o2 Refresh contract payments?

[Anonymous]

So i upgraded my phone last month to the new o2 Refresh contract and a new shiny S5 and i was all happy and smiley until yesterday.

At dinner time yest i was basically cut off. and noone could get hold of me. I assumed it must be a signal issue in my area as i know O2 had taken payment out of my account. The phone lines were closed early due to Bank holiday (which i get obvs) and i had to wait to get home after a family trip out to connect to wifi and get hold of someone on live chat to check signal problems for my area .....nope not a signal problem i had been cut off.

So basically i renewed my contract over live chat a month ago and all was updated and the new phone sent out asoon as it was released 😄

However what failed to happen was the adviser didnt tell me i had to set up a new Direct Debit for a separate payment for the phone itself on the refresh contract. I wasnt aware of this at all and i have paid for my Airtime as per my normal DD going out but have failed to pay for my phone 😕
so instead of being contacted to say are you aware you havent paid for your phone or set up a Direct Debit for the handset? They cut me off.

Now i have not once missed a payment with O2and i never intend to either but a bit of heads up would have been nice. Or a bit of info up front? why are you not asked to set up the direct debit strait away when you renew? it makes no sense? And i cannot set up a Direct debit on the O2 website or on my O2 i can however make a 1 time payment. This just makes life harder.

I currently dont have a signal at work coz this area is naff for O2 signal but i accept that as its fine everywhere else i use it. I was advised yest they would remove the lock down and i can call first thing in the morning to set up a DD to stop the block from reoccurring .... but i cant call 😞

gonna have to be a 1 off payment for this month. then try and sort out DD for next month.

Has anyone else been caught out bu#y this or is it just me who has been unlucky?

[MI5 · Accepted solution]

I think you are just unlucky - The agent didn't set it up correctly in the first place.
When I took mine out it was all done in store... All I had to do was sign the 2 DD mandates that were presented to me.
When you can, speak to CS on 202 and they will correct this obvious O2 mistake for you.

[jonsie]

Poor communication from the adviser in the first instance I'm afraid. Check that you now don't have a marker on your credit file for the missed payment. Customer service will set up the direct debit for you but it really should have been initiated at point of sale.

[Anonymous]

Hi

What a mess.

I'm astounded that they didn't make contact with you to chase up payment, before cutting you off.

I'm also sure O2 Cs will resolve this even though it really shouldn't have happened.

Their landline is 08448090202 if you can't use a phone with an O2 SIM card in it to dial 202.

Let us know how you get on.

[Anonymous]

So as it turns out they cancelled the payment on their side for some strange reason? They had my information from my original DD . When i called and spoke to them they said they will take a payment over phone for one that was missed and make sure the DD goes out next month.
So fingers crossed it works this time and they dont just cut me off again

[jonsie]

Hope it's sorted for you now.

[Anonymous]

it seems i have fell into this trap as well.

i took out my refresh plan online last month and whilst they taken my airtime plan out via DD they have failed to set up one for the device plan! .

i got email and text messages saying i was £25 in arrears but having been a O2 customer for over 10 years and have never missed a payment.

i contacted O2 via webchat and they said it was a system generated email and not to worry as they payment will be taken at the end of april.

got up this morning and the phone was call barred!.

contacted customer services again and they said there was a late payment due so then i asked them to set up a DD for the device paln and they told me I have to go to the bank and do it, surely this can't be right??.

in my eyes this system really doesn't work if O2 don't give you all the information and set up the direct debits for you.

i'm seriously hoping this hasn't gone onto my credit reference file as a missed payment

[jonsie]

The direct debits should have been set up by O2 at the same time and it sounds certainly like the error is on their part. You need to speak to them, forget live chat.

Contact us

[MI5]

I agree and emphasise the bit about calling in (not live chat).
From any contract O2 mobile 202 Free
From a landline 0344 8090202 Standard UK Rate

[Anonymous]

Live Chat strikes again?

It is not possible to go into a bank and set up a new direct debit to a company. The bank would need o2's originator reference, customer reference and amounts.

Why on earth do o2 persist with this shambles?