MIS-SELLING OF MOBILE PHONE CONTRACT, DON'T KNOW WHERE TO TURN

[LaineyW]

Sorry for long post. My daughter thought she was trying to do the right thing by putting her phone contract into her name (we've always paid her mobile phone bills) and taking over the payments (she's 20 and in her second year at uni). She duly went into Phones4U, took out a new contract and got a nice new Blackberry, keeping her existing number.

They checked her account details (even debited her current account £1 to check that it was kosher etc.) and told her that her Orange Magic numbers would automatically be transferred into the new contract.

However, when we checked back through our bank statements, her phone bill was still coming out of our account. The Magic number she uses all the time (her now ex-boyfriend) had not been transferred and she's run up some huge bills.

Does anyone know where we stand legally with this? Can they sell her a contract in her name but still charge it to our account? Shouldn't Phones4U take some responsibility for the mess?

[prh47bridge]

I'm assuming both contracts were with Orange?

The contract is not as described - they haven't included all the Orange Magic numbers and have messed up on the direct debit. Complain to Phones4U. If they refuse to help your next port of call is the mobile network. If they also refuse to help you should contact Ofcom for advice.

[LaineyW]

Thanks prh47bridge. Yes, both cotracts were with Orange. DD has spoken to Phones4U and Orange now on many, many occasions and also gone into both stores in the town where she lives. They are both blaming each other. P4U keep telling her they'll ring her back by a certain day/time but don't.

She's also now been to the Citizen's Advice Bureau who have also advised her to go to Ofcom so I guess that's the next thing to do. Fortunately, she's kept a note of all communication with both P4U and Orange (including calls references).

Makes you wonder how much money they make out of unsuspecting people who eventually just get worn down after being fobbed off time and time again. It's exhausting and very stressful.

[LaineyW]

I did manage to get a reply on Twitter to my comments on the @phones4u twitter page though!