Final bill saga solved

[Dave75]

A summary:

• I ported my number to an alternative provider 31st Aug 2023 using PAC code. This automatically closes O2 account. 
• O2 website states that a Final bill will be issued within 14 days and any refund automatically given.
• O2 website states that you will not be able to access final bill on the O2 app but you will be able to access it using O2 website account. This is untrue. When your account is closed so is any access to the O2 app OR your account on O2 website.
• I called customer services and after lengthy discussion I was told not to worry and that final bill would be emailed to me.
• Nothing received. No final bill or refund.
• Another full month payment taken from my bank account. 
• Tried customer services again. Again told final bill was on its way.
• Nothing received. Tried O2 complaints procedure. Emailed brief description of issue. Received an automated response email from O2 - will respond within 7 working days.
• 14 working days later still no response
• 4th Sept 2023 still nothing. Called customer services again. Another lengthy discussion then on hold for 20mins (with apologies from the customer services person every 5 mins or so). Transferred to a different department. They looked up my account a could immediately see it was in credit and asked if I would like a refund. I asked why this was not done automatically. They said there is a link in the final bill for you to request refund. I explained that you can’t access your account or any bill from the point that you Port your number/ close account. They said this should be emailed to you. It was not. I asked for them to email it but due to data protection they can’t. They can have it posted out (old fashioned Royal Mail!) but have to request this and it takes 7 working days.
• Received a text saying my refund is being processed and will be paid into my account within 7 working days.

The O2 final bill process is broken. No access to any past bills as soon as you cancel. No access to final bill to request refund of credit on your account. No email of final bill. Customer services at breaking point. Complaints procedure overloaded/ complaint ignored. Money withheld by O2. Not huge amount £25, and taken so much effort to get this. I wonder how many others have just given up chasing refunds. 

Good luck everyone. 

D75

[jonsie]

A regular complaint on here

 and one of the reasons customers find they have a default on their credit file for as little as £5.00

The whole process is a catalogue of system issues and of course, customer service apathy

At one time any adviser could issue refunds but only selective account advisers can deal with these

If CS followed up their promises to contact the correct department these issues could be dealt with so much quicker and with much less stress for customers having to keep chasing credits or final bills

[Chrissiealone]

Thanks, D75, did you take notes from customer service?  It sounds like if you're ever in a situation where you owe money to some creditor you could learn a lot from 02 customer service on how to fob them off.

[pgn]

A veritable catalogue of confusion, verging on connivery, @Dave75 - well documented and hopefully, with the Forum recently taken back under O2's wing, perhaps one that @Dave-O2 might be able to feed back to the team who designed the "Leaving O2" workflow. 👍

[Dave-O2]

Thanks @pgn 👍

I'll get the above fed back to the correct department.