Legal heads help! Can O2 charge me?

TheCenturion · 21 Feb 2011 at 17:27

I started my contract with O2 in February 2009. It was a 24 month contract, so as I paid a bill in Feb 2009, my last bill should be Feb 2011 right?

I phoned up O2 to get my pac code around the 12th of Feb, thus transferring my number to a new network. I've just received my February bill, and it also states that I'll be billed next month. As I've transferred my number, my O2 contract has been useless for half the month. So I'm basically giving O2 free monies next month, despite the fact that I've cancelled my contract, and therefore cannot use their service, and it's the 25th month of the contract?

Are they legally allowed to do this? I'll probably withhold direct debit payments to O2 until I can sort this.

Thanks guys

SB118 · 21 Feb 2011 at 17:30

Probably be some "30 days before the end of the billing period" clause in there, you didn't tell them at the very start of feb, meaning your 30 day period goes passed the end of feb, so you're in the next months bill.

At a guess.

mattyprice4004 · 21 Feb 2011 at 17:31

Aye, 30 days notice mate.

TheCenturion · 21 Feb 2011 at 17:33

Thanks guys

But ffs, who do they think they are? Charging me in the 25th month of a 24month contract. Bunch of shysters they are, as is everyone

tom_e · 21 Feb 2011 at 17:35

Theres one way to avoid this, read what you're agreeing to when you sign up

mattyprice4004 · 21 Feb 2011 at 17:35

General rule for phone companies: if they can get away with it, they'll do it.

SB118 · 21 Feb 2011 at 17:36

No, it's a 24 month minimum, after that it'll just keep rolling over on a monthly basis.

Le_Petit_Lapin · 21 Feb 2011 at 17:36

TheCenturion said:
Thanks guys

But ffs, who do they think they are? Charging me in the 25th month of a 24month contract. Bunch of shysters they are, as is everyone

I made the same mistake with my last contract, never even thought about it till I got a bill through my door.

Still, it is in the contract, so fair enough like.

johnny6 · 21 Feb 2011 at 17:45

To be fair to O2 or any provider for that matter. How are they to know you are no longer going to use their services, until you call them and confirm you are no longer going to use their services.

TheCenturion · 21 Feb 2011 at 17:46

johnny6 said:
To be fair to O2 or any provider for that matter. How are they to know you are no longer going to use their services, until you call them and confirm you are no longer going to use their services.

I did call them, on the 10th of February.

vanandjuanunited · 21 Feb 2011 at 17:49

Op says 12th

When did your contract start?
If you dont give 30 days notice then sorry ythey are correct. Read the contract.

johnny6 · 21 Feb 2011 at 17:51

TheCenturion said:
I did call them, on the 10th of February.

Yes but you are on a 24 month rolling contract with a 30 day termination period.

Highly unlikely but for all they know you could decide never to cancel the contract.

Vonhelmet · 21 Feb 2011 at 17:55

30 days notice means 30 days notice.

Oh noes.

Cosimo · 21 Feb 2011 at 17:55

mattyprice4004 said:
General rule for phone companies: if they can get away with it, they'll do it.

.... and then people complain because they never read the T&Cs of their contract.

TheCenturion · 21 Feb 2011 at 18:05

vanandjuanunited said:
Op says 12th

Told them that I was cancelling on the 10th, but didn't do it 'officially' until the 12th.

johnny6 said:
Highly unlikely but for all they know you could decide never to cancel the contract.

But not when I called them up to cancel the contract?

SB118 · 21 Feb 2011 at 18:14

TheCenturion said:
Told them that I was cancelling on the 10th, but didn't do it 'officially' until the 12th.

But what date did your contract/billing month start?

TheCenturion · 21 Feb 2011 at 18:17

SB118 said:
But what date did your contract/billing month start?

I think it was around the 17th feb 2009. So my 24th bill was 17th Feb 2011, which means that I actually cancelled around 40 days before my march bill which they're charging me for.

mattyfez · 21 Feb 2011 at 18:30

to be fair, they are all just as bad, canceling a mobile contract can be a minefield to the uninitiated... if they can grab more rental, they will.

had a similar issue a few years back, with vodaphone for a long expired contract, or so i thought, it wasnt properly terminated and i moved onto another contract. a few years later i get a bill from a debt collector for about 2 years line rental! after repeatedly telling them to naff off, they finally got the picture. it was a little stressfull though.

mattyfez · 21 Feb 2011 at 18:32

if you really are out of contract, then just cancel the direct debit.

Amp34 · 21 Feb 2011 at 18:34

Didn't have this problem when cancelling with O2 recently. They cancelled it fine and my last bill even has credit. Which reminds me, need to ring them up and get it back!