Orange are liars... help needed please.

[Guest lawsonium]

Ok this is my dilemma.

In November last year I received a call from Orange telling me that I was entitled to either a free phone (described as ‘any’ phone) or £4 credit on my account every month for a year as a ‘loyalty’ reward. I mentioned to the guy that I was due for an upgrade soon anyway as I had not upgraded for over two contract terms so I would like to have the £4 credit. I asked if this choice would affect my intentions to upgrade my phone or would upgrading my phone cause me to loose my £4 credit to which he replied a definite NO. With this pleasing news ringing in my ears I accepted the £4 and ended the call by asking one last time if I was now able to look at upgrading my phone in the next few weeks, again he said this was fine.

I pondered for a couple of weeks as to which phone I should get, finally deciding on the MPx200. I located my nearest Orange Shop that had them in stock (Cardiff) and rang Orange (150) once more to query my ability to do this as well as accepting the monthly £4 credit. AGAIN the answer was yes that is fine, no problem.

Next I visited the Orange shop, explained that I was well overdue for an upgrade and I also explained the conversation I had with the Orange guy who had phoned a few weeks earlier. They were ok with what I was telling them and said that the upgrade was a separate thing from the promotion they had offered me. So I went ahead.

The first bill I received was on Jan 8th but only had about a third of the £4 credit which I just put down to the fact I started mid-month or maybe a mistake so I thought I’d let it go till this month and see if the same happened and query it then.

Well today I received my Bill dated Fed 8th which didn’t have any credit on it at all. So I rang Orange and the woman explained that I had breached their contract T’s and C’s by getting an upgrade and my credit had been cancelled!!!!!! I told her much the same as what I have written here and she told me that she couldn’t do anything about it and that no one can do anything about it.

I asked her to file an official complaint and she said no and that I can only do that if I write to Orange!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Jesus I thought they really are a bunch of liars and cheats.

So she said she has arranged for the guy who rang me in November to ring me back to ‘discuss’ what was said in the original conversation. To which I can only think he is going to deny ever saying any of these things.

What do I do?

Anyone had a similar experience?

Does anyone have an address for Orange complaints department?

I would appreciate any help on this I am really pee’d off about the way they have lied to me.

Thanks,

Matt

[Guest nickcornaglia]

The contact us section on http://www.orange.co.uk has always served me well with quick responses. And I'm not even and Orange customer...living here in the US.

[Guest Smoovey]

Now why does this not surprise me that Orange would do such a thing? :roll:

I am afaird there are a very limited set number of routes you can follow. At one point it was possible to call the executive office and speak with one of their representatives. However, like many items on Orange, it would seem the executive office is losing power and cannot do a lot.

First up I would call 150 and ask them go over the notes on your account - find out if there was a mention as to who left and note, their extention details and when it was placed. Make sure you get as much information as possible. Calling the frontline at Orange is like Bingo, you can get someone super helpful and other times representatives who don't care less. So just keep calling and asking; you will find someone useful :)

At this point you can ask to speak with a supervisor. They will assist further but what you really must do is write to Orange at customer concerns at the following address: Orange Customer Care Department, PO Box 10, Patchway, Bristol, BS32 4BQ, United Kingdom. I know this is a pain but it is their way of working.

I would suggest you will take this matter to trading standards. That does hold leverage. However, you must without exception write to them before approaching Trading Standards; otherwise they cannot help you.

Good luck!

[Guest lawsonium]

Thanks guys. I think I will write a letter to see what the response is, so cheers for the address Smoovey. I wonder if the guy will ring me or not... Even if he does I will persue this through every avenue I can, it really got my goat you know.

You just get fed up sometimes of people telling you whatever they think they can get away with as long as it gets them out of doing any work. Britain is a very unhelpful nation.

Thank god for places (like MoDaCo) where like minded people can pool their own help and advice.

I will let you guys know what happens.

Matt.

[Guest Smoovey]

Agreed.

It really is amazing what sales-representatives will sometimes say and do to get business. However, sometimes, especially with Orange it is not always down to the frontline. They are usually the last to know changes which happen and are put onto tight timing schedules. It is fundamentally their job to take abuse from customers - for items which they didn't cause to begin with - then get rid of moaning clients. I know this isn't fair on either the customers or frontline representatives but that is how business is now :)

Stick with it, I don't blame you got being annoyed at all. Been there and suffered enough similar experiences to know it can be tough. Don't budge your ground and they will compensate you ultimately.

Good luck!

[Guest shadamehr]

In relation to Orange stating you have "breached their terms and conditions... blah blah blah..."

I would fight fire with fire, by telling them that in your view, Orange have breached THIER terms and conditions as oulined to you verbally on at least three occasions, and you are therefore of the opinion that the contract is now null and void.

You will thus be cancelling your Direct Debit forthwith, and should Orange disagree with you, they may excercise their perogative to take court action with you over this, at which point you will outline to the judge exactly what you have stated already, being confident that the judge will then indeed find Orange to be in breach of contract, as amended by the verbal promises they made to you.

Thus you will have nothing to pay, and all goods (phones etc) will be yours to keep.

Its a dangerous one, but you can go down it for real, if you feel happy enough, or failing that, it makes a handy tool to wave about, if you just wish to use it as a bluff, as it shows Orange that you are clearly sufficiently aggrieved as to take Orange to task over this legally.

You can always decide not to really go ahead with it, if the bluff doesn't work...

Let us all know how you get on with your letter etc though.

[Guest wilky]

PM me and I`ll see if I can sort it out without having to write a letter mate.

I think I know what may have happened from what you have written and whilst I cannot promise anything I think its easily fixed.

Cheers

Andy

[Guest rikwebb]

Bloody hell,

Just checked my bill, and they have done this to me too!!

I remember them saying that I could have a cheap upgrade or the award, and I took the award because the e200 wasnt out.

When I asked, they said if I upgraded later I wouldnt loose the award.

Looks like I will be phoning them too.

Rik

[Guest Toyota-F1.com]

Hi, I' ve had a similar problem, this is what happened:

http://www.whatmobile.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4603

[Guest R4N6ER5-RE4DY]

Visit http://www.ofcom.org.uk if you don't receive satisfaction. I phoned them (when it was oftel) about a different matter & a director from orange phoned me a few days later to sort it out.