Advice on court action threat from O2 please...

topbargainhunter

I've had this thing going on with o2 for months - basically around march time I renewed my contract with them and got an upgrade but then decided to go with Orange instead coz they offered a better phone cheaper. So I got in touch with o2 about returning the phone and cancelling the contract and did what they said - sent the phone straight back (it was definitely in the 14 day time frame) - and then rang them back a few days later so that they could confirm the phone was returned and to cancel the contract. That was all fine. The woman I spoke to said everything was done I just had to pay my final bill, but if I took a pay as you go sim card my final bill would be half the price. She said it didn't matter whether I used it or not, and I just needed to cancel my direct debit and pay the bill when a paper one arrived.

So ... I thought all was well, didn't hear anything for ages - except that my bill had not been paid by the direct debit and I needed to sort it out - but I just assumed I would be waiting for the paper bill and that I could ignore this because that's what the woman I had spoken to said. Then some time later I got a bill for nearly £800. So I rang them up - turns out they've billed me for the entire year of the contract for some unknown reason. After spending ages on the phone and speaking to god knows how many people they said that I had been misinformed and they would clear the bill because it was THEIR fault not mine.

So ... then I thought all was well again and low and behold weeks later I got a bill for about £170. So I rang back up again, went through the whole process again - speaking to different people and having to explain it all. They then finally agreed that it was wrong and that I just needed to pay about £40 which was my final bill. I couldn't be bothered to argue about the half price thing that the first woman I had spoken to told me about because I had just had enough by this point and just wanted it over with so I paid that.

A couple of days later I got another bill less that amount that I had paid which I disregarded because I figured it had been sent in error and that the issue was sorted. Should have known better. Because weeks later out of the blue I got a letter from a debt collectors saying that I had to pay this amount plus admin fee within 7 days or they would be taking court action. So I rang them up and explained that the bill was wrong and gave them a brief run down on what had happened and been said. They said they would get in touch with o2 and check it. A few weeks later I get another letter saying o2 say its right and I've got to pay the money. So I rang up again insisting that it's wrong. I also told them that in the meantime interestingly the exact same thing has happened to my sister with o2 - she's been charged £800 as well - bloody rediculous. The debt collector said they were going to get in touch with them again and ask for an itemised bill of what it is Im paying for. So I'm waiting to hear about that - but no doubt I'll still be wrong even though I've been told twice by o2 that they're wrong and I'm right.

Today I've got a letter from debt collectors saying they will be taking court action in 7 days if its not paid - so the amount would be doubled. I rang them AGAIN and explained that I was waiting to hear back from them about what o2 have got to say, and he said to ignore the letter. But this is really stressing me out and I don't feel like I'm going to get anywhere with it.

Has anyone else had this kind of thing happen and if so can they advise me on what to do to resolve it? Should I contact the regulatory body?

Thanks very much for reading.

essexman77

Just a few things

1 800 is way expensive for 1 year contract at over 66 pounds a month
2 You do need a bill to see what you are paying for and send requests in writing and if possible send recorded delivery
3 Before taking you to court they would need to follow pre county court action e.g they should give you a letter saying what you owe like this

800 Debt
80 pounds court costs (county court fees are 10% of debt)
70 pounds solicters fees this is maximum
Total 950

4 Did you open the phone etc break any seals try phone etc

Have you kept all reciepts of returning phone etc and best of all really you need letters.