How can I get out of my mobile phone contract?

[superloopy]

We are moving to Australia next month permanently.

I called O2 today to find out about cancelling my phone contract and was told that as I had an upgrade last October and took on an 18 month contract.

To cancel the contract I have to pay out the rest of my line rental which is £25 x 12 months. No thanks!!

The guy on the phone said that I have to pay it as I signed a contract. I have been a customer for 9 years and have done all of my upgrades over the phone and have not signed a contract since the begining.

What would be the implications if I just cancel my direct debit and leave the country? We aren't planning on coming back to the UK but just incase I don't want to screw up my credit rating etc.

Anyone know what I can do? Thanks in advance!!

I had nightmares with O2 when I came to Oz. I had 4 months left on contract. Asked them 4 times (2 emails, 1 letter 1 call) to cancel (& change address to Oz address) & I would pay outstanding & the costs for early disconnection. They tried to tell me I had a 18 month contractm when I knew it was only 12.....They didn't cancel it. I didn't get any letters as the aunt who was sending on my mail kept a whole stack (she knew she was supposed to send straight away, but there is NO telling her) & they refused to change my address to my Oz address so corrospondance took ages.

I ended up with solictors threatening to take me to court for not paying, so as soon as I could I called them & settled the outstanding bill...they assured me it had been disconnected while I was talking to them on the phone & that I now did not owe them a penny more.

Six/7 weeks later, I received another pile of mail & in there were more bills from O2 (showing the previous credit) askling for 70gbp & letters from debt collection saying "you obviously do not wish to settle this matter amicabally". I wrote the debt collection agency an email & cc's it to O2 refusing to pay.

They lied about disconnecting me & then tried to charge me more after saying I didn't owe them anything......

Be careful with this company, that's all I can recommend. Sorry!!

I had hell trying to cancel mine too.
I phoned up the month before contract ended like it says to do,they said i could phone up and cancel on the last day, which i did, they then said that i needed to notify them a month before contract expired, told them i had,and they reckon i didn't because they did not have any record of it.
Can't remember what happened now in the end. But i did get it cancelled.
Does all that make sense?

Oh great.... looks like I am in for some fun times then!!