Orange not cancelling contract when asked

digitalphase

My contract was up for renewal in June with Orange. As I have an awful signal with them, I opted to go with another provider.
I rang up Orange, giving them 30 days notice to cancel. She asked why I was leaving, I said due to the poor reception (but also because of their carp website and customer service). She asked about keeping my number. I said I wasn't sure yet, but probably not. She said she'd issue a PAC code. I asked if I'd get a letter as confirmation it'd all been cancelled. She said yes.

So about a week later I get a letter from them saying 'sorry you're thinking of leaving us, can we tempt you to stay'. I ignored it. I had also decided to start afresh with a new number.

Now, whenever I have moved to another provider before, it's been up to me whether I take the number over with me. Sometimes I have done, but the last few times I haven't and it's all been fine.

Anyway I noticed that my account was still active with Orange, and ringing the phone number it went to voicemail. It should have been cancelled by now.

I ring Orange and they tell me because I didn't use the PAC code, the contract has carried on and I'd have to pay £20 (my tariff charge) and 30 days notice to cancel again :mad::mad::mad:

He said as a 'goodwill gesture' he'd cancel the number from tomorrow, but I'd still need to pay the £20.

I am really annoyed, as I thought it was all finished with them, and I have had another contract for 2 months now.

I haven't used the phone since giving notice, and I made it clear to the woman I definitely wanted to cancel because of the poor reception.

Is there anyway I can get the money back? (well, it goes out on 11th August, but if I cancelled DD they'd trash my credit file so I'm not risking that).

Inner_Zone

You had two choices, refuse a PAC code, which you did not or use it which you did not. Orange have done nothing wrong that I can see.

cinereus

I don't see that at all, IZ. The request to cancel the contract was clearly not contingent on using the PAC.

MissKeith

cinereus wrote: »

I don't see that at all, IZ. The request to cancel the contract was clearly not contingent on using the PAC.

But that is how it works. Requesting a PAC doesn't terminate your contract, using it does.

jamespir

they wont give you money as you did not fullfil your part of the cancellation process you got a pac code of them and when you use that with new supplier it cancels contract you did not use it so the system automatically presumes you wish to carry on

digitalphase

But they didn't TELL me that! I remember I went from O2 to Orange 18 months ago, and got a new number, there was never any issue. Now I am back with O2 and that's where I'll be staying.

The service from Orange is appalling. Obviously this is another example of it.

If the PAC code does indeed cancel the contract then they should have made that clear when I rang to cancel. I made it perfectly clear I wanted to cancel.

I knew Orange would have some way to get more money out of me :mad:

digitalphase

jamespir wrote: »

so the system automatically presumes you wish to carry on

Ah you see, this is totally wrong, and this is my grievance!

I made it clear I wanted to cancel, and also said to her I wasn't sure whether I'd be taking my number with me. I said 'probably not'. So why didn't the woman say 'if you don't use the PAC code in 30 days you will carry on the contract' ? Instead she just said that the code would expire.

It's the not making things clear bit that annoys me. Fair enough if that's how they do things, but they should make it clear to the customer that that is what they are doing/going to do.

When I have a signal which comes and goes just at home, I am not going to be staying with this company for anything. I told her I'd taken out a new contract already, so it should have been made clear from her end what was going on.

digitalphase

Plus I asked her at the end of the call 'Will I get a confirmation of cancellation letter through the post' and she said yes! So why wasn't it mentioned then that the cancellation was subject to me transferring the number over.

grumbler

A similar thread: PAC Codes and Oranges Way to Stop You Cancelling.

cinereus

MissKeith wrote: »

But that is how it works. Requesting a PAC doesn't terminate your contract, using it does.

The OP explicitly requested a cancellation.

digitalphase

This is interesting, taken from the thread you linked to Grumbler:

Ofcom requires that mobile operators explain all this when generating a PAC for a customer

I was NOT explained about this PAC thing, or even made clear what it is. I thought it was purely to do with keeping my number. As I wasn't bothered about this, I didn't 'use' the PAC code. I didn't realise using the PAC code is a condition to terminate. I made it very clear I wanted to terminate, so why wasn't it possible that I was given the PAC code to use if I so wished, but if not then my contract would expire in 30 days automatically? The very fact that their system is set up to continue is a con.

All of this has reinforced the fact that Orange customer service is dire, and I am glad I am leaving them. It's a shame as they used to be excellent, quite a few years ago.

I want to complain about this. I will allow them to take the £20 as I don't want a default, but wish to pursue them for it back. Can I complain to Ofcom?