Orange robbed me!!!!

Katykat

Just transferred from PAYG to contract, a good deal at £22.50 pm. I've had 2 bills now and each one was £27.50. I thought the first overcharge was maybe for changing in between payment dates. When it happened this month I rang them and they told me ( after waiting on the phone for 20 mins!!!!) that they have added internet use at £5 a month. I told them I dont use the internet and have not asked for it. They have agreed to cancel this and refund the £10, but not until next month because the "system was down" yesterday and they cant process it until Monday. I'm going to write and tell them that I havn't requested this service but I'm sure that I've heard it mentioned that there is legislation to prevent them doing this and taking money out of my account without permission. Am I correct? Can I claim something from Orange? It really infuriates me that big companies think they have the power to take my money no matter how little the amount.

thesaint

How much do you want for your pain and suffering for being charged and refunded a tenner?

Katykat

Not the point is it? Orange took money illegally whether its £10 or £100. If they did it with all their customers how much would that rake in? I'd happily donate the money to charity, its the principal. If I underpaid my bill by £10, do you think they'd let me off?

reehsetin

with each new contract/change of talkplan an internet trial is automatically added, customers should be text when the bundle is about to come chargeable saying if you dont want it do xyz
it is really silly irritating practice dont know about the legality because they supply you with a bill before the money is taken by direct debit (or should be) so they arent just taking it they are informing you and you are able to challenge it
in practice whenever challenged even if customers dont do xyz they get the money refunded

you must have had it on your account for 4 months as its two months free then £5 x 2months.
did you not see it on your bills over those 4 months?

thesaint

Katykat wrote: »

Not the point is it? Orange took money illegally whether its £10 or £100. If they did it with all their customers how much would that rake in? I'd happily donate the money to charity, its the principal. If I underpaid my bill by £10, do you think they'd let me off?

What is the point? You state:

Can I claim something from Orange?

How much do you want to claim, and for what? Maybe fellow M.S.E'ers can help you in your claim.

If you can demonstrate that they indeed act "illegally" and without your consent, you just might be onto something.

In answer to your question. No, should they?

Intasun32

As Orange have taken more than you have agreed from your bank account via direct debit, have a chat with your bank and explain the problem. As the payments were incorrect, they will take both payments back from Orange under the T&C of the Direct Debit and credit your account. It normally only takes a few days. Once the payments have been returned either call Orange and tell them what you have done and why and pay then with a debit card, send a cheque with a letter of conplaint or do a bank transfer for the correct amount. I had a similar problem with Virgin Media and had to ask my bank three times to 'claw back' the payment. Hope that helps.

thesaint

Intasun32 wrote: »

As Orange have taken more than you have agreed from your bank account via direct debit, have a chat with your bank and explain the problem. As the payments were incorrect, they will take both payments back from Orange under the T&C of the Direct Debit and credit your account. It normally only takes a few days. Once the payments have been returned either call Orange and tell them what you have done and why and pay then with a debit card, send a cheque with a letter of conplaint or do a bank transfer for the correct amount. I had a similar problem with Virgin Media and had to ask my bank three times to 'claw back' the payment. Hope that helps.

The problem is that they 'almost defintitely' did not take more than agreed.
The OP will probably find this when they check their paperwork.

If i'm incorrect apopologies to the OP :A

redux

As Orange have already said they will refund the money, there doesn't seem to be any dispute.

custardy

as said orange often add a free trial internet.
given its £10 and being refunded i see no problem really.
now if they had said they would cancel but not refund the £10 you may have had issue.

Katykat

Thanks to all. To clarify a couple of points. Orange definately did take more than they should have. My contract states £22.50- they took £27.50 twice. They did not offer me a free internet trial and I didn't ask for it. I've only had 2 bills, not 4 and as I've already stated, I thought the first overcharge was perhaps due to signing up part way through a month.
Just to show an example of the way that large institutions take advantage of their customers and make a big profit themselves. Several years ago, TSB decided to offer 1 million of their customers an extended overdraft. They sent a letter to these customers informing them that they were adding this facility to their accounts immediately and were charging an "administration charge" of £10 which they had automatically debited from their accounts. Overnight, TSB had made £10 million pounds. There was a big hoo haa over it and they were ordered to return all the money. The mistake they made was doing it to 1 million customers all at once. Bound to be noticed. But if they had just done it gradually, how many people would have challenged it? There would be some, but it probably wouldn't have madde the news, so there would definately be a considerable amount who either wouldn't have noticed, or thought £10 wasn't worth reclaiming. Well I think "10 is worth reclaiming, and my fingers are crossed that Orange will return my money, but know what??? Bet I'll have to keep chasing it.

reehsetin

Katykat wrote: »

Thanks to all. To clarify a couple of points. Orange definately did take more than they should have. My contract states £22.50- they took £27.50 twice. They did not offer me a free internet trial and I didn't ask for it. I've only had 2 bills, not 4 and as I've already stated, I thought the first overcharge was perhaps due to signing up part way through a month.

because you hadnt checked your bill your bill tells you the bundle is there and how much it costs even if its not itemised!