Orange excessive charges for exceeding tariff

themothership1

Hi, am desperate for some advice as to whether I have a 'leg to stand on'. My son has exceeded his text and calls limit on his Orange tariff and they have removed £610 from my bank account without notifying me. I called them as soon as I realised and they informed me that £610 was for last month and they will take a further £398 next month. I get paid £673 per month so am still reeling from the shock. I have emailed a complaint to them and have asked them to reconsider their excessive charges (approximately 2,250% more than I usually pay) and bemoaned the fact they just took the money and did not give me a chance to agree to a payment plan or somesuch. If I were to propose paying the charges that an unlimited calls/texts tariff would have cost me and continuing with this tariff for my son would this be well received? Can I cancel the direct debit or will this worsen my situation? Please help!

grumbler

themothership1 wrote: »

Hi, am desperate for some advice as to whether I have a 'leg to stand on'. My son has exceeded his text and calls limit on his Orange tariff and they have removed £610 from my bank account without notifying me.

They cannot do this without billing you first. Billing can be online though in which case it is your duty to check the bill.

I called them as soon as I realised and they informed me that £610 was for last month and they will take a further £398 next month. I get paid £673 per month so am still reeling from the shock. I have emailed a complaint to them and have asked them to reconsider their excessive charges (approximately 2,250% more than I usually pay) and bemoaned the fact they just took the money and did not give me a chance to agree to a payment plan or somesuch.

Contact your bank and demand an immediate refund under the DD guarantee. Be prepared to have your credit history trashed though.

If I were to propose paying the charges that an unlimited calls/texts tariff would have cost me and continuing with this tariff for my son would this be well received?

Just ask them. Looks like a reasonable suggestion to me, but I am not sure that they do unlimited and if they do it can be pretty expensive.

Can I cancel the direct debit or will this worsen my situation?

As above.

custardy

where do the bills for that mobile account go?

themothership1

Ok, thanks for that, will probably ask bank to refund it and try to set up a payment plan with Orange. I haven't ever received an invoice or notification from them about how much they're planning to bill me. On the contract I signed it just details that I will pay by direct debit and the 'talk plan monthly costs' which is always roughly £24/25 per month.

visidigi

They either email you a bill or post a bill.

One or the other.

As for the costs, unfortunately, you are bound by the contract to pay the charges you signed up to - your son used them, so you will be bound by them.

Its unlikely they will offer you to pay the highest unlimited all-elements tariff (which Orange don't actually offer).

I would take the phone off your son immediately while you review the situation with Orange.

Fifer

Have you checked how many texts your son has sent and that the charge is correct and not a mistake? Over a grands worth of texts seem a lot.

grumbler

themothership1 wrote: »

Ok, thanks for that, will probably ask bank to refund it and try to set up a payment plan with Orange. I haven't ever received an invoice or notification from them about how much they're planning to bill me.

Paper billing is an extra service that costs extra. It was your duty to check the bills online.

visidigi wrote: »

They either email you a bill or post a bill.

One or the other.

Both I and my wife are on Orange. Since we cancelled the paper billing we have never received any bills or notifications. No e-mails, texts. Nothing.

custardy

grumbler wrote: »

Paper billing is an extra service that costs extra. It was your duty to check the bills online.

Both I and my wife are on Orange. Since we cancelled the paper billing we have never received any bills or notifications. No e-mails, texts. Nothing.

I stuck with paper billing as Oranges online site is shocking
However I always get a text telling my bill is due,plus pape bill & online access to the bills(when it works)

custardy

themothership1 wrote: »

Ok, thanks for that, will probably ask bank to refund it and try to set up a payment plan with Orange. I haven't ever received an invoice or notification from them about how much they're planning to bill me. On the contract I signed it just details that I will pay by direct debit and the 'talk plan monthly costs' which is always roughly £24/25 per month.

If you have the phone,you can quickly set up online billing.
go to the Orange site on your PC and follow the registration instructions.