@o2 Pay and go default?

[Scottman72]

Back in 2009 I took out an 18 month contract with O2 for a Nokia Mobile phone. At the end of that period rather than paying the normal rate I had the contract terminated and requested the number continue with a pay and go scheme until I decide which new contract to take out. At the time I was considering the iPhone 3s but wasn't sure. I was offered a cheap deal of approximately £10 for XXX minutes and XXX texts per month (I can't remember the exact details, it's a while ago now) rather than paying a set amount for calls and texts. Which made sense so I opted for that.

 

Eventually I took out an iPhone contract and after several months of overlap between the two phones I eventually stopped the payments on the old pay and go phone. This was early 2011.

 

I have recently had an unexpected expense which I have tried to get a cheap loan for and been refused. This was highly strange as even getting a current loan topped up was refused. This top up was equivalent to an additional £14 per month when I have £850 of available cash per month after all the usual outgoings are taken from my net income.

 

I registered with creditexpert to find out my credit rating and was shocked to find that O2 had registered a default against me on 15th January of this year. It turns out that O2 had not provided me with the pay and go that I had requested but instead had opened something called a simplicity contract. Which apparently needed a months notice to cancel.

 

Not only was it not explained to me that I was not being offered something that wasn't a pay and go. But I wasnt informed that this needed to be cancelled in this way. I have not received any letters from O2 requesting any payments or from a debt collect they say was called in. I have also not been contacted on my current contract with them concerning this either.

 

The amount outstanding was only £13.96!!!!!

 

What can I do to get this removed? Apart from a couple of late payments to Next this is the only blot on my credit report and is having a massive effect on me at the moment since I've had to put the expense on my credit card with astronomical APR in comparison.

 

It's also obvious from the amount that if it had been brought to my attention it would have been paid anyway since its such a trivial amount.

 

Thanks in advance.

[Scottman72]

Looking at the O2 website for pay and go. simplicity is a pay and go option. So I'm at an even bigger loss as to how they think I could have owed them anything?

 

w w w.o2.co.uk/tariffs/payandgo

 

Sorry about the break in www but not allowed to post links apparently until I've done 10 posts?

Edited February 28, 2012 by Scottman72
Added link

[Scottman72]

Anyone any comments?

[2Grumpy]

January this year seems a strange time to add a default from early 2011. That's nearly a year late.

 

Have you tried contacting O2 to find out what this is for?

 

£13.96 is a strange amount. If this was ex vat for a months contract that would be the equivalent of £16.75 or £16.40 depending on what the vat rate was at the time.

 

Have you tried contacting O2 to find out what this was for?

 

Have you printed a copy of your CRA report in case the default suddenly disappears?

 

The lack of correspondence is worrying.

 

I would be inclined to find out what O2 say this is for (and possibly send a SAR) then send a 7 day LBA demanding £5000 compensation for publishing their libelous comments that you owed them £13.96 and for that causing you financial loss, then take out a small claim & sue the *******s

[locutus]

Simplicity is a contact. Personally I would argue that they failed in their duties by not making you aware this was outstanding and they missold the contact as you wantet PAYG. Ask if they will remove it. Do this in writing as I doubt you will get to speek with someone senior enough to be able to make this descision. Follow their complaints procedure set out HERE

 

If that fails, you could email the CEO [email protected]

[2Grumpy]

Simplicity is a contact.

 

I suspect that you are correct, but when I read the info I was convinced that it was PAYG and didn't require notice to end it. I looked at the T&Cs and couldn't see anything (must get my cataract fixed).

 

If the OP asked for PAYG & got simplicity and wasn't made aware of (or understand) any cancellation requirements then this is the fault of O2.