O2 Refresh: Paid for device and disconnected airtime, but O2 want to charge the total airtime.

[Anonymous]

I signed up to a refurbished iphone 6 O2 refresh deal in August and after some few days I decided to cancel the airtime and pay off the device aspect of the contract because I found a better airtime deal. I phone O2 and everything was a success: device was paid off, airtime was cancelled. I contacted the O2 chat customer service regarding a full direct debit of the airtime tariff and I was told it would be refunded when my contract is finally and officially disconnected. I received an email regarding my bill for October and it had about £540 bill due to be debitted to my account. I have been calling O2 this whole morning but the line drops after waiting for about 10 minutes. I do not want that amount to be debitted because I am travelling outside the country and I can't have that taken out of my budget for the trip. I intend on canceling the direct debit details on my account to prevent this from happening. Do you guys think this is the best option, since I can't get through to O2?

[MI5 · Accepted solution]

You really need to keep trying CS so they can sort this or else it will just get really messed up.
I would advise against cancelling the DD as this can cause problems too, but if they take the money in error you can recall it under the DD indemnity rules.

[AJ1982]

At the end of the day if you can't get through to them (and that doesn't surprise me in the least) you only have two options, let them take the money and then argue it out with them. Or cancel the direct debit. Make no mistake o2 don't care one ounce about how this might affect you. I can say that if I were you I'd cancel the direct debit, only of course if you don't actually owe them the money.

[Cleoriff]

Extremely risky cancelling the direct debit until you are assured you no longer owe the money. It's correct that O2 wont give a damn if it affects credit rating. The OP might however.....if trying for credit on anything else and it's refused. We have seen instances posted here about someone being refused a mortgage as they owed O2 £5.61. . ....Life changing consequences. 

[Anonymous]

Thank you, I kept on trying and I finally found the phone number to the pay monthly contract. I got through to someone who advised me to cancel the direct debit and wait for one of the managers to sort the issue out. Apparently, someone did not put a note on my account that it has been cancelled. Thanks for your suggestion. Apologies for the late reply, I was busily holiday shopping when I posted this.

[jonsie]

Wait for a manager to sort out??? Won't happen I'm afraid and you will end up with a marker on your credit file. We've seen it far too often on here. Sorry....

[Cleoriff]

How ridiculous for CS to tell someone to cancel a direct debit...when we all know this is the very worst thing you can do..