Contract min term ended long ago, O2 kept charging

Naf

Rev wrote: »

Name one single service provider who calls at the end of the minimum term to tell you you can now start to pay them less money if you'd like?

Actually, 10 years ago they did. Not in exactly those words, but you'd get calls and catalogues wanting you to upgrade, because they wanted the security of having you tied in. I guess people's habits have changed nowadays, and the networks are pretty much guaranteed business. Whether its you upgrading, or someone else joining; its no longer worth the expense of contacting everyone.

OP, don't be daft. You signed an "Airtime Agreement" where the network agreed to provide you with "X minutes, Y texts, and Z MB of mobile internet", and you/OH agreed to pay them £35 a month for these minutes and texts. You'll find that's what's on your contract: minutes, texts, internet, £35 a month - no mention of any of that payment going towards the phone.
There was a time when it was cheaper to get the handset and contract than it was to just buy the phone and top it up; but that's another thing that's changed. Many phones are now so expensive that most people don't have the cash up front for it, and so they get it on the contract because they really want that phone (and their old one is probably falling to bits after 18 months). So now it doesn't need to be cheaper on contract, and the whole cost of the phone can just be dumped right into the airtime agreement - but most haven't changed how they treat it. Its still an airtime agreement - on paper you're still paying that monthly price for the usage, and the phone is an extra for which no specific cost is charged. Hence why you're still tied into the remainder of the 2 year contract even if the phone only barely outlasts its 12 month warranty; and hence why the full amount continues to be charged after the minimum term expires - because that is charged for usage, not the handset.

d123

Whumpie wrote: »

Now, if you'd like to try again to get the point...

If O2 (insert any mobile company there; I suspect they are all the same) were a company that gave a stuff about customers (some companies do, believe it or not) then they would have contacted her to tell her the minimum term was ending. That's just basic customer service.

OK, name any company (in any industry) that does this..

spud17

d123 wrote: »

OK, name any company (in any industry) that does this..

Agree with everything already said, but couldn't resist this challenge.

Ovo Energy informed me that my deal was ending and that on a certain date I would revert to the standard price tariff.
Hope that's good enough,

Naf

spud17 wrote: »

Agree with everything already said, but couldn't resist this challenge.

Ovo Energy informed me that my deal was ending and that on a certain date I would revert to the standard price tariff.
Hope that's good enough,

And don't EDF have some tariffs with this promise on them too?

mobilejunkie

Such a shame they don't offer mobile contracts then.

Silk

spud17 wrote: »

Ovo Energy informed me that my deal was ending and that on a certain date I would revert to the standard price tariff.
Hope that's good enough,

That would be a price increase though ....companies are obliged to tell you of an increase in price

d123

Silk wrote: »

That would be a price increase though ....companies are obliged to tell you of an increase in price

I was just about to make that comment .


Price increases or a discount ending which results in a higher payment isn't quite the same as a minimum term completing and the contract continuing at the same rate.

spud17

Silk wrote: »

That would be a price increase though ....companies are obliged to tell you of an increase in price

d123 wrote: »

I was just about to make that comment .


Price increases or a discount ending which results in a higher payment isn't quite the same as a minimum term completing and the contract continuing at the same rate.

With the way that energy prices dropped the other month, it might have been a price drop.:)

Whumpie

You know, what this forum needs is a few more people who are on here to show how much more organised they are than everyone else by pointing out what the poster has already acknowledged. All this text and not one word that helps anyone with anything.

Yes, it's her fault. I get that. I said it in the question. And while I admire all the spreadsheets and carefully indexed files you all keep, forgive me if I hope I don't meet you at a party.

Someone, however, asked a pertinent question - Rev, I think:

"Name one single service provider who calls at the end of the minimum term to tell you you can now start to pay them less money if you'd like?"

It misses the point, but it's pertinent. Because the answer is, "Nobody". And that is because only mobile companies can use this structure and get away with it. Any other type of company would run two contracts - one to purchase the kit and the other to provide the service. Because that's simple, and clear, and looks after both parties. This approach is clearly in the interest only of the operator.

Yes, people should check their contracts better, and you can imagine how delighted I was when I unearthed this gem of a situation with my wife. That's a nice holiday blown, right there.

But that doesn't mean anyone should have such low expectations of their suppliers that they have to plan defensively just to avoid paying for something they're not getting. #

My own company refunds people if they don't take advantage of offers that are on at the time for some reason. My electricity supplier, Good Energy, is the first to point out when I could be on a better deal - and yes, they did that before the law forced all utilities to do that.

The world is full of companies who see the value in helping their customers get better value, but sadly there are too many people who only look at the ticket price of things, thereby handing the markets to the companies with loose morals, clever marketing and good lawyers.

We don't have to put up with this cat-and-mouse relationship with suppliers! instead of spending all your time keeping reminders and files and studying contract law, you put the same effort into fighting back against companies who treat you as "revenue streams" and perhaps considered spending your money with the better - instead of the cheaper - suppliers, we'd all have better lives.

Now please all bog off and find someone else's post to use to make yourselves feel superior, you pathetic, insufferable pedants.

d123

Now now, deep breaths there Mr Whumpie, you posted on a forum, this is a place for discussion and you got discussion. If you had wanted people to only post sorrow and sympathy I've heard mumsnet can be good for that.

Here you get posters with experience of the industry who will tell you when you are wrong and when you are an idiot. Most people who realise they are wrong don't go on and in bemoaning their idiocy and take responsibility for their failing, that way you can plan ahead and make suitable arrangements not to get caught like that again.

Just don't expect people to give you mock sympathy and faux rage at the inequities you have brought upon yourself...

PS

I've not seen anyone being pedantic in this thread...