Disclaimer: I know I can't actually 'insist' but let's say, strongly advocate...
I look after almost all bills for our family, but dh's phone is obviously in his own name so he has to deal. All money is shared in joint account and bills, including phone, paid from that.
DH has had an ongoing cluster fuck saga with his phone. Back in April he got a new contract with handset but changed his mind (within a few days) and took handset back to Carphone Warehouse asking to cancel the contract. He was just planning to keep his old phone and take the standard out of contract tariff. The shop said they couldn't cancel the tariff as it was with the provider but they took the phone and said they would send it back with an explanation and the provider would call him.
After some weeks he called them and they said they had no record of this but eventually found it and corrected his account. But they kept sending bills for random amounts of money. He's not very on top of finances so as far as I know just paid the random amounts without checking. A month or so ago he wanted to change providers so got a new contract with the new provider, rang the old one for PAK code etc.
Since then they have been sending final demands, overdue bill letters etc etc for different random amounts. He has called them numerous times and every time they have no record of his previous calls. But each time they agree that they can close his account and he'll just have to pay a 'fibal amount'. He has paid different sums of final amount 3 or 4 times now. The last time they sent a letter asking for fifty odd quid and when he rang the customer assistant said he was listed as owing over £500 (presumably for the handset). HOWEVER the assistant agreed that that was an error as the handset has been returned.
I cannot believe the incompetence. Every call leads to them agreeing that he is right and they will close his account but it never seems to happen. Today another letter arrived asking for £58, from a debt recovery agency this time.
If it was me, I would have raised hell long before now. This is part of the reason I deal with all bills. I understand why he hasn't - we've had a stressful time lately and he finds confrontation difficult. The first time, even I might have paid up to save the hassle. But given that there have been so many final demands, AIBU to say enough is enough because
a) they are bloody out of order using scare tactics like this to make us pay what we don't owe
b) there's no guarantee or even likelihood that paying up would be the end of it
c) they are a huge and reputable telecoms provider and absolutely should be able to get this sorted through official complaints procedures - they're not going to send someone round to kneecap us
d) the ongoing saga could be affecting his credit rating negatively
and e) it's family money he's shelling out! We're not on the breadline but all money is budgeted and to pay this latest demand we'd have to take the money out of savings. I don't think this is fair when all that is required is a bit of confidence and effort.
I want him to ring, ask to speak to a manager, detail the catalogue of incompetence and raise an official complaint saying he will pay no more AND asking for compensation. I know he won't want to. AIBU?
Sorry, that turned into a bit of a rant!