O2 Refresh The SCAM

[Anonymous]

Been thinking about this since August last year. Coming to the end of my contract i thought oh i have O2 refresh. Happy with my phone i decided to ask the QUESTION. I would like to keep my phone until my free upgrade what happens with my O2 refresh money? You don't get it back.

Here are my issues.

1. A Sim only contract £9 - £15

2. You Pay O2 £25 upwards for a Sin only contract.(RIP OFF)

3. You then pay for the phone at a rate of (Full price of the phone / length of contract in months)

4. Can anybody see this.

5. I am getting bummed here

So here we go.

I dont really like complaining but WTF.

You go to O2 cause you want a phone with your contact and the minuets data text etc.

I mean i got it O2 Refresh cause being a techno-lad I love new techo OH this will be good pay off my 'contract' (and before you get the lawyers around I know it wouldn't be the contract for the 'SIM' cause that would get rolled in to a new 24 month contract) get a new phone BOOM ahead of the game (SUCKER) ". Should have known everything has a price.

I love O2 they have great customer service and it is mainly beyond reproach, and you Mr Customer service adviser, you reading this now instead of the prick that thought of this idea, are a good guy I love coming to you with my problems in your service you strive to help me. Love it don't stop.

But whoever's idea this was mate, I'll be complaining to some financial authority or some trading board. Because it takes the *bleep*.

If nothing happens I might go see someone about say a SCAM that has no place in your business were customers have been mislead. (said reason above by the way). You sell a contract were they expect a phone, and then sell some stuff about how your bound to the contract and the phone, But really if i didn't want to stay with O2 and deal direct with yourselves, I wouldn't have done it, Carphone Warehouse, all these shops they just buy you out to sell the new contract, Believe me i know i work in the car industry i know how PCP works. These places have money set aside to buy them out and you give them the buy out cheaper.

Once O2 Once O2, you have really annoyed me.

Nathan

On a lighter note I blame HTC for making some of the best phones on the market.

[perksie]

The entire sentence needs rewriting.

[perksie]

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@Anonymous wrote:
Nope Perksie, I kept my original O2 emails confirming this very point when I joined Refresh. O2 no longer wish to honour that deal and are ignoring what's on the website.

I reported this to O2 three weeks ago. They haven't changed(corrected) it, so it must be valid.

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I doubt it says that in the terms and conditions.

[Anonymous]

Sorry, disagree! I'm currently churning my way through a Qualifying Law Degree via the Open University (an absolute treasure of a national institution in my opinion) and whilst not yet qualified, but willing to concede to a qualified soul, I do not take that from the online description at all. And incidentally neither did my tutor!

[perksie]

You can disagree all you like, it's getting O2 to see your point of view that's the problem. 

[MI5]

1.3 O2 Refresh

(a) If you're an O2 Refresh customer you will get a Pay Monthly tariff that combines a 24-month Airtime Plan on a Pay Monthly Mobile Agreement and one or more Device Plans that allow you to pay for your equipment either upfront (the Cash Price) or by paying monthly instalments on a Consumer Credit Agreement. O2 Refresh is a tariff which is only sold in conjunction with equipment. Selected combinations of Device Plans and Airtime Plans with selected devices/bundles will include an up-front payment.

(b) If you've paid off your O2 Refresh Device Plan(s) (after 24 months or earlier if you choose to pay off early before the end of the 24 month term), you can either:

1. Decide to continue with your original Airtime Plan. In these circumstances, the combined Pay Monthly tariff will automatically reduce to reflect just the Airtime Plan tariff, until it is terminated on 30 days' notice in accordance with our Pay Monthly Mobile Agreement; or
2. Take a new O2 Refresh deal. If you're paying off a Device Plan early we waive the remaining months of your linked Airtime Plan that you haven't used, allowing you to upgrade; or
3. Terminate your Airtime Plan and Pay Monthly Mobile Agreement. We'll waive the remaining months of your linked Airtime Plan that you haven't used (as required by the Consumer Credit Act 1974), entitling you to terminate so that in these circumstances, your Airtime Plan will be treated as not having any remaining Minimum Period for the purposes of paragraph 8.3 of the Pay Monthly Mobile Agreement.

For the avoidance of doubt, in paragraphs (ii) and (iii) above, Charges (including for Additional Services) not included in your monthly Airtime Plan, or Charges arising prior to full repayment of the balance of a Device Plan, will not be waived and will be billed as normal. You will not be entitled to a refund of Charges already paid when paying off a Device Plan.

[Anonymous]

Thanks MI5 but their explanation is a descriptor at Law. They explicitly state it's an explanation, if they hadn't said that they might have got away with contradictory "terms"

Descriptors and terminology explained, apply to terms/conditions and contracts. That's why one has to be extremely careful in their wording.

Standard terms and conditions may apply unless varied or changed by an individual contract or agreement. That's a good reason for retaining original emails ( as I did) because ANY variance in them is a defacto contractual change to standard terms and conditions and is actionable. Could quote the Case Law but I don't want to be a boring sod!

Great having the conversation with you guys......over to the Ombudsman and maybe ASA perhaps.

[MI5]

I'm no legal eagle so i'll leave you to it.
Let us know who wins in the end please.

[jonsie]

I wish you the best of luck with this. I can't really see a positive outcome for you but it would be nice for the small fry to win occasionally. Do let us know how this turns out for you.

[Toby]

Hi guys,

I will look into seeing if it can be made clearer.

@Anonymous I'm Toby, the community manager. Where are you with this right now? Are you in contact with us about it?