Exiting an O2 mobile contract safely

surreygirl

Would welcome advice on how to deal with O2 in closing my contract without paying what seems like excess amount?. I had a phone on an O2  36m contract ending March 2024, the 'pay monthly' 24m contract already expired. Decided to exit the phone contract earlier and get a new phone when the cracked screen on original started to cut finger when used (!!): I changed to Vodafone whilst they offered half price line rental, and have the new Pixel 8 (thoroughly recommend) and a double Mb allowance for £10 a month less than my previous contract. I informed O2 about leaving, and I knew from their device plan I owed £56 on the existing phone 'to pay out' before contract fully finished. 

I ported my number over, and waited for my O2 bill to appear under 'My O2' side of the website, so I could make a direct payment to close both the contract and the phone balance. Instead what I've got is a series of emails with random amounts requested, and an email from O2 with a menacing letter attached about paying off the device - excerpt below. I've been informed £44 will be taken from my account (which I assume is phone rental, even though it was typically around £38 by DD each month). 

Logging into the O2 account generates a blank screen for bills paid and amount outstanding. It seems they'll take a DD for an inflated amount, but wont DD the cost of the phone. So I'll pay off the phone, let them take the £44 and then cancel my DD with them. 

Can I expect them to send a civil 'thank you for your custom over the past 6 years and everything is now paid off up to date' final letter? I'm concerned about their rather petulant way of removing all outstanding balances from 'MyO2' website so I can't see what it is I need to pay. I'm also concerned having read elsewhere that O2 raised a debt against someone who having left the provider despite having proof from their bank of paying everything off. I'm about to remortgage and don't want O2 doing something similar to me. Who should I raise this with to make sure the end bills are clear and final? Their website defaults to chatbots which are useless, directing you back into the 'my account' section - which has been cleared. Thanks for any advice offered!

PHK

I think you've made a mistake which has overcomplicated things. 

You should have paid the handset credit agreement off in full and the closed the account by porting the number or using a STAC. 

EnPointe

PHK said:

I think you've made a mistake which has overcomplicated things. 

You should have paid the handset credit agreement off in full and the closed the account by porting the number or using a STAC. 

I agree  

my current phone was an outright purchase, but my previous phone was on ona O2 refresh and  there was always an option to pay off the device  before the term