want to leave but o2 have renewed contract without my consent?

[alvinbkr]

Hi new to the forum so I hope its ok to jump straight in and ask a question.

I've been with o2 on the same contract since 2015, wishing to switch to plusnet for their cheaper rolling contract which I can opt out of with 30 days notice.

The problem is that when I paid my monthly bill to o2 on the 23/4/18 they renewed my contract for a further 12 months, I didn't sign anything nor speak to anyone just paid my bill by card over the automated system, which also didn't alert me to saying paying for that month would bind me for another 12 months.

Is this right do I have to pay for the next 11.5 months to escape my contract?

(have my own handset on a sim only deal with o2)

Thanks for any help

[jonsie]

Good news indeed @alvinbkr and it's such a shame that these con artists will still continue to dupe people into business contracts. It's time the governing bodies put an end to this and I feel a local MP should take this to the Commons.

[EmilieT]

Hi @alvinbkr, glad to hear it got sorted! Let us know if it was all fine in the end with your final bill 

[adamtemp64]

@EmilieT The key issue here and it has been raised many times is the trusted partner aerial direct . A search of the community will bring you many threads from disgruntled customers etc . @jonsie has intimated this as well 

I am glad that @alvinbkr has had his issue resolved etc but when will the trusted partner be taken to task over this reoccurring issue. 

[MI5]

One can only assume that o2 are comfortable with their actions and business ethics ?

[alvinbkr]

Again thank you all for the support, its a shame they get away with it. They must have rang me as my contract was up for renewal using the careful wording that "they are calling on behalf of o2" and duped me into signing with them. Do o2 sell them this information ( name, number, contract date length type etc.) ? Are o2 in breach of data laws? Can we look into this ?

[MI5]

No breach as they are a “trusted partner” and as such, we give them rights to full access of all our details.
It had to be a phone call though as this couldn’t have happened any other way.

[jonsie]

They aren't in breach of data laws. They share data bases with so-called trusted partners (who either share/sell the same data) and O2 are quite happy for these companies to contact you. It is the ethics of these partners that concern me. The business practices of Aerial have been well documented on here for as many years as I can remember and O2 will have had hundreds of complaints. One can only assume that as long as new customers are getting signed up or existing customers are being upgraded or switched to more lucrative business contracts, then O2 are more than happy reaping the profits and paying dividends to their shareholders.

You can find a list of these partners here :

https://www.o2.co.uk/business/contact-us/partners

Scroll down to find the wonderful Aerial

Edit : spelling

[Cleoriff]

We have said many times, while the practices of Aerial may be 'legal' they are certainly immoral.

They don't care who they target, and as they only sell business contracts these are of no use to personal customers.

As @alvinbkr is 67, receiving a call from a company either purporting to be O2, or stating 'on behalf of O2', leads them to believe they are actually O2.

Unscrupulous con artists, who certainly aren't to be trusted in any way shape or form.

Moral of this sad tale? Never ever take out a contract from a cold caller.