Can you help an 81 year old with his O2 complaint?

[Deleted User]

When you place an upgrade it starts a new contract from when the handset is despatched this is why the tariff has changed.

If you not happy with the outcome then you could call them back or as others have stated contact the ombudsman.

If the user of the handset has been using under 600 minutes then this is only a guideline as anyone can change the amount that they use their mobile phone.

This is one of the main reasons I would never suggest anyone to take out a contract for a minor.

Dxx

JDC14

iPhone deals are expensive in themselves.

The first bulk of the charge could be the original handset cost (many networks charge £199+ for the iPhone handset on a contract). Beyond that, the OP hasn't indicated as to whether they ascertained the monthly cost of this deal (although I imagine they have), so as you currently seem to be running two concurrent contracts you need to add these together.

Ask for itemised billing for both phones, (any charges outside of the monthly plan for the iPhone before 25 Dec should be queried as your granddaughter didn't get the phone before Xmas day, therefore it would've stayed in the box and not even have been switched on). Beyond that, make sure o2 have you on the contract you discussed, its very easy to be put on the wrong contract (as I was told after running up a £143 bill on a £15 a month contract). They're ridiculous these phone companies.

Make sure, if they do take any payments, they're marked as under protest on your 02 account, that should help when it comes to recitfying any financials wrongs.

[Deleted User]

Guys_Dad wrote: »

Last point - think carefully as it will mark your credit record if you follow this advice.

The point made is very true. :silenced: (Your Credit record will be marked if a DD fails).

However, it really depends on how sure you are that you are correct and how important the amount of money is to you - I still maintain that it's likely to be a lot easier for the money not to be leaving your account than for you having to try getting it back in there afterwards ...



A couple of other things to consider as well:

• Although cancelling a DD may affect your credit record, at least your money will be in your account and not somebody else's;
• Can you have any confidence in O2 after the conflicting things that they've apparently told you?
• as an 81 YO, are you likely to be applying for a loan, mortgage, credit card, HP etc in the near future?
• If you do decide to refer this to the Ombudsman, remember that there are likely to be timescales that you must adhere to, you may need to go through the O2 internal complaints procedure first and put everything in writing between yourself and O2 so that the paper trail can be followed. As has been previously mentioned, O2 should record the advice given - if they haven't it's their problem, not yours and IMHO the Ombudsman is likely to come down on your side of the fence ... Bon Chance!

cubegame

Why did your grand daughter keep using the phone when she had already accrued £229!!?

It might be an O2 issue but surely a little common sense would be in order.

Perhaps selling the new shiny iphone to pay for the bill would be a lesson well learned for her.

Guys_Dad

cubegame wrote: »

Why did your grand daughter keep using the phone when she had already accrued £229!!?

It might be an O2 issue but surely a little common sense would be in order.

Perhaps selling the new shiny iphone to pay for the bill would be a lesson well learned for her.

You clearly didn't read the original post and prefer making a disparaging comment rather than reading the post.

1. Grand daughter believed she was on genuine unlimited voice and, given that this had not been an issue on the preceding x months of her contract, she was not in need of your recommended lesson.

2. OP caused the problem and, at the time, the girl didn't know of change to contract and it was 10 days till Christmas and the surprise "shiny iphone".

3. Read the relevant para. I have edited it to the relevant points.

"On the 15th December my grand daughter called me in a panic. ....... I reassured her that there must be some issue with O2 and that I would call them. I was hugely surprised as again I didn’t know that the new contract had come into force and I couldn’t tell her that I’d ordered her a new phone for christmas. I called O2 Customer Services immediately.............................I was confident that the problem had been dealt with and that my grand daughter could now continue using her phone without running up any further liabilities"

Now tell me exactly what lesson the grand daughter is supposed to learn as all that happened was outside her control and even knowledge, as well as the reassurance from OP quoted above?

Regrettably an 81 year old grandparent, in an attempt to be generous, seems to have changed things to cause this bill and unwittingly restrict the girl's bundle minutes.

I am all for taking people to task in the right circumstances, but your post is mean spirited and showed that you didn't even read the circumstances properly, preferring to snipe than help.

cubegame

I did read it and I stand by my comment. It was a realistic take on the situation rather than an attempt to be mean spirited.

Regardless of whether or not the OP tried to do the right thing or not (and I know there is a tragic subculture on this forum to try and blame any mistake on the part of the consumer as mis-selling) the granddaughter had the option to stop using her phone when the first text came through.

grumbler

cubegame wrote: »

...(and I know there is a tragic subculture on this forum to try and blame any mistake on the part of the consumer as mis-selling)....

The opposite extreme subculture is not uncommon on the same forum to blame the consumers for everything.

So far there is no grounds for accusing the OP of lying. He did call the network immediately and has not received an adequate advice that the network was supposed to provide.

Guys_Dad

cubegame wrote: »

I did read it and I stand by my comment. It was a realistic take on the situation rather than an attempt to be mean spirited.

Regardless of whether or not the OP tried to do the right thing or not (and I know there is a tragic subculture on this forum to try and blame any mistake on the part of the consumer as mis-selling) the granddaughter had the option to stop using her phone when the first text came through.

I tend to blame the consumers for mis-buying, not networks for mis-selling. We all have eyes and if we are too lazy to use them................ So I am with you on that.

But in this case, granddaughter was originally landed in the mire through no fault of her own - or so it seems. Responsibly, when she discovered that she has a £229 bill, she informs Grandad who discusses problem with network and then writes "I was confident that the problem had been dealt with and that my grand daughter could now continue using her phone without running up any further liabilities". Grandad obviously assured her that it was an O2 mistake that would be corrected so not to worry and carry on.

So far, in this story as reported, grand daughter did everything right, so you have absolutely no cause to write "Perhaps selling the new shiny iphone to pay for the bill would be a lesson well learned for her"

Certainly it is a lesson to be learned - and the reduction in minutes on the new contract is an unwelcome development - but not to be laid at her door or for her to be punished by having her Iphone taken from her and sold.

esuhl

Wow. What a nightmare. The first thing I would do is ask O2 for a copy (or transcript) of the phone conversations that you had with them. You are entitled to do this under the Data Protection Act, but may have to pay up to £10 as an administration fee.

That way you will know exactly what was said and might be able to pinpoint any bad/incorrect/misleading advice you may have been given and will give you a factual basis on which to argue your case.

If O2 say they don't have a copy... at least you know that they won't be able to submit it as evidence if the case were to go to court (unlikely, but if you prepare for the worst possible scenario you'll look like you mean business).

ellies_angel

you need to keep pushing them. Totally different scenario but still with o2
Prior to the the iphone 4s coming out my husband was told by them that he couldn't upgrade online and inorder to upgrade he would have to go into the shop to do it. He explained that he would be unable to do that but would it be ok for me (his wife) to do it on his behalf. They said yes providing I had identification on me. He took with his a copy of the "online chat" he had the o2 advisor because as he said, he didn't want me waiting in a queue for several hours only to be told no.
I was at the shop at 10.30 in the morning. The queue wasn't too bad at this point. An assistant came out to ensure that everyone in the queue was upgrading their own phone. I said no, I was upgrading my husbands. She told me no, I couldn't do that. I confidently told them yes I could and I had written confirmation and also a note had been placed on his file. She told me as a store they wouldn't be able to access this, but I was welcome to come into the store and call o2, although the waiting time was aprox 2 hours.
I sat in the seating area and after 20 mins of engaged tone I got through and was put on hold. After about 45 mins I realised my battery on my phone wasn't going to hold out so asked if they had a charger I could borrow. Unfortunately they didn't so I popped next door to the carphone wearhouse and purchased one for £19.99. I went back into the o2 store sat in the designated seating area and plugged my phone in.
The shop had air conditioning which considering the number of people in the shop was helpful, however I was seated directly under it and frozen. I couldn't move because this was the only available plug.
I was on hold for 2 hours 35 mins. I listened to Take That..... though no-one understood we were holding back the flood...................then an automated message.............then silence where you worried you were cut off followed by take that..........although no-one understood......you get the picture.
Anyway after 2 hours and 35 mins I spoke to the lady and explained the situation and they told me, no I couldn't upgrade on behalf of my husband, something to do with law and distance selling. I asked her to check my husbands file as he had spoken to an o2 representative and been told it would be fine. She put me on hold............30 mins later she comes back and tells me yes she can see that he has been told that, but that he shouldn't have been told that................but if I wanted I could upgrade on line..........I explained to her that had been what he wanted to do first but told that o2 weren't doing that. She said they had got more phones allocated than they thought so they were. I then proceded to upgrade on the phone. At the end she wanted to confirm the order with me, when we got to the colour she said a white, I said no I want a black. She said well you said white. I replied I may have said white but I meant black. (believe me after sitting in the shop for over 3 hours, by this time I was not only really cold but hungry too with a sore head) Well its a white one thats ordered. I said can you not change it to a black as you are confirming the order with me. No she said its gone through!!???? Why would you confirm an order which you had already procedssed.
Anyway the long and short of it was there were a load of other cockups with the phone before it arrived and my other half ended up getting £100 credited to his account + the cost of my charger + half price calls etc for the next 6 months. Instead of £35 per month he will only be £17.50.

We called everynight until it was sorted going over and over our story until it was resolved. Keep at it They need to sort out their cockup