o2 - Maximum refund?

sinclaiv

Turns out o2 have been charging me for a 2nd mobile phone for 13 years! Have queried the payment via o2 and carphone wharehouse multiple times over the years but always ran into a wall of bureaucracy and got exasperated and gave up. Over the years, it adds up to almost £5000. o2 have admitted fault and have offered me £1000 refund saying this is the max they can do. Does anyone know if this is true and whether/how I can get more?

DUTR

sinclaiv wrote: »

Turns out o2 have been charging me for a 2nd mobile phone for 13 years! Have queried the payment via o2 and carphone wharehouse multiple times over the years but always ran into a wall of bureaucracy and got exasperated and gave up. Over the years, it adds up to almost £5000. o2 have admitted fault and have offered me £1000 refund saying this is the max they can do. Does anyone know if this is true and whether/how I can get more?

Today is not the day for bizarre tales, if they have offered you some compo then take it and move on.

mobilejunkie

It depends on whether you gave notice to end the contract at the end of its minimum term. I suspect not - especially if you've been careless enough to not check your bills for THIRTEEN years.

On the other hand you claim they admitted fault, which would only be the case if you did. Sounds more like a gesture of goodwill. Legally you can only go back six years, but not sure if that's the same with the Ombudsman.

I suggest you register a formal complaint with O2 and if they fail to resolve it within send a Letter of Deadlock) go to the Ombudsman. Neither are the best at dealing with complaints; recently O2 offered me a generous payment straight away but wouldn't deal with the underlying problem (not financial) and the Ombudmsn simply took their side, as is often their wont.

grumbler

sinclaiv wrote: »

o2 have admitted fault

What exactly did they admit?

sinclaiv

Thanks. The phone number the monthly charge was attached to was never mine and never used, nor was a handset ever issued for it or statements sent out. So clearly no awareness that I needed to cancel a contract! Hence why o2 recognise their liability in this. I don't expect to get the full amount back but a 80% haircut seems high. And when I asked how they arrived at the £1000 refund number, they had no reply. Appears to be an arbitrary figure.

grumbler

sinclaiv wrote: »

The phone number the monthly charge was attached to was never mine and never used,

Well, never used doesn't mean that it wasn't yours. Did they admit that it wasn't yours?

nor was a handset ever issued for it or statements sent out.

There are SIM-only contracts, without any handset included. Statements - again, did they admit this?

So clearly no awareness that I needed to cancel a contract!

I disagree. What about BANK statements?

Hence why o2 recognise their liability in this.

Again, this is meaningless. What sort of liability?

I think the onus lies with them to prove that you took the contract. If they can't do this, you can try Small Claims Court route for the last 6 years (I think).

MSE article - Small Claims Court

[Deleted User]

So around £30 a month average for 13 years and you never noticed? Sounds legit...