Orange port out termination fee

STEVEN19666691

Hello everyone,
Received a final bill from Orange with a port out termination fee of £12.35. I gave a months cancellation notice as required, and was never told of any potential charges when I asked for my PAC. In fact customer services reminded me of the fact that I pay a month in advance and was told that as long as I used the PAC within 30 days I would receive no more bills. Tried to get Orange to explain the final bill on 3 occasions and they firstly say it's a line rental charge (already paid that up to date), and then it's a port out termination fee, and then, again, it's line rental and i'll receive another bill for a port out termination fee in November (clearly states on the bill that i've received - Port Out Termination Fee). Have also been twice reassured that the amount (supposedly) due would be cancelled, but now have a letter threatening external debt collection agency. Is it not free to port a number anyway? Sorry it's a bit long-winded but anyone with similar experiences.

grumbler

If your minimum term expired then Orange are talking rubbish. They cannot charge you for more than 30 days and usually part of this was already paid in advance. Don't let them get away with this.

STEVEN19666691

Yes, minimum contract was up. I forget to mention in the post that I had to request a second PAC as the first one didn't work, but that was all explained during every call that I made to Orange and was their fault. Think my next move will have to be to make a formal complaint and if no joy an Alternative Dispute Resolution. I know it's not a massive amount of money but it's the principle.

gjchester

STEVEN19666691 wrote: »

I gave a months cancellation notice as required, and was never told of any potential charges when I asked for my PAC.

You can't give notice and have a PAC. The account has to be active for a PAC to proceed. If you gave notice then asked for the PAC the PAC request will over-ride the notice.

STEVEN19666691 wrote: »

In fact customer services reminded me of the fact that I pay a month in advance and was told that as long as I used the PAC within 30 days I would receive no more bills.

Assuming the minimum contract term has passed the contract is on a 30 days notice cycle. That means there a fee of 30 days instead of notice if you use a PAC, which comes back to the point above.

If you get and use the PAC immediatly then the 30 days lack of notice is paid for by the 30 days advance rental you have paid.

When did you use the PAC, if it went through on the same day you got it then there should be no charges. If you used it on day 30 after getting it you'd owe another month.

STEVEN19666691

I phoned Orange and told them of my intention to end my contract and after speaking to the customer retentions department, I was transferred to another dept. to get a PAC. I was informed that the request for a PAC was equal to the request to end my contract and was informed that it had to be used within 30 days, which it was(after the second request for a code which I mentioned above). I was also informed that as long as I transferred before the end date of my contract I would owe nothing.

grumbler

gjchester wrote: »

...If you get and use the PAC immediatly then the 30 days lack of notice is paid for by the 30 days advance rental you have paid.

When did you use the PAC, if it went through on the same day you got it then there should be no charges.

Not necessarily as the the DD date is usually in the middle of the billing month. If you give a notice or get a PAC, say at the day of DD, you will owe abut 1/2 monthly charge extra.
There would be no extra charges if you get the PAC on the first day of the billing month, use it within 30 days and remain within the monthly allowances.

If you used it on day 30 after getting it you'd owe another month.

This is arguable. If the porting comes through with a few days delay, I see only reasons for charging for these few days, not for another month.

Biddyk

Steven,

Can I ask whether you followed up this fee with Orange and whether you had to pay it? I've had the same thing happen to me but as it was both mine and my husband's numbers they're charging £40.44. I gave 30 days notice in early September and then at the end of that period sorted out giving the PAC numbers to my new provider (Virgin). My October bill included service plan fee for both us us from 8 october - 7 Nov (after we ported out) and when I queried this the second time I was told be someone in India, sorry, we'll change your balance to zero. I was happy and thought it was all sorted until I had a phone call just before xmas telling me that I still owed this money. Only then was the 'port out termination' fee mentioned. It had never ever been mentioned to me before. I've now found your post and so wondered whether you had any joy. I basically told the orange lady where to go so suspect it'll be heading to their debt collection service!

Cazzad_2

I had the same problem with orange, contracted ended 7 December, contacted Orange on 8 November to cancel contract and requested PAC, received a bill which included termination fee of £25.00, contacted executive.office@orange.co.uk and complained and now waiting for refund of termination fee, told them I gave them 30 days notice and was not told of any termination fee and that they should listen to the taped conversation.

grumbler

Cazzad wrote: »

...was not told of any termination fee and that they should listen to the taped conversation.

What's the point in listening if it's simpler just to check the T&C and to follow them?

Cazzad_2

4 your rights to terminate this Contract

terminating your Contract after the Minimum Term

4.1 You may terminate your Contract to expire at any time after the Minimum Term by giving us at least one month's notice. You are free to restore your Contract throughout this notice period, should you change your mind.

terminating your Contract during the Minimum Term

4.2 You may terminate your Contract before the Minimum Term has expired if you pay us:

4.2.1 all Charges that are due, plus

4.2.2 a lump sum equal to (or in some circumstances less than) the total monthly line rental due for the remaining period of your Minimum Term (except in the circumstances set out in Conditions 4.3 and 15.1). You will get a discount if the costs we expect to save by you no longer using Orange are greater than any payments we anticipated receiving from other operators for calls made and texts sent to you. See the Price Guide for more information. Or

4.2.3 If you are a Business customer (and for the avoidance of doubt this also includes small and medium businesses) you will have to pay all Charges that are due, plus a lump sum equivalent to the total of all the monthly or other periodic Charges still remaining on your Minimum Term agreement (except in the circumstances set out in Conditions 4.3 and 15.1). See the Business Price Guide for more information.

Please show me where it states termination fee?

grumbler

Cazzad wrote: »

Please show me where it states termination fee?

This was my point - it doesn't.
If so, regardless of what they have or have not said in the taped conversation, there has to be no any termination fee.