Spend Caps?

[dgilbert2]

I received a text from O2 on 1st October referring me to the link below regarding spend caps;

 https://www.o2.co.uk/help/account-and-billing/spend-cap

This advises, in summary, that I can add a spend cap of £0, £5, £10, £15, £20, £30, £60, £100 or £200 by calling Customer Services. I called Customer Services today who were adamant that it could NOT be applied to my account.

I find this most frustrating that having been offered something by text, that it CANNOT be added to give me some financial protection.

Anyone else facing the same issue?

[Cleoriff]

Well this is a new one and typical of O2 to make a major change and the first we hear about it is on the forum.

Scanning through I see it adds more confusion to travel abroad....

[Anonymous]

Well I haven’t received no such text so it must only be specific customers

[Bambino]

You wouldn't. The OP said CS told him it was for post Oct. 1 contracts. As the OP took the contract out 12 days ago, they were obviously sent the text in error.

[ewanrw]

Yes, Ofcom regs came in on 1st October allowing new and upgrading customers to set a spend limit. Note that it doesn't need to be applied to exisitng contracts.

ewan

[dgilbert2]

---

@ewanrw wrote:

Yes, Ofcom regs came in on 1st October allowing new and upgrading customers to set a spend limit. Note that it doesn't need to be applied to existing contracts.

ewan

---

I agree that the Ofcom ruling only mandates new / upgrading customers. But since the tools and processes have all been developed for this, what harm can it do O2 to apply it retrospectively to accounts where customers are requesting it? I must have lost the plot somewhere 

[ewanrw]

I'm assuming its probably because the legislation is brand new, and to back date to cover millions of contracts will likely be a costly and time consuming exercise.

Or maybe it's just because they don't have to 

[dgilbert2]

Fair point, but I don't think millions would bother calling CS to ask for it to be applied if they wanted it. Only those who have had fingers burnt in the past maybe 

[dgilbert2 · Accepted solution]

This has now been resolved, thank you O2.

As was being concluded in the above posts, spend caps are only available to new or upgrading contracts post 1st October 2018. However, I should not of received the text that I did, so I've been sorted out, I guess by exception.

As a final comment on this, it does seem surprising that O2 have taken the Ofcom ruling quite literally and will not allow existing customers to add a spend cap if they request it. Some networks already do this and use it as part of their marketing strategy. We live in a world where any initiatives to offer customers financial protections, for some of us at least, is regarded with the highest level of importance.