3 refusing to refund credit when moving operators - can they do that?!

returnofthem

Hi guys,

I'm currently with 3 for my pains, and will shortly be moving to another network. Today I requested my PAC code and was surprised when the guy in the call centre told me I would be billed up until 31st July. I asked him whether I'd be getting a refund for any period which was unused after the PAC code use triggers the cancellation and he said no.

This seems
a) Wrong, and
b) Contrary to the advice on the "reclaim phone credit" guide

What should I do? Is it wrong? If it is, how can I get it sorted out? Should I wait until the switch actually occurs and the phone up 3 customer services? Or wait until I get my final bill and then contest that somehow?

grumbler

If you are on any kind of contract you have to give 1 month notice and to pay for next 30 (31?) days regardless of using the service or not.
The guy was right.
The guide is either unclear or you have misunderstood it.

Use the PAC closer to the end of the 30 days period and you will not pay for the service that you don't use.

returnofthem

grumbler wrote: »

If you are on any kind of contract you have to give 1 month notice and to pay for next 30 (31?) days regardless of using the service or not.
The guy was right.
The guide is either unclear or you have misunderstood it.

Use the PAC closer to the end of the 30 days period and you will not pay for the service that you don't use.

I guess I'm misunderstanding it then:
"Ofcom says phone & broadband providers should automatically refund any leftover credit owed when you switch."

I took that to mean I should get back the rest of the month after the date of the switch as I can't use it. I'm not on a 'contract' as such, I had an 18 month contract which expired 5 months ago so I'm just paying month by month.

grumbler

When a contract expires it turns into 1 month rolling contract unless you request to change it to PAYG.

If for some reason your account is in credit when the contract expires 1 month after your give notice (or earlier if you use PAC and 1 month fee is debited anyway), the credit has to be refunded.

returnofthem

grumbler wrote: »

When a contract expires it turns into 1 month rolling contract unless you request to change it to PAYG.

So that phone credit article has got me pretty confused then, because I know that when you switch PAYG networks they don't refund any outstanding credit as I've seen it in the T&C's.... so under what circumstances can you actually get anything back?