o2 update - Direct debits not being taken

[Rich-B1]

Hi. Recently had an email for o2. Telling me a payment has not been made and suggesting I will get late payment charges.  But hang on o2 I pay every month on time by direct debit

When I look at my bank statement you have not even requested paymentm from my bank this month.

So I tried to call you. wich lets face it would have better luck shutting 2 people in a room who both speak two different languages  and asking them  to have a meaningful conversation.

When I rang up and was lucky enough to get past the automated voice asking me why I had called  which then hung up on me 4 times even when i selected to discuss an urgent matter.

When I finally spoke  to some one who then told me that o2 have had a system update and it turns out that any direct debits that would have been requested from bank accounts around  that time have not been done and I would need to make a manual payment this month.

So in that case why has this not been made more public or any communication about it. Why is it the first I learn about it is  a payment demand telling me iam going to get late payment fees. I do hope o2 that I do  not get disconnected or see any late payment mark on my credit file

Oh yes the email:   Can I ask o2 to update/ ammend/ re design (what ever you need to call it) these emails. The one I received was just in plain text. There was no o2 logo or indeed anything much that suggested it was not a phishing/scam email. it was only because the payment amout shown matched my bill this month that I read it. This type of email in plain text like this would  have normally not have been read but would have been blocked and the email sent to the junk folder.

[MI5]

Welcome to O2's beautiful billing system !!

[Cleoriff]

@Rich-B1 

You are the 2nd person this morning to complain about payment NOT being taken. Poor service, particularly if their error puts a mark on your credit rating. I wil mention our managers here so they are aware of this happening. @Martin-O2 @Marjo @LukasB ?

Edited to add 'this morning'.

[TallTrees]

Hi there @Rich-B1 

Welcome to the o2 community forum. 

What an awful situation...so sorry to read this.

Do hope that it will get sorted for you very soon.  Really could do without these unnecessary problems especially at this very difficult time. 

Good luck and best wishes 

[Rich-B1]

If anyone does find a mark on their credit file for late payment. Contact o2 and ask them to ammend or remove it. or make a complaint in Experians complaint support pages. If no luck add a notice of correction to your credit file and state what has happened and what has been tried to correct it

[Martin-O2]

Thanks for flagging this one @Cleoriff. I'll pass it over to the team and find out if this is part of a wider issue. 

@Rich-B1 I might be in touch via private message if I need more details from you. 

[Cleoriff]

Thanks @Martin-O2 

[Martin-O2]

Hi @Rich-B1 I've gotten some more information about your issue that I wanted to update you with. There was a system issue last week that stopped some direct debits being taken. The direct debit will be attempted again on the 1st of December so please make sure there are funds available. 

If you've already made a manual payment then don't worry the system will check this before taking the DD and won't request funds if the payment has already been made. Also no debt collection action will be taken as a result of this system error. 

Apologies for any inconvenience this might have caused you. 

@Cleoriff, @TallTrees, @MI5 feel free to share this or tag me in if you see anyone else with a similar issue. 

[Cleoriff]

Thanks @Martin-O2 

[TallTrees]

Thank you @Martin-O2
Sure it's "cured" by now...
Good to know 😊