It's not fair to charge me the tariff when the phone is faulty and returned the next day

[Anonymous]

Basically what happened was: I have been with O2 since 2008 and started pay monthly two years ago with a SONY Ericsson Xperia X8 on £15 tariff. On 16th March 2013 I ordered an iPhone 5 on £32 tariff and received it on 18th March. After a couple of hours I found out the iphone 5 was faulty. The other side couldn't hear me unless I use speaker or earplug. It was the final conclusion after several chats and tests following the suggestions by O2 gurus. I then asked the helpline 202 about how to return and got the return label printed. On 19th March I sent the iphone 5 back with the nano sim card and had my old sim card reactivated. On 25th March I called 202 and confirmed O2 has received the returned iphone and ordered a SONY Xperia T on £22 tariff. Today I found out O2 has issued me the bill of £32 for the period 16th Mar-15th Apr, then called 202 immediately. What I wanted to claim were:

1. The monthly tariff is in a bundle with the handset, I do not think it is fair for O2 to charge me the new tariff from the point I placed the order, as I had not received the new phone yet. 

2. If the handset is faulty and returned, the contract should be cancelled simultaneously. It was within the 'cooling period' and I had that phone for less than 24 hours! I informed O2 through online chat and line 202 as soon as I returned the iphone and reactivated my old sim card. Therefore I should not be charged the new tariff.

3. The one at line 202 who called James was very annoying by repeating to me: you are obliged to pay the line rental. I do know I am obliged to pay if I used the service, but I should be charged on the old £15 tariff instead of £32. While attempts to explain this point to him was futile.

4. The difference is probably no more than £10 but it turns out to me company like O2 can be cheeky with customers. I will need to be more careful in the future if choose to stay with them.

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

On the 16th of March your bill was produced - this bill was accurate as of the 16th of March and O2 can not change the bill itself, only add corrections for further bills.

Once the handset is returned, you will be reverted to your previous tariff (if available) or else you will remain on the iPhone 5 tariff (which you can call up to change to a rolling simplicity tariff to make it cheaper until you decide to upgrade again). The next bill will then have a credit added to rectify the line rental issue.

If you change back to £15 today, then the next bill will include a refund for the previous tariff from tomorrow until the 15th of April.

[Anonymous]

Hi Opium, thank you. Your explanation makes it very clear to me now. I chatted and called 202 many times to ask about the return process, no one had ever adviced me about change the tariff back. I took it for granted if the phone never worked for me, the tariff should not be charged. Never mind. Do you have any idea how much would they refund?

[Anonymous]

Glad to help

Well if the tariff was changed to £15 today then it would be about £5.20.

The reason for this is:

(Money owed back to you) 11 days * £1.07 (your tariff is £32 per month so £1.07 per day)

(Money you owe) 11 days * £0.50 (your tariff is £15 per month so £0.50 per day)

But you will need to phone O2 to make sure they put the tariff to a suitable one for you. They can only do this once the phone has been returned back.