O2 No Service but Still Charging for full Contract

Monarch20

Hi all. I'm hoping to find something I can do, or use against O2 here.

I took out a 24 month airtime contract 2 years ago. After only a couple of months I suddenly had no service. According to O2 the fault was with the mast, and I would get a refund when service resumed. However after over a month it still wasn't fixed, I had no service at all at home. I took screen shots from time to time showing still no service. I eventually had to change provider as I'm a carer for my husband and having no service put him at risk.

I'm sorry I didn't fight this with O2 at the time, but they terminated the contract when I stopped paying, and charged me for the entire 24 month contract, over £800. I ignored it. Now Cabot has the debt.

I contacted O2 complaints this week explaining that I had no service and had no choice but to leave. Their response was a simple run down of how the account was terminated and remainder of the contract generated and passed on etc. No mention of my service.

Is there a specific law that I can use, surely I'm not expected to pay a 24 month airtime contract when there was no service? At the most I could pay an early termination charge? I'm worried as Cabot don't have my current address so I won't even know if they take it to court. If it does go to court I will fight it, but I'd rather O2 resolved it.

molerat

Unfortunately you unilaterally terminated the contract by refusing to pay without following the complaints procedure.

Jon_01

It won't go to court, there's no need. You defaulted on a legal contract without going through O2's complaints system (as above).
The collection company will now add their fee and send agents to collect.
You should talk to them and sort out a payment plan...

Exemplar

You have done this completely !!!!!! about face.

sdduk

All above are right you cannot just stop paying because you wasn't getting a signal you have to go through the proper channels.
Keep complaining and emailing with evidence and then they would of probably released you from the contract.
You will now have defaults on your credit file for late non payments also the debt collectors will find you and want full payment unless you contact them right away and try and get a payment plain from them.