once I have served the notice period?

I asked for a refund of billed charges back to 16 April 2011, one month from my giving notice to terminate the contract but was told this is not possible as I have used the phone and as long as I continue to do so I will be billed for it. I ended the phonecall before I completely lost my temper with them and wrote a formal complaint, to which I have received no repsonse to date, 4 weeks on.

To be honest they can stick their number where the sun doesn't shine now and I will go on PAYG with someone else, but they are still billing me!

I have written another letter today telling them I want all billed charges refunded to 16 April 2011 or I will go to CISAS on 21st July.

Does anyone have any further advice or experienced similar???

grumbler

notenoughcash wrote: »

Does anyone ...experienced similar???

Help: Orange Mobile

Malky

Did you request your PAC code before ending your contract? This is a must when changing over. You have 30 days to use your PAC code and then it expires. If you don't use your PAC code within the 30 day period then your current provider will bill you every month until you request another. Have you read the T&C's of your contract regarding termination? Your contract doesn't just stop at the end of the minimum term (in your case 18 months), it keeps rolling every month until it's terminated.
I doubt you'll get a refund and can't see the point in involving the CISAS. In my eyes, Orange have done nothing wrong here. If truth be told, it looks to me that it's more ignorance on your part for not understanding how contract termination works.

PS
I do not work for Orange or any other mobile network.

grumbler

Did you read the post? The OP was staying with the same network, just switching to PAYG. What PAC are you talking about?

notenoughcash

Sorry? Ignorance on my part? I believe you may have mis-understood my original post, I quite clearly told orange on 16 march 2011 and 16 may 2011 and 26 may 2011 that I no longer required the contract and was giving them the required 30 days notice as detailed in the t&c's of my contract and if possible would like to switch to payg once my required notice period was served.

I posted on here for some advice and support, not to be responded to like that.

But maybe my ignorance struck again and I completely misunderstood the point of these forums

notenoughcash

And grumbler, thanks for the link to the other post. At least it's not just me!

Techhead_2

notenoughcash wrote: »

Sorry? Ignorance on my part? I believe you may have mis-understood my original post, I quite clearly told orange on 16 march 2011 and 16 may 2011 and 26 may 2011 that I no longer required the contract and was giving them the required 30 days notice as detailed in the t&c's of my contract and if possible would like to switch to payg once my required notice period was served.

I posted on here for some advice and support, not to be responded to like that.

But maybe my ignorance struck again and I completely misunderstood the point of these forums

We are not all like Malky, most of us make the effort to read and understand posts before replying. Don't let a few bad posters put you off.

notenoughcash

Thanks Techhead

Malky

notenoughcash wrote: »

I quite clearly told orange on 16 march 2011 and 16 may 2011 and 26 may 2011 that I no longer required the contract and was giving them the required 30 days notice as detailed in the t&c's of my contract and if possible would like to switch to payg once my required notice period was served

You haven't answered my question. Did you or did you not request your PAC code each time you phoned?

grumbler

Malky wrote: »

You haven't answered my question. Did you or did you not request your PAC code each time you phoned?

Are you deaf or blind?

notenoughcash wrote: »

I explained that I would like to keep the number on a PAYG basis

Porting Authorisation Code is used for porting a number to a different network.

Hammyman

Write to them giving them 30 days notice and also state about changing to PAYG.

Personally I'd tell them you want your PAC code and tell them they would have had you as a PAYG customer but as they wanted to screw you over, you're going elsewhere.