3Mobile phone contract cancellation

weeebadger

I cancelled my contract (or attempted too) with 3Mobile in January as this was within the end month of my contract notice period. On the same call I requested the PAC to be sent to give me the option of retaining the number though I decided not to keep my old number.

I have subsequently received 2 months bills and been in dispute with 3 as they state that as i did not use the PAC within the cancellation month, my contract was not cancelled but rolled on and that I would need to request another PAC or give them straight notice to cancel without requesting the PAC!

They state this is their 'policy' as per their terms and conditions, though I cannot find this anywhere and challenged them to tell me where it could be found...unsurprisingly they could not tell me. I have told them I will not be paying until they can show me the part of the contract that confirms what they say.

This is still in dispute and has now been passed to a debt collector, undoubtedly affecting my credit rating which I will have to follow up once matter is resolved.

Can anyone clarify whether a PAC must be used before the contract is ended or are they just chancing it?

Calfuray

True unfortunately.

You can cancel one of two ways:

Cancel outright, done and dusted.
Cancel with PAC code, code valid for 30 days, must be used in this time or contract rolls over.

mcgills38

Unfortunately three are correct with this, your best bet is to pay up and put it down to experience.

Alternatively, if you weren't told on the call that if you never used the PAC code the contract would carry on; they could perhaps listen to the call?

ZhugeEX

When will people realise that asking for your pac DOES NOT cancel your contract.

What the people said above is correct.

weeebadger

ZhugeEX wrote: »

When will people realise that asking for your pac DOES NOT cancel your contract.

What the people said above is correct.

Thanks, I do realise this DOES NOT in itself cancel the contract, I called to cancel the contract first and foremost and then requested the PAC to be sent. You input is appreciated though.

Anyway, customer complaints have contacted me a short while ago and after a firm exchange with them, based on their own t/c's for cancellation (in my opinion they have no idea whatsoever what these actually say), they have backed down and accepted payment for the notice period only.

Just need to find if this has adversley affected credit score and take them to task if so.

Thanks for replies.

gjchester

weeebadger wrote: »

Thanks, I do realise this DOES NOT in itself cancel the contract, I called to cancel the contract first and foremost and then requested the PAC to be sent. You input is appreciated though.

It's down to the way a PAC code works, the account has to be active to transfer, and most people will leave it a while. Worst case is the PAC is used and there is a delay for some reason and as a result the number is lost. The way the industry uses to prevent it is to have a PAC request override the cancellation notice.

Lets say you gave the notice on the 1st, then on the 10th requested the PAC code. On the 20th you got a new contract and passed on the PAC but there was an issue and it got delayed so it was after the 30th. In that case the cancallation notice would kick and and the number be lost.

You were lucky, and got a goodwill gesture, from Three, but they were correct, you usually get the details of how to use the PAC on the letter they send with it on.

ZhugeEX

weeebadger wrote: »

Thanks, I do realise this DOES NOT in itself cancel the contract, I called to cancel the contract first and foremost and then requested the PAC to be sent. You input is appreciated though.

Anyway, customer complaints have contacted me a short while ago and after a firm exchange with them, based on their own t/c's for cancellation (in my opinion they have no idea whatsoever what these actually say), they have backed down and accepted payment for the notice period only.

Just need to find if this has adversley affected credit score and take them to task if so.

Thanks for replies.

Ok i see where you're coming from. But unfortunatly you can't cancel a contract and ask for a PAC. You can only do one or the other. So this is probably where you got confused.

If you ask for a PAC you need to use it to cancel the contract otherwise it just rolls on.

If you ring to ask to cancel then you can't get a PAC.

Buzby

The secret is if you don't want the number, don't ask for a PAC.
the network's argument is you will lose your number if they cease and the number has not ported. However, contract law is more explicit. If you provide formal notice of cancellation (written ) then this takes precedence, irrespective of whether you asked for and were provided with a PAC.

The network can argue it is not their policy, but you gave notice and they are not permitted to override your cancellation. But they'll squeal!

gjchester

Buzby wrote: »

The network can argue it is not their policy, but you gave notice and theyare not permitted to override your cancellation. But they'll squeal!

Ofcom disagree with you in their guidelines... http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/binaries/telecoms/numbering/V14IndustryGuide.pdf

They are guidelines but will be what the industry works to

• The issuing of any PAC against a mobile number will revoke any previous disconnection request.
• • Service(and any associated subscription charges) will continue if no Transfer request is received by your current Service Provider, even if you have previously given notice to terminate
• • Forthe purpose of determining your obligations with regard to giving notice, the contract termination notice period is taken to commence on the date of issue of the PAC.