Frustration with O2

[Rob76]

I received an email 15/01 stating my direct debit will be suspended followed by a duplicate 15/02 stating the same.

After many hours with customer service and the helpful staff at my local O2 store, it appears that the fraud department have put a flag on the account, denying access to any other customer service.

Emailing the fraud dept. brought no response and I gather from reading community replies that this is their normal action.

I have now received an email from billing stating 3 months payment will be taken 18/03. This seems very unfair as I have had no service for almost eight weeks and have been unable to access online banking due to lack of SMS verification.

This account has been running for many years and to my knowledge have not been scammed. I have raised a complaint via Resolver but wanted to rant a bit!

I am appalled by the non communication from the fraud dept., but understand the replies the community gurus have posted.

Needless to say, once this is resolved, I will be seeking another provider.

Regards all.

Rob

[Oxonian]

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@SBP619 wrote:

Sorry if I hear nothing by 10 May 2024, I will then need to progress to the Ombudsman.

You need to be very clear @SBP619 as to whom is doing what here. In my view, you cannot go to the Ombudsman. The account is in your father's name, I hope that the complain was submitted in his name and it is he that will need to go to the Ombudsman. 

That might seem pedantic but if you rather than the complainant goes to the Ombudsman, he will likely reject your case and that will be the end of it.

I would have thought that you will be going to The Communication Ombudsman but you will need to read the guidance herein and make a decision from there :-

Customer+Complaints+code+250523.pdf (o2.co.uk)

https://www.o2.co.uk/documents/456036/4246828/Customer+Complaints+code+250523.pdf

[Rob76]

Update on my complaint:

Still no resolution from O2 after 15 weeks (and counting), therefore I have escalated this to the Ombudsman service via Resolver.  Now I guess I must wait (again).    *sigh*

Rob

[Oxonian]

Thank you for the update @Rob76 ; it is something of a waiting game ! 👍

Please keep us updated..... 

[Rob76]

Update:

Well, I'm finally getting there.

Following handing over the case to the Ombudsman (accepted 3/5), I had 14 days to upload all evidence, emails sent to o2 etc. Once done, the Ombudsman investigates and forwards all information to o2, this can take up to 14 days also.

In my case o2 took the maximum time and their response was,"We'll reach out to the fraud office", which I had been asking them to do for so many weeks and by various means!

Eventually they informed the Ombudsman that there was no evidence of fraud and it was now up to the Ombudsman to reach a decision. 

The Ombudsman decided in my favour and ;

a) No charges to be made to my account for the 18 weeks without service. *

b) A full written apology.

c) Compensation paid (a figure given by the Ombudsman)

Both parties to agree to the above within 14 days. I agreed immediately but as usual o2 dragged their feet but also agreed. o2 now have another 28 days to implement the decision.

*Service was restored 18/5 after 18 weeks, but with no notification or communication from o2.  This was followed by immediate texts demanding 5 months overdue payments or they will take action!  Another call to billing to halt that process.

I also received a reply from the 'Executive resolutions team' some 9 weeks after contacting them but sadly the reply was a patronising (to me) explaining how to complain!

o2 now have until 24/7 to finalise the situation, which will be six months from loss of service beginning 15/1, a ridiculous amount of time.

I hope that others don't experience the same situation as I found myself in.

Praise for the Ombudsman service, the contact was clear and precise from the start, but they are bound by restraints in what they can and can't do (particularly over time limits), and they need more teeth!

Resolver were excellent help too!

Obviously when o2 have fulfilled their obligations I'm off to a new provider.

Thanks for reading (and to those who offered me advice) and if anyone needs advice on the process to follow if they are caught up in a similar situation, I'll post a bullet point advice list.

Regards all,

Rob

[Oxonian]

So glad to hear that your issues have been resolved @Rob76. 👍

If you could post the bulleted advice list please, it will mean that it is in the forum for anyone who needs to refer to it. 😀  

[Rob76]

Will do, just give me a few days.

[Oxonian]

Thank you @Rob76, there's no rush ! 👍 

[Rob76]

I've completed the relevant advice.  I think it may be prudent to begin a new thread titled  'What to do in case of loss of service due to possible fraud'  or similar (suggestions welcome). This will prevent the topic from being lost in this thread. A link between the two is possible. 

Your thoughts (and anyone else's) appreciated.

[MI5]

@Rob76 

Good idea. 

We can then make it a guide for others to follow 👍

[Oxonian]

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@Rob76 wrote:

I've completed the relevant advice.  I think it may be prudent to begin a new thread titled  'What to do in case of loss of service due to possible fraud'  or similar (suggestions welcome). This will prevent the topic from being lost in this thread. A link between the two is possible. 

Your thoughts (and anyone else's) appreciated.

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@Rob76 

I agree. Thank you for your efforts. 👍