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.

[Enlli]

Little we can do here as we are all customers and have no access to things like accounts.

You really are a Customer of Crown Communicaions and it is they that have to deal with this.

Perhaps our member @madasaf1sh can give advice on this

[madasaf1sh]

@elwoodc @Enlli 

This will need to be taken up with Crown Communications as you are NOT a direct customer of o2, and as such o2 can't and will not deal with you.. (and to be honest I doubt even a Consumer customer of o2)

O2 are not setting the early termination fees Crown are, and as such they need to be contacted, contact details are below https://crown-communication.co.uk/contact-us

You could always try via the ombudsman, but you need evidence which you seemingly don't have..

[jonsie]

It would seem that changing your contract in October 2023 meant that you were unknowingly committing to a new three year contract with Crown

Dispicable and typical sales ploy by these people and you have less rights with a business contract as opposed to a consumer contract

Maybe get some advice from the Citizens Advice Bureau or the Ombusman as there is nothing O2 can do to help you with this

[elwoodc]

Thank you, I realise O2 cannot help it is Crown Communications who needs to help I was just looking for help anywhere but as Crown Communications do not communicate I will most likely just have to accept the situation, pay the over £40 a month and not get get stressed about it.

[elwoodc]

Yes, thank you, seems like Crown Communications put me without my knowledge for a further 3 years and did not send me a new contract I realise as I said above I most likely just need to accept more years of £40 a month for basicly a sim only contract but I will try things like Citizens Advice.

[elwoodc]

Ps, thank you for your reply. 

I have spoken to Crown Communications, then were going to ring back but do not, I have e mailed them and put message on thier Facebook messenger, no response which is why I think I need to just accept a over £40 a month sim only contract.  

[elwoodc]

Thank you. 

[Oxonian]

You have a few suggestions above @elwoodc as to how to move forward.

I would suggest that you consider 'phoning your local Trading Standards. You could also try Trading Standards in Birmingham as that is the company's base. Trading Standards might be unwilling to get involved but it is worth a try. 👍 

[elwoodc]

Thank you for your reply I will add Trading standards to list of people to contact. 

It has been a good support getting advice from the community as I have been upset about the situation.