O2 Late Payment Issues

enjoycoca

This is a long and complicated thread, so I apologise for the length. I recently moved back to the country after 6 years away, and have zero Credit History, so my partner took a phone contract on my behalf when I got rejected for an application... This was in October 2017.

The payment was due to come from my account, and the direct debit set up. But every month the Direct Debit fails. I get a message, then start a rather frustrating and tedious process.

I will ring up to pay via Credit Card via an automated service. Payment will fail.
I then get sent a link to try, which I complete, and payment will fail.
I will then speak to an advisor, and sometimes on the first attempt, maybe the second or third, the payment will go through.

This has happened every month. Sometimes it takes a while to get to complete.

This month was different.

Upon ringing, I tried four different credit cards to pay. None worked with O2. O2 have promised me a return phone by 3pm the next day. I make a specific request that my account is preserved, as there is an issue with O2. This request is denied, because there is an outstanding balance.

Following the shambles with O2 I then spoke to my banks, who said they didn't even have an attempted payment from O2 and there is enough to clear the bill and no restriction on the accounts.

I never receive the phone call (and I am in the process of moving house!) so have other pressing issues to attend. The following day, as I am using the phone to navigate and organise the move, I am cut off from all services.

I ring O2. The person I speak to attempts to take payment on my credit card. It fails. We try another. It fails. The Customer Service rep then rings my partner to see if she can pay. She tries two payment methods, and they both fail. The Customer Service rep then suggests that there could be an internal anti-fraud system in place from O2 to protect payment (first I've heard of this, and it seems the same for this person too!). The rep 'thinks' it is a 30 day block before we can make a payment, so BACS transfer would be a better solutions. He'll lift the bar on the services for 7 days, what with it being a bank holiday weekend.

After 4 days, and with the transfer made, I am cut off again.

It's the bank holiday. No customer services for me, as I have an outstanding bill and they won't do anything until the bill is paid (I tried ALL the options I could on the phone). The only option that had any progress, informs me it is Easter(!!!!!!) and they can't process my call as no on is working (it was 16:45 on the Monday).

I borrow my partner's phone for Live Chat (we also tried customer services... but you know, it's still Easter). The rep on the online help is pretty quick at lifting the bar, but denies that I can't get through to Customer Services. I am wrong (again).

I have two main issues here:

- Credit File - What is going to happen here? I think it will affect my partner. I ask, because I am writing a similar letter to their Customer Services team, but before I do, want to ensure that if it's going to affect my credit report, that I kick them for them to rectify changes. And what changes can i push for, as it's been every month where I have had the smaller issue of it not being processed on time.

- What the hell is wrong with their customer service. It's an absolute shambles.

Sorry for the long winded message. Any questions, then please ask. And yes, we are moving off O2 ASAP.

Krisko

I might be wrong, and others can probably confirm or deny, but it sounds to me like O2 only allows for the actual account holder to pay their bills.

If I'm right about this your partner will have one or more late markers on her credit file and there's not much you can do about it.

If I'm wrong, just write to them saying you've gone out of your way trying to pay their bills without success.

[Deleted User]

If the phone is in your partners name then there will be late pyment markers on their credit file.

What is the reason the DD keep failing?

Are you paying from a UK account and UK cards when you attempted the manual payments?

DCFC79

OP im sure there were other options than the 02 network and taking out a contract in your girlfriends name. A sim only deal plus a sim free phone would have got what you were after.

Check all 3 files.

enjoycoca

Krisko wrote: »

I might be wrong, and others can probably confirm or deny, but it sounds to me like O2 only allows for the actual account holder to pay their bills.

If I'm right about this your partner will have one or more late markers on her credit file and there's not much you can do about it.

If I'm wrong, just write to them saying you've gone out of your way trying to pay their bills without success.

They 'apparently' do allow payments from other accounts (however, their reps don't really seem to know their bottom from their elbow. We've checked the credit report, and there is no damage, but that probably doesn't account for this months chaos.

enjoycoca

!!! wrote: »

If the phone is in your partners name then there will be late pyment markers on their credit file.

What is the reason the DD keep failing?

Are you paying from a UK account and UK cards when you attempted the manual payments?

Fingers crossed nothing so far, although this month is squeaky bum time.
O2 don't know why. My bank claim that it isn't attempted.
All bills are being paid from UK accounts.

enjoycoca

DCFC79 wrote: »

OP im sure there were other options than the 02 network and taking out a contract in your girlfriends name. A sim only deal plus a sim free phone would have got what you were after.

Check all 3 files.

Yeah, there probably were, however, I was in O2 when it was rejected (it's a crazy good deal, like 30gb and unlimited everything for £21 a month) and the guy said it was possible to link it to my partners account (as she'd discussed something with him). I already had a phone, so just wanted a sim only contract. Had a Tesco PAYG, but it was costing £15 a month and was a bit of a faff.