o2 charged me for 2 years after I moved

[Martin Willmott]

On 24th May 2010 I moved house, I called to book a service move to my new address, I told o2 there would be a lapse of about 3 weeks between addresses, this was all ok they said. On the morning of 24th may 2010 I found the broadband was still working, concerned as I was leaving about midday, I called them to confirm it would be terminated, I was assured it would be.

I moved to a temporary address and on 5th june 2010 to my current address where I called o2 to have the service switched on at my new address and my new number, ok, no problem there.

 

Now, present day, I recently changed banks and had to re setup all my direct debits, a few were missed but sorted as I received letters saying the dd had failed, all sorted and all quiet for about 3 weeks, then yesterday 1st oct 2012 I got a text from o2 saying sorry we have suspended your broadband as we were unable to collect your direct debit, I thought that's strange my broadband is set up on the dd and is working fine.

 

I called them and quoted the account number they'd referred to in the text, that's when it came to light the account was for the address I'd left 26 months ago and they'd not cancelled it and had been collecting payment for over 2 years.

 

I have had a couple of conversations with their customer services team and they say they have no notes on their system about a cancellation of service from 2010, they also admit there has been no activity on this account during that period and that they are aware of my account at my new address!

And up to the point of writing this, they have so far refused to re-imburse me the £500 ish they've taken over the last 2 years and 2 months. I have put in a formal complaint but that apparently takes 10 days unless I press the on screen button and talk on line to one of theirs, this I did, same result, because they failed to cancel or note the request they will not give me my money back, the money they took from me for supplying broadband to a house where I have not lived for over 2 years and they know it.

 

Here is a transcript of the last conversation to date;

Welcome to O2. Someone will be with you soon.

 

We're really busy right now. Thanks for waiting. If you're after the latest information on the iPhone 5 please go here

 

Did you know you can find out your upgrade date by logging into MyO2 here. You can also do lots of other stuff like check your bill or change your tariff too.

The current wait time is around 49 minute(s).

 

You're through to Alister.

 

martin willmott: Hi

 

Alister: Hi I'm Alister from O2 Complaints Support team. How can I help you today?

 

martin willmott: account number 430XXX

 

martin willmott: I cancelled that account when I moved out on 24th may 2010, I just found out it was not cancelled and I've been paying for it

 

martin willmott: tel number was 01788 890XXX

 

Alister: I'm sorry that your account is still active.

 

Alister: Let me check this for you.

 

martin willmott: I think i must be owed a few quid

 

martin willmott: I only found out because I changed banks and the DD failed

 

Alister: Okay.

 

Alister: Can you tell me your full name. I'll also need the 3rd and 5th character of the answer to your security question.

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

 

Alister: That's correct.

 

Alister: Thanks for the details.

 

Alister: Please give me a few minutes while I check your account details.

 

martin willmott: ok

 

martin willmott: I moved into my new address XXXX long buckby 01327 844XXX on 5th june 2010 and ordered my o2 service at that time

 

Alister: Thanks for waiting.

 

Alister: I've checked your account details and I see that you're account is active with us. It has been temporarily deactivated for non payment of your bills.

 

martin willmott: yes because i changed banks and the dd failed, this month

 

martin willmott: thats how this came to light

 

martin willmott: that account was supposed to close on 24th may 2010

 

Alister: I'm sorry that it didn't close, but I can't find any cancellation notes on your account for the month of May 2010.

 

martin willmott: Both I and my secretart cancelled it and I called again to make absolutely sure it was cancelled

 

martin willmott: secretary

 

martin willmott: Why would i want to continue a service after I moved house? that would be very silly

 

martin willmott: I closed that account and started 2 more one at work on 01327 700XXX which is still current and one at my new home on 01327 844XXX which has recently gone to bt

 

Alister: I'm sorry but I really can't find any notes on your account.

 

Alister: If you want I can mark your account for cancellation over this chat.

 

martin willmott: then that's not my fault, I AND my secretary both made sure it was cancelled, this is an o2 error

 

martin willmott: has there been any useage on that account since 24th may 2010?

 

Alister: Let me check this for you.

 

martin willmott: was the o2 phone line active from 24th may 2010?

 

Alister: Your phone line has been active from May 2010. But, there hasn't been any usage on your account.

 

martin willmott: well the phone line is either in the new occupier's name or not switched off, I suspect the current occupier has it but I will need to see if I've been billed for that too! anyway no useage, I can prove when I moved, I have a witness to the conversations re de activating the service and the dates tally with the zero usage, so are we going to do the decent honest thing and re-imburse me?

 

martin willmott: the dates also tally with my new o2 broadband service at my new address

 

Alister: I'm sorry but I won't be able to credit the amount to you.

 

martin willmott: then I will have to pass this on to my solicitor and the BBC

 

Alister: You'll have to send an email to our Complaints team.

 

martin willmott: already done, this evening

 

martin willmott: I thought you were the complaints team

 

Alister: How did you contact us to cancel your broadband account?

 

martin willmott: Have I been getting billed for the phone at 01788 890XXX since 24th may 2004?

 

martin willmott: I telephoned, several times to cancel, they said that was fine at the time

 

martin willmott: In fact I was concerned that the service was still running in the morning so I called to make sure it would be cut off!

 

Alister: If you called us then we'll listen to your call and then we'll inform you the remaining procedure about the credit.

 

Alister: But, this will take time and it can't be done over this chat, so you'll have to send us an email. As you already sent us an email you'll have to wait and we'll get back to you.

 

martin willmott: Ok, thankyou, I have kept a copy of this conversation.

 

Alister: Sure.

 

Alister: If you want you can click on the 'Envelope' button next to the 'End Chat' button to send this chat as a confirmation email to your email address.

 

martin willmott: about the phone line, have I been paying that too?

 

Alister: Your phone line is not with us, we only supply you our broadband.

 

martin willmott: ok, thanks, will await an email response before escalating

 

We'll email a copy of your chat transcript to (XXMy emailXX).

 

Alister: I understand how important this is for you, and I'm sorry I wasn't able to resolve this for you.

 

Alister: I hope you'll understand my limitations.

 

martin willmott: but as you say it's a different dept so I'll await their response, thank you

 

martin willmott: for my records do you have an employee number or i.d ?

 

Alister: Yes, what I meant to say was I wasn't able to sort this for you today.

 

Alister: I'll paste this chat you had with me on your account notes.

 

martin willmott: for my records do you have an employee number or i.d ?

 

Alister: I'm sorry but I can't give you my Employee Number.

 

Alister: But, you can take this ID 404908XXX

 

If Ronan Dunne would like to discuss this issue, I'm on 07792 536830, Martin

Edited October 2, 2012 by Martin Willmott

[Surfer01]

Recently had the same run around with them and someone from O2 phoned after I complained and told me that account was now cancelled. Lo and behold, again this month another bill. I have never had an account with O2 and do not have a DD set up for them! The chat line is a waste of time!