High monthly cost

[elwoodc]

I am having nightmare experience with my Crown Communications O2 mobile contract that should have ended 21st October 2024. 

October 2021 I was phoned by Crown Communications and convinced to have a O2 mobile contract with them.

I have paperwork for the 36 month contract starting October 2021 with O2. 

I was phoned October 2023 and asked if I wanted to replace the mobile or pay less for contract.

I presume that was the 36 month contract I had which started October 2021, I opted to pay less and keep same mobile.

I was not sent any different paperwork October 2023 and never signed anything to say I was extending contract I thought it still ended 21st October 2024.

May 2024 I had letter from O2 which made me realise I had a small business contract and I was paying over £40 a month.

The monthly cost had drastically increased.

I tried and failed to contact Crown Communications so I contacted O2.

I went through complaints procedure about the high monthly cost but got no where.

No explanation, nothing to explain the high monthly cost when I was not even paying for a mobile phone. 

I decided I was stuck, trapped until 21st October 2024 when the 36 month contract ended then I would try to change my network provider therefore pay half the monthly cost with a new mobile included.

I was upset when I got my PUK CODE 31st October 2024 to find out O2 want over £600 to let me escape from O2 and Crown Communications.

I thought the contract ended 21st October 2024 so no payment would be needed. £600 is ridiculous when I do not even have a mobile phone with either with O2 or Crown Communications that is worth anywhere near that.

I would have thought I would have paid off the mobile I got October 2021 after three years it was only a Samsung A90.

I spoke O2 then to someone from Crown Communications Thursday morning 31st October 2024, explained, he sounded helpful said he would ring later that morning, nobody called me back.

Crown Communications seem impossible to communicate with and O2 do not seem to be able to help.

I need this sorted over £40 a month is totally ridiculous when for half that cost I can have a contract which includes a mobile with other networks. 

I am totally stressed and upset by this situation.

I have no paperwork from Crown Communications since 2021.

I have no idea what my text, call, data allowance is.

I have worked 30 years for NHS giving physiotherapy to the elderly I am not and never have been a small business. 

I need to escape from Crown Communications and O2 asap over £40 a month is totally unacceptable and nobody thinks £600 to escape is reasonable, it is totally unreasonable when I am not even paying off cost of a mobile.

[Oxonian]

You are welcome @elwoodc ; do keep us updated on developments. 👍

[elwoodc]

Hi, had phone call from man from Crown Communications Saturday morning, he did not know why I was paying high monthly cost, he said he would ring back in afternoon, he as expected did not ring back. 

Got a letter March 2024 with o2 account number on top, was to tell about increased cost monthly, it is only letter I have from 02.  

[elwoodc]

Hi, I have contacted Trading standards and they are assisting me with this situation. 

[Oxonian]

That sounds interesting @elwoodc ; glad contacting Trading Standards was not a complete waste of your time. 

Please keep us updated on developments. 👍

[elwoodc]

Hi,

Trading standards officer has been very helpful she has research Crown Communications, found they have bad habit of putting people on business account contract that are not businesses. She is convinced when Crown Communications rang October 2023, I agreed to not update mobile just pay less they put me on new 36 month contract without my knowledge, agreement, did not send updated contract, I did not sign anything.

The Gateshead Trading standards officer helping me is contacting Reading Trading standards officer who will negotiate with O2 to see if there is any way they can assist solve my problem. 

If a solution cannot be found the Trading standards officer is going to help me fill in forms to involve the Communications Ombudsman.

Meanwhile rang Crown Communications  Wednesday, asked some more questions, he has sent me my last few months O2 invoices to see what I am paying for and suggested I put the O2 app on my mobile.

He also admitted I had been put on extended contract October 2023 but said they needed to investigate, listen to the recording of the October 2023 phone call I had with Crown Communications before they could decide on a solution.

He said I am mainly paying £33 a month, I told him I had checked Crown Communications website, thier O2 sim only deals, contracts ranged from £10 to £21 a month why was I paying more.

Thursday morning Crown Communications man rang again, said he had a meeting with his manager in afternoon, they were going to listen to 2023 call, decide what to do, he said he would ring me end afternoon with update.

He never rang which is normal for Crown Communications staff, they say they will ring back but do not.

I do not know what I want to do any more will have to see what Crown Communication suggest/update me with and what Trading standards officer manages to sort out I am finding situation stressful.

[Oxonian]

I think that it is quite notable @elwoodc that Trading Standards are taking this seriously. 👍

This seems to be the business involved :-

CROWN COMMUNICATION LTD overview - Find and update company information - GOV.UK

https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/07883488

Do please persevere and keep us updated on developments ! 👍    

[japitts]

As an aside, be clear telecoms contracts are very rarely fixed-term ones that finish automatically - the natural consequence is that phones are automatically disconnected on the relevant date.

It's promising that TS are now involved.

[elwoodc]

Hi, an update. 

Now 14th November and Crown Communications/O2 have done nothing to solve the problem. 

Trading standards officer is being very helpful she and I are regularly e mailing each other, she is also contacting Reading Trading Standards office to see if they can get O2 to help solve the issue.

I have now reported situation to Ofcom,

Ofcom explained,

"" it appears you were sold a mobile phone contract by Crown Communications. I should advise that in this instance it seems Crown Communications acted as a reseller. Resellers do not provide a network connection, they simply sell packages on behalf of providers and while our regulations only apply to providers, they place specific responsibility on the provider to ensure third-party companies selling their services do so in line with the requirements. If Ofcom has evidence to suggest that a provider is not doing enough to ensure that resellers are acting responsibly and within the requirements, then we may take further action.""

And also from Ofcom,

""there are guidelines in place for when service providers make changes to existing contract. When a provider increases the core subscription price or changes the products the consumer initially agreed to, they should give consumers 30 days’ notice and allow affected customers to exit their contract without penalty. """

Crown Communications definitely did not give me 30 days notice October 2023 when they extended my contract without my knowledge or consent but that may be because I am on business contract. 

Ofcom also said,

""We would also expect providers to ensure that customers are given accurate advice, and any queries are dealt with in a professional manner. Ofcom regularly publishes information on the number of complaints received against each provider, and this puts further pressure on companies to provide a high standard of service.

Thank you for taking the time to inform Ofcom of your concerns. While our remit does not allow us to become involved in individual cases, please rest assured the details of your complaint have been logged on our system for industry monitoring purposes."""

One of my work colleagues checked Crown Communications on Trust Pilot, there are several bad one star reviews on Trust Pilot about Crown Communications.

I keep talking to different people who are paying £8 to £15 for sim only contracts and have upto 20gb data. 

I do think it is going to take a miracle to solve this problem which I unfortunately find upsetting. 

[Oxonian]

My personal view @elwoodc is that the Reading TS will not want to be be involved once they realise that your contract is not with O2.

However, Birmingham TS seem to cover the area in which Crown Communications are based. 👍  

[elwoodc]

Hi, I agree Reading does not seem sensible. I also agree I doubt O2 will help but Trading standards officer thought it was worth trying with me having O2 account number plus on my bank statement it says O2 for the payment, plus also with Crown Communications being the reseller and O2 providing the network. 

From various places the bad reviews I have read makes me realise success, escape from Crown Communications is most likely impossible one woman has had a dispute with Crown Communications since February 2023 with no solution. 

I will eventually have to accept paying £35 a month for sim only contract, 6gb data/unlimited calls/texts for infinity, at least two more years.