Don't try to fix what ain't broken

[Anonymous]

Had been with them for 8 years.2 contracts Approx £50 a month.I had been due an upgrade and my son was starting to run out of data every month.So I visited the o2 shop in Ashington Northumberland. My intention was to give my iphone 5s to my son and increase his data allowance and get the iphone se for myself.I got unlimited calls and texts on his phone sim only,a larger data allowance and as I mainly used voice calls and texts a smaller data package for myself pay monthly.The specific question I asked them was does this allowance start immediately ? I was assured that it did, so away I went quite happily.Three days later I got a text saying my son had gone over his inclusive minutes and owed £160.00. His previous allowance had been 600 minutes a month,which he had never gone over, the only reason he had done so was that I had told him his allowance had been upped.Phoned customer services on three occasions in the next week and was told that I would have to pay it as it was pro rata and a percentage of his old contract up until the 15th of the month.None of this was explained in the shop at 17:10 in the afternoon because if it had been I wouldn't have took the terms.I am convinced that they neglected to tell me this in order to make the sale and finish for the day.Top and bottom of it is that I took my new phone and my sons new sim back within the 14 days. The attitude of the staff was totally opposite to customer services.We will get the charges cancelled they said.I have already agreed to move to EE was my reply. I returned the items and got receipts to prove it.I didn't pay the bill as a matter of principle and Lowell solicitors have obtained a cc judgement + costs because I wouldn't waste my time and energy engaging with them. Moorcroft debt collectors chased me for £480.00 for 3 months the cost of the phone which I had returned in the cooling off period and had a till receipt stating nothing to pay.I had been quite happy at o2 for the 8 previous years and wouldn't have left had they been reasonable about this.At the time my 5 children had o2 accounts now none of them have. I also tell the story at every opportunity that way the £305 I will have to pay doesn't hurt as much.Don't believe a word they tell you without confirming it first.

[MI5 · Accepted solution]

Not much point in me saying it but it’s all covered in the T&C’s.
Sadly they are your responsibility to read and understand and you are offered the opportunity to do so when in store.
You even have to acknowledge the screen yourself to say you have done so.
Your only redress now is a complaint but I feel it won’t be upheld.
http://www.o2.co.uk/contactus

[Anonymous]

My problem with it is that I asked them specifically the question of whether he could use his allowance straight away, They should know what they are selling and the terms and conditions, that is their job.As far as I was concerned it was a new sim only contract and wasn't explained any differently.Even if the salesperson was inexperienced they had a manager that they could of asked if unsure.I am quite aware that somewhere within the terms and conditions it will be covered and I can't contest it. I just want to make people aware of the pitfalls of trusting the advice of a salesperson, selling you something on behalf of a company that pays their wages,but gives you incorrect information. There should be some responsibility on them in my opinion. Surely the fact that they lost a customer and his family and the knock on effect of word of mouth impacting on future sales could have been avoided with a tad of common sense.Not to mention driving you away to the competition.The disconnect between shop sales staff and the customer services is amazing.How would you justify them harrassing me for 3 months with bailiff threats, phone calls, and letters, in regard to a phone returned to the shop from which it was bought within the 14 day period

[MI5]

There is no justification for the returned phone.
That sounds simply like someone not doing their job properly.

[gmarkj]

The issue is not if he can use his new allowance straight away, but how much of his old one he had used.
600 minutes per month works out to 20 minutes per day. If he used more than that up to the new tariff taking over then he (you) would be charged the difference.
Not sure how he would go over an unlimited allowance unless he was calling numbers not included in the allowance (087 numbers for instance).
While I agree that it is your responsibility to check the Ts & Cs, the sales representative should have explained clearly how it was going to work with the part allowances.
You may have been better off complaining before uprooting and moving to another company, but what's done is done.

[Anonymous]

I upgraded on 02/06 the normal monthly billing date was 15/06.He did go over the 600 mins between these dates but only after I had repeated to him what I was told incorrectly in the shop.I thought that because they told me the allowance could be used straight away ie on 02/06 that it was a new sim only contract not part of his original contract. I fully expected to pay the usual monthly fee up until the 15th and the new sim only from the 02/06.That is where it becomes relevant that I was told he could use it straight away because he has had the calls that he made after the 02/06 applied to his 600 mins and therefore gone over his limit. The customer services were contacted 3 times to try to sort this out prior to me leaving to go to EE. I wasn't getting anywhere near a resolution so did the right thing.

[MI5]

We’re you not advised to track your usage in your MyO2 either?

[Anonymous]

You wouldn't expect to need to with an unlimited calls and text sim only. 3 days into it.

[Bambino]

@Anonymous As O2 had sent debt collectors to chase you, you should check your credit rating to make sure they didn't give you a negative mark.

[Anonymous]

As stated in the original post I have just received notification of a ccj being lodged against me. I have however paid it off within the 1st month which means that the entry on the register will be cancelled.