MSE News: O2 to hike its prices by 2.7% - can you leave your contract penalty-free?

emobile

Please update as I am also in the same position took a deal from mobiles.co.uk Thanks

IronWolf wrote: »

!!!!!!, I just got an email about this today. I was with Orange for years before, and T mobile and I never had a price hike.

I got my phone through a third party, mobiles.co.uk and was NOT made aware that O2 could increase charges during the term of the contract, otherwise I would never have gone with them.

I'll be making a complaint.

parrysite

Having clarified (and clarified, and clarified, and clarified) with the ombudsman it seems the crux of the issue being the price rises, they are unwilling to help my case about the refusal to respond to e-mails and the customer service surrounding the refusal to cancel my contract.

However, they have taken on my case about being missold 4G and I have asked for £50 compenation and my contract cancelled.

ChilliP2012

parrysite wrote: »

Having clarified (and clarified, and clarified, and clarified) with the ombudsman it seems the crux of the issue being the price rises, they are unwilling to help my case about the refusal to respond to e-mails and the customer service surrounding the refusal to cancel my contract.

However, they have taken on my case about being missold 4G and I have asked for £50 compenation and my contract cancelled.

I will await my next response from the ombudsmen, but I'm not expecting anything to be different. I'm also highlighting the issue with my MP & MSP. However, I shall be serving O2 with a summons next week.

parrysite

I'd really push and push for them to take on your issue as to be honest in my dealings with them they don't seem to know their @£% from their elbow.

I am pushing the 4G issue simply because they believe it is my strongest case for cancellation without having to go to small claims court, but that is the only reason why. I'm not hopeful they'll cancel, though.

ChilliP2012

I knew it:

Dear Mr xxxxxx

Thank you for your email received on 21 February 2014 about O2.
At the time of the price increase it was permitted by Ofcom that a service provider could increase
the prices of a product or service in line with Retail Price Index and it not be deemed as a
material detriment to the consumer.

Ofcom ruled that O2 is entitled to increase its prices for customers who agreed a contract prior
to 23 January 2014 without allowing customers to cancel without penalty, as long as the price
rise is no more than the rate of the Retail Price Index. For this reason, we are not allowed to
investigate the complaint.

As previously advised you would need to raise your concerns about Ofcom’s general condition
9.6 directly to Ofcom on 0300 123 3333, as this is conditions set by the industry regulator and
not Ombudsman services.

The role of Ombudsman Services is to independently investigate a complaint however we can
not investigate a matter that has been approved by the industry regulator.
Yours sincerely

OFCOM is about as likely to contact me regarding this as Lord Lucan is. Seems like it's the legal route then. It's a complete and utter joke. What good are the ombudsmen if they blatantly allow O2 to breach general conditions set by by OFCOM & EU Law?

Thomas65

I also took out a deal through mobiles.co.uk and wasn't made aware of any imminent price rise. Where do I stand? Absolutely fuming to be honest!

My webchat with o2 came out with this cracking quote ;

O2 wrote:

if you would have contacted us on chat or visited our O2 store, then we would have given you all the information.

They were basically saying I should have went to a store to get info on the price rise so it was my fault for buying online! They constantly said it's in the terms which I never received anyway. I did read a quote by ofcom in a news article that says ;

“It can’t be that they bury this away in their terms and contracts,” an Ofcom spokesperson told Telecoms.com. “We are assessing what is provided to customers at the point of sale with a fine tooth comb to ensure that it is being communicated completely transparently, so that consumers can be said to have fully agreed to it at the point of sale. Transparency is the key thing; they have to be abundantly clear, transparent and up front at the point of sale so consumers can make an informed choice.”

GolfBravo

@ ChilliP2012,

I'm just about to send my second reply to the Ombudsman (see their reply post 298, in response to my email post 282). I'm focusing on material detriment due to international call charges 50% increase.

ChilliP2012

GolfBravo wrote: »

@ ChilliP2012,

I'm just about to send my second reply to the Ombudsman (see their reply post 298, in response to my email post 282). I'm focusing on material detriment due to international call charges 50% increase.

Which is exactly what I've already pointed out to them. I hope you have better luck GolfBravo

GolfBravo

ChilliP2012 wrote: »

Which is exactly what I've already pointed out to them. I hope you have better luck GolfBravo

You're joking.

So this is what they have to say about O2's 50% international call increase?

Ofcom ruled that O2 is entitled to increase its prices for customers who agreed a contract prior
to 23 January 2014 without allowing customers to cancel without penalty, as long as the price
rise is no more than the rate of the Retail Price Index. For this reason, we are not allowed to
investigate the complaint.

:mad:

ChilliP2012

Pretty much, but don't be downbeat as they could of easily misconstrued anything I have sent them in an email. Which knowing these muppets and how they operate, would be easy for them to do.

I am actually going to speak to someone who still works for 3 in the Executive Office and see if I can get any further advice off them. I know it's a different network, but the principle is still the same.