Orange Care complaints query

JGurung

I have been a long term Orange customer and upgraded my phone and signed onto a new 24 month contract on the 8th March. My phone has just been stolen and I phoned Orange to have it blocked and get a new handset on Orange Care, but they claimed I was no longer covered by Orange Care and thus would have to pay £190 for my handset or pay for a sim only. Unbeknownst to me my Orange Care cover had actually expired on the 4th of April and they claimed they contacted me to renew it but I declined.

They claimed to have contacted me in three ways:
1. Post (never received anything)
2. Text (I treat Orange communication as junk - did not know it would be anything other than advertising)
3, Phone call (I'm not sure as I don't answer calls from unknown numbers)

But in any case when I negotiated my new contract I asked if I was still on Orange Care and the person said I was and did not mention having to renew any contract. On my last billing date on 2 April my account was debited the sum of £27, which was £21 for my new contract and £6 for Orange Care, thus I believed I was still continuing to be covered.

I explained this to the customer service person and she said there was nothing to be done about it, I can lodge a complaint with the Care Compliance team, which may take up to 4 weeks to be resolved.

I'm just not sure what to do - I believed I was covered and it was a total shock to find out I wasn't. Do you think if I lodge this complaint formally I will be able to get anything out of it or should I just give up and pay the price for the handset (I don't really have the money) or get the sim and enjoy paying full price for using my crap old phone.

NFH

JGurung wrote: »

They claimed to have contacted me in three ways:
1. Post (never received anything)
2. Text (I treat Orange communication as junk - did not know it would be anything other than advertising)
3, Phone call (I'm not sure as I don't answer calls from unknown numbers)

If method 1 failed, then it could be Orange's fault. However, methods 2 and 3 failing are clearly your fault according to your explanation; your excuses are not reasonable.