Screwed by Orange, what can I do? (Long)

Baby Chaos · 02-08-2008, 23:14

In Nov 2006 I upgraded my phone, to what I though was a new 18 month contract. I never thought anything of it, and never questioned anything about it until I decided to drop my tarrif from dolpin 35 to dolphin 25 as I was pregnant and needed the extra cash. I rang Customer services in Jan this year to talk to them about my downgrade and was shocked when she relayed back to me that I had a 24 month contract!!

I went over my old bills and noticed that they had 18 month extended written on...I obviously had never clicked before. I rang orange CS again who told me they could do nothing as I upgraded in an Orange store and it was owned by different people and I would have to go through them. I was 7 months pregnant at the time and live an hour away from a store and so I just rang them...but no one picked up. I tried for two weeks leaving messages every day but still never recieved a call back.

After finding the original upgrade paper work and a bill from before I changed my plan I've found out the sales person has ticked the '18 month proposition, with handset upgrade' box but next to it as scribbled out '24' on '24 month contract term!!

My bills dated before Jan 08 say 'Dolphin 35 promo 18mth plan' and after say 'Dolphin 25 (24 month contract)'. This means I am 21 months into a contract, that I thought was only an 18 month AND to top it all off I don't even have that handset anymore because it was so battered after 15 months I just bought a cheap PAYG one and stuck my sim in!

So...what I would like to know is if this has happened to anyone else, and if possible can anyone from Orange tell me what I can do! I've been with Orange for 5 years now and apart from this I've been quite please with their service. Thank for reading! lol

agent_c · 03-08-2008, 01:44

Call orange. Ask them for an address for some sort of high level complaints service. I don't know what they call it., but T-Mobile refer to it as the Director's office, O2 the complaint review service. provide them a copy of that sales document.

High level complaints have more power than the folks who answer the calls.

Ricardodaforce · 03-08-2008, 06:57

Sounds like the Customer Information Form did in fact state that it was a 24 month contract. You then signed the form agreeing to it. If you had read the key bits prior to signing you'd not be in this situation. Also have you checked the till receipt. I bet it says 24 month on it to.........

SPARKIE1984 · 03-08-2008, 09:06

baby chaos ive had something a bit similar!

i upgraded and i was being pushed by the chap to go for an 18month rather than 12! i stuck to my guns as i only wanted a 12 month, then just as i was about to sign i realised the crafty sod had ticked 18month hoping i would just sign it!

i was bloody mad at that and expected better from orange, so told him to stick it up his arse, maybe thats happened to you?

k4t1elou · 03-08-2008, 09:22

Something similiar happened to me last week. I checked online to see when I could upgrade, which I had in my mind would be around September.

I had taken out an 18 month contract. The website told me I couldn't upgrade until March 2009, December 2008 at the earliest! I dug my bills out and they definitely say 18 month contract.

I rang Orange and he said I'd been put on a 24 month contract by mistake and he changed it to what it should have been. My contract was actually due to run out on 2 September 08.

Baby Chaos · 03-08-2008, 17:52

Well I rang Orange, and actually spoke to a nice person! As far as getting anything done about an apology or sorting anything out about my mis-sold contract I will be sending a letter and a copy of my bills/sales sheet to Orange HO and OFCOM.

The guy on the phone admitted tht dealers often do this for commision but he could not change my contract term for me, but he has agreed to give me an excellent deal at the end of the month (lets hope it materialises!.)
I now know not to go through an Orange store for anything!

SPARKIE1984 · 03-08-2008, 17:57

make sure you chase them for what was promised!

they're out of order for altering my form, and that along with their crap handsets and crap signal is why im running my contract down then cancelling!

plymouthbloke1974 · 03-08-2008, 22:58

This is something that boils my water!

If you ever, EVER hear an Orange CSR say that the Orange Shop / Orange Retail are a franchise and nothing directly to do with Orange need telling that they are wrong WRONG WRONG!!!!!!!

The staff there are hired by Orange, trained by Orange and most certainly are PAID by Orange.

Sorry but it's just one thing that really grinds my gears!!!!!

Just remind them of that.

Ricardodaforce · 03-08-2008, 23:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by simax

This is something that boils my water!

If you ever, EVER hear an Orange CSR say that the Orange Shop / Orange Retail are a franchise and nothing directly to do with Orange need telling that they are wrong WRONG WRONG!!!!!!!

The staff there are hired by Orange, trained by Orange and most certainly are PAID by Orange.

Sorry but it's just one thing that really grinds my gears!!!!!

Just remind them of that.

Yep, that bugs me too.

02-08-2008, 23:14	#1
Baby Chaos Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: North East Posts: 4	Screwed by Orange, what can I do? (Long) In Nov 2006 I upgraded my phone, to what I though was a new 18 month contract. I never thought anything of it, and never questioned anything about it until I decided to drop my tarrif from dolpin 35 to dolphin 25 as I was pregnant and needed the extra cash. I rang Customer services in Jan this year to talk to them about my downgrade and was shocked when she relayed back to me that I had a 24 month contract!! I went over my old bills and noticed that they had 18 month extended written on...I obviously had never clicked before. I rang orange CS again who told me they could do nothing as I upgraded in an Orange store and it was owned by different people and I would have to go through them. I was 7 months pregnant at the time and live an hour away from a store and so I just rang them...but no one picked up. I tried for two weeks leaving messages every day but still never recieved a call back. After finding the original upgrade paper work and a bill from before I changed my plan I've found out the sales person has ticked the '18 month proposition, with handset upgrade' box but next to it as scribbled out '24' on '24 month contract term!! My bills dated before Jan 08 say 'Dolphin 35 promo 18mth plan' and after say 'Dolphin 25 (24 month contract)'. This means I am 21 months into a contract, that I thought was only an 18 month AND to top it all off I don't even have that handset anymore because it was so battered after 15 months I just bought a cheap PAYG one and stuck my sim in! So...what I would like to know is if this has happened to anyone else, and if possible can anyone from Orange tell me what I can do! I've been with Orange for 5 years now and apart from this I've been quite please with their service. Thank for reading! lol

03-08-2008, 01:44	#2
agent_c Forum Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: This side of the screen. Posts: 910	Call orange. Ask them for an address for some sort of high level complaints service. I don't know what they call it., but T-Mobile refer to it as the Director's office, O2 the complaint review service. provide them a copy of that sales document. High level complaints have more power than the folks who answer the calls.

03-08-2008, 06:57	#3
Ricardodaforce Inactive Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Alacant Posts: 7,773	Sounds like the Customer Information Form did in fact state that it was a 24 month contract. You then signed the form agreeing to it. If you had read the key bits prior to signing you'd not be in this situation. Also have you checked the till receipt. I bet it says 24 month on it to.........

03-08-2008, 09:06	#4
SPARKIE1984 Forum Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: amish paradise Posts: 1,919	baby chaos ive had something a bit similar! i upgraded and i was being pushed by the chap to go for an 18month rather than 12! i stuck to my guns as i only wanted a 12 month, then just as i was about to sign i realised the crafty sod had ticked 18month hoping i would just sign it! i was bloody mad at that and expected better from orange, so told him to stick it up his arse, maybe thats happened to you?

03-08-2008, 09:22	#5
k4t1elou Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Blackpool Posts: 132	Something similiar happened to me last week. I checked online to see when I could upgrade, which I had in my mind would be around September. I had taken out an 18 month contract. The website told me I couldn't upgrade until March 2009, December 2008 at the earliest! I dug my bills out and they definitely say 18 month contract. I rang Orange and he said I'd been put on a 24 month contract by mistake and he changed it to what it should have been. My contract was actually due to run out on 2 September 08.

03-08-2008, 17:52	#6
Baby Chaos Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: North East Posts: 4	Well I rang Orange, and actually spoke to a nice person! As far as getting anything done about an apology or sorting anything out about my mis-sold contract I will be sending a letter and a copy of my bills/sales sheet to Orange HO and OFCOM. The guy on the phone admitted tht dealers often do this for commision but he could not change my contract term for me, but he has agreed to give me an excellent deal at the end of the month (lets hope it materialises!.) I now know not to go through an Orange store for anything!

03-08-2008, 17:57	#7
SPARKIE1984 Forum Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: amish paradise Posts: 1,919	make sure you chase them for what was promised! they're out of order for altering my form, and that along with their crap handsets and crap signal is why im running my contract down then cancelling!

03-08-2008, 22:58	#8
plymouthbloke1974 Forum Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Destination: Hard Brexit Posts: 6,368	This is something that boils my water! If you ever, EVER hear an Orange CSR say that the Orange Shop / Orange Retail are a franchise and nothing directly to do with Orange need telling that they are wrong WRONG WRONG!!!!!!! The staff there are hired by Orange, trained by Orange and most certainly are PAID by Orange. Sorry but it's just one thing that really grinds my gears!!!!! Just remind them of that.

03-08-2008, 23:02	#9
Ricardodaforce Inactive Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Alacant Posts: 7,773	Quote: Originally Posted by simax This is something that boils my water! If you ever, EVER hear an Orange CSR say that the Orange Shop / Orange Retail are a franchise and nothing directly to do with Orange need telling that they are wrong WRONG WRONG!!!!!!! The staff there are hired by Orange, trained by Orange and most certainly are PAID by Orange. Sorry but it's just one thing that really grinds my gears!!!!! Just remind them of that. Yep, that bugs me too.

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Screwed by Orange, what can I do? (Long)