How to dodge the 30 day cancellation notice with Orange contracts

joehunt

I've just tried cancelling my orange contract which expires on the 3rd of February and they tried to tell me that I had to give 30 days notice which meant I would be charged up until the 16th of February. I asked them to direct me to the area in the contract which states this which is under section 4.1 of my orange contract, which does clearly state you have to give one months notice. however the wording clearly says "terminating your contract after the minimum term" (which I my case would be after the February 3rd)

The section below section 4.2 talks about cancelling you contract during your minimum term and has no reference to a 30 day notice of cancellation. As a result you can contact them to cancel your contract any time before the contract expires to cancel you contract without the notice period of 30 days being forced upon you.

Simply ask to "cancel your contract from the day before your contract expires under section 4.2 of of your contract" then all you have to pay is the remaining balance until the end of your contract meaning all you lose out on is a day of contract usage.

Hope this helps a lot of people! as it took me 40 minutes on the phone with them before they turned around and said " I do apologize sir you are quite right as the contract does read that way so you wont be liable to the 30 day notice period"

see below for Orange terms and conditions


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.

chanz4

you forget this part,
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.

grumbler

Indeed interesting...
The OP seems to be right, but it is easier to avoid arguing for 40 minutes and just call 30 days before the minimum term expires.

chanz4 wrote: »

you forget this part,
4.2 You may terminate your Contract before the Minimum Term has expired if you pay us:...

I don't understand your point...

joehunt

@grumbler- how many people actually read the contract though and realize they have to cancel 30 days in advance and not just on the date the contract is due to expire? just saying you don't have to abide by there unenforceable rules which disadvantage the customer.

chanz4

my point is they say you can cancel before, but you have todo one of the below

grumbler

I still fail to see where it says that you have to pay for 30 days if you cancel, say, 1 day before.

blueperil

joehunt wrote: »

Hope this helps a lot of people! as it took me 40 minutes on the phone with them before they turned around and said " I do apologize sir you are quite right as the contract does read that way so you wont be liable to the 30 day notice period"

It helped me after I found this thread when I got told the same as you initially. I've never heard of having to give notice to end a contract at the contracts natural end so was surprised to hear of this practise. Not sure if the other providers do it or have it in their terms but I expect it has no legal standing.
It was surprising how many orange employees told me I had to give notice and that it was in their terms and conditions, yet none had a copy to hand or knew which paragraph referred to it. I actually walked one employee through their website to the t&c's, directed them to the paragraphs in question and he was shocked. As was his manager who then credited my account straight away to compensate for the part payment I'd already made for the following month.

grumbler

blueperil wrote: »

It helped me after I found this thread when I got told the same as you initially. I've never heard of having to give notice to end a contract at the contracts natural end so was surprised to hear of this practise. Not sure if the other providers do it or have it in their terms but I expect it has no legal standing.
It was surprising how many orange employees told me I had to give notice and that it was in their terms and conditions, yet none had a copy to hand or knew which paragraph referred to it. I actually walked one employee through their website to the t&c's, directed them to the paragraphs in question and he was shocked. As was his manager who then credited my account straight away to compensate for the part payment I'd already made for the following month.

The only correct point in your post is that it doesn't have to be a 30 day notice during the minimum term (at Orange). Everything else is wrong.
There is no any 'natural end' of the contract. It's only the minimum period that ends naturally.

arielcohen

Asking for a PAC code which you should get almost immediately will allow you to terminate your contract as soon as you use it..

Not sure how Orange will bill you though! (I think they will charge you till the end of the contract date)

tokaten

They tried to charge me a separate termination fee (this relates to the 30 day bit). The bill stated PAC fee and then termination fee. I was leaving before the minimum term. I just rang and complained that this fee hadn't been mentioned when I'd asked the price for my PAC. They refunded it straight away. I was expecting a contractual argument (as had read this for advice, thanks) but didn't need to have one...

mattyprice4004

It's easier just to use foresight and common sense, and to call 30 days before.