stuarty Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 I'm having a dispute with Orange, my mobile phone tariff provider. I have 3 mobile phones with them on 24 months contracts. One of the mobiles got damaged (my own fault). I contacted them to see what my options were and they told me that if I paid an early upgrade fee of £127 this would pay off my exsisting contract and I could start a new 24 month contract and receive a new handset. I decided to pay the early upgrade fee for all 3 mobile phones (3x£127). I received my new handsets and i also increased my tariff's. A week later they reinbursed my bank account with the £381 that I had paid. I contacted them and they said I should not have been charged an earley upgrade fee in the first place. I asked why not as I still had over 6 months left on all 3 contracts, the advisor checked with a manager and the manager confirmed this. I contacted them again a few days later to double check and it was confirmed by 2 different managers. Today I received my bill dated 12th august and suprise, suprise they have added it to my bill. I now have a £500 bill to pay and £381 is the early upgrade fee's. I also had a 10% loyalty discount and a 10% NHS coporate discount which I was told would stay on my account as all I was doing was upgrading my handsets and as long as the telephone numbers stayed the same these discounts would apply. Finally, I upgraded at phones 4 u who have applied a £5 air time discount to each number reducing the tariff cost from £41 per month to £36 per month. This also has not been taken from my bill and when I contacted Orange regarding it, they said I should contact phones 4 u. I did and phones 4 u have all ready sent orange the air time discount payments. Sorry for the rant, but can anyone advise me what to do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ekona Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 Regarding the upgrade fees, what does the paperwork you signed say? It will state what upgrade fee may or may not be charged. Regarding the discount of the airtime vouchers, you need to be dealing with Phones4U directly as your purchase was via them. I appreciate they say they've sent them to Orange, but you need to push them and get them sent again if necessary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuarty Posted August 14, 2012 Author Share Posted August 14, 2012 Regarding the upgrade fees, what does the paperwork you signed say? It will state what upgrade fee may or may not be charged. Regarding the discount of the airtime vouchers, you need to be dealing with Phones4U directly as your purchase was via them. I appreciate they say they've sent them to Orange, but you need to push them and get them sent again if necessary. The new contract does not mention the upgrade fee as it was in relation to the old contract, but i do have receipts to confirm that i did pay it. Orange accept that I did pay and also that I was paid it back. They also confirmed that on several occassions i was told that I should not have been charged it in the first place. But those 4 managers were wrong and they now want the payment again 1 month later. I agree that initially i did have to pay the charge, but after being reimbursed and contacting them to confirm this on several occassions, they are wrong to now expect me to pay it. I paid the contract off and it was clear, then they gave me an overpayment back now they have charged me for there mistake and billed me for it on my new contract. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ekona Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 But what did the contract say? Sorry to repeat myself, but if it says you must pay the upgrade fee (and it sounds like it did, as you had to pay it in the first place) then the managers were wrong to tell you that you didn't need to pay it. Terrible customer service to then ask for it back, but legally I don't know if you can escape your contractual obligations on that. I suspect not, but you may get somewhere with their customer service line if you're persistent but polite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuarty Posted August 14, 2012 Author Share Posted August 14, 2012 But what did the contract say? Sorry to repeat myself, but if it says you must pay the upgrade fee (and it sounds like it did, as you had to pay it in the first place) then the managers were wrong to tell you that you didn't need to pay it. Terrible customer service to then ask for it back, but legally I don't know if you can escape your contractual obligations on that. I suspect not, but you may get somewhere with their customer service line if you're persistent but polite. Thanks Ekona, the contract to pay the upgrade fee was verbal between myself and orange upgrades, all phones for you did was carry out the upgrade on behalf of orange and provide me with my new phones. I paid the fee over the telephone straight to orange. My argument is that Orange offered me an early upgrade if i agreed to pay £127. I acepted and paid the fee. Weeks later Orange said they overcharged me and gave me my cash back. Now they have realised their mistake and want it back. If i bought a new 370z for an agreed price, then nissan said "sorry we have overcharged you and here's your money back" then a month later asked for that money back, you would have to question it. All i know is i was informed 4 times that i had overpayed and now 1 manager says different and wants the money back! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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