O2 took money monthly for devices already paid for

Ziafloa

O2 have been taking money from my account for 1 year after I finished paying for my phone and for a device that was included in my 'deal' which I have never used, neither of which was specifically itemised on my bills. They openly admit to having taken £270 over payment but say they are allowed to do this as I didn't cancel the payments because it is a self managing account. I did not receive any notification that the phone payments were or contract were complete. How can this be legal? Why am I not entitled to a refund of the overpaid money?

Browntoa

No , your responsibility to cancel at the end of the contract or move to a new tariff otherwise you remain on the same contract. 

eDicky

As above, the contract you signed up to continues after completion of its minimum term unless you cancel or amend it. What exactly were your expectations otherwise..?

stragglebod

Yu've not overpaid anything. You've taken out a contract at £x per month, and you'll carry on paying £x a month until you end the contract or renegotiate.

Ziafloa

All other 'self managing' contracts advise you when your contract is up. Why not O2?

bradders1983

Ziafloa said:

All other 'self managing' contracts advise you when your contract is up. Why not O2?

Are you sure they didnt? Check spam folders.

Also, its a two way street isnt it, maybe customers should take some responsibility and keep a note of when things are expiring  🤷‍♂️

Ziafloa

Have checked everything. No advice of end of contract. To me it feels like it's a way of fleecing loyal customers. I was expecting a reminder, I always review all contracts when I get that reminder. 
I'm trying to think what other circumstance it would be acceptable to continue taking money from customer bank account after something is paid for just because they hadn't told me to stop and again how it can be legal to do so.

[Deleted User]

End of the day it’s legal. So give them notice to terminate and move on as your getting none of the money hack. 

Silvertabby

Didn't you get an e-mail inviting you to upgrade your phone?  That would have warned you that your contract was coming to an end.

Ziafloa

No nothing, otherwise I wouldn't be in this position.
Thanks for your input people!

kimwp

The premise of those contracts is that you sign up to pay £x a month for a minimum of y months and they give you the phone as part of signing up to that. It's not a contract to pay the phone off and it's an ongoing contract, which means that the only thing that happened was that you passed the date where you were tied in. No other company tells you that you have reached that date eg utilities, broadband etc. It's one of various ways companies try to nudge you into paying longer than the minimum contract (free or discounted monthly payments for an introductory period being another method). It's only a surprise that they didn't offer an upgrade to make more out of you.