I posted this on AIBU before realising this is probably a better place.
On thursday I had a phone call on the answering machine from a strange company asking me to ring them back about the account I have with them. Upon goggling the number I find out it is linked to 'Northen Debt Recovery', who are actually not a debt recovery agency in their own right buy the in-house debt recovery branch of Orange mobile.
I had a mobile phone with Orange. The whole contract was a nightmare. I was originally mis-sold the phone. It was a blackberry bold. I went to the shop to buy a dongle as at the time I was in a rented property with no phone line, but I was advised it was cheaper to get the phone which could then be used as a modem for my laptop. On their advice I got the contract phone as it worked out cheaper, plus it had free calls. When I got home and tried then researched it on goggle I found out the phone DID NOT have this feature. I tried to return in within days on the basis it was mis-sold but range refused (they actually shouted at us in their lakeside store!). They agreed on the phone to the return but when I got to the store as advised they refused, became aggressive and refused to contact anyone else. So I was stuck with an unwanted phone for the length of the contract.
I was rather happy when I could cancel the contract at the end. This took around TEN phone calls with each call denying the existence of any previous call. I requested a pay as you go SIM card from them retaining the same number. They claimed to post it, but after many many calls it never arrived. So after over a month of waiting I gave up and transferred the number to O2 (SIM card arrived in days!).
I thought finally I'd never have to deal with their poor communication and service again. I stopped the account. Checked if there was anything else, answer: no.
Now months down the line debt recovery are apparently putting marks on my credit rating. I recieved no final bill from Orange, I had had itemised bills for the length of the contract. When I phoned them i was told there was £31 outstanding. They have made no attempt to inform me of the amount or contact me until the phonecalls start from debt recovery. I paid the amount as I don't want it to escalate but stated I want a copy of the bill itemising how I owe them the money. I don't understand how I can considering I paid the length of the contract! The guy on th ephone was useless, his english was not at the level to deal with the request, in fact at first he wouldn't even take the payment as he couldn't work out what I was asking to do. So I tried emailing them. No reply. Can't access my online bills on the website (probably as so long since I left them). So the upshot is I've paid them money, without any explanation of how I owe it plus I probably have a poorer credit rating. I hae never in my life missed a single payment on any loan or bill.
All this is on top of crap reception for the length of the contract and a mildly faulty handset which they wouldn't replace.
Really I hate them with a passion. Does anyone know where I can go from here? It seems to be a common trick of theirs, when I searched google I found lots of complaints about orange sending no final bill and then passing on debt to debt recovery agents. Also there is a website claiming to be making a documentry about them.