[Craiky1506]

Hi.

I just got a text message from Orange saying to ring them urgently so I did and apparently I've racked up a bill of £250 for the month. Right, stupid on my part perhaps. However, he said it's because I've spent 900 minutes on the phone, when my contract is 100 minutes.

However, in the shop I categorically remember the bloke saying I had free calls to other Orange users, he didn't say anything about this magic number stuff... therefore I had no reason to check it. I'm so angry right now as I'm a student who could barely afford the £20 I was supposed to be charged and now I have this looming over me. I'm pretty sure I haven't spent that long on the phone anyway!

Do I have a leg to stand on?

[TheGrinningSkull]

(Original post by Craiky1506)
Hi.

I just got a text message from Orange saying to ring them urgently so I did and apparently I've racked up a bill of £250 for the month. Right, stupid on my part perhaps. However, he said it's because I've spent 900 minutes on the phone, when my contract is 100 minutes.

However, in the shop I categorically remember the bloke saying I had free calls to other Orange users, he didn't say anything about this magic number stuff... therefore I had no reason to check it. I'm so angry right now as I'm a student who could barely afford the £20 I was supposed to be charged and now I have this looming over me. I'm pretty sure I haven't spent that long on the phone anyway!

Do I have a leg to stand on?

Well, could you ask them about this free call to orange users. I'm sure they could work out how many minutes you spent actually calling orange users so tell them this and tell them that you had no idea about this magic number.

I'm sure they'd have to be reasonable about it.

[Craiky1506]

(Original post by TheGrinningSkull)
Well, could you ask them about this free call to orange users. I'm sure they could work out how many minutes you spent actually calling orange users so tell them this and tell them that you had no idea about this magic number.

I'm sure they'd have to be reasonable about it.

Yeh, I'll have to try it. I'm sure they won't be reasonable about it though, unfortunately I feel they'll just try to fleece me of as much money as I've got (which isn't much).

[123450]

(Original post by Craiky1506)
Yeh, I'll have to try it. I'm sure they won't be reasonable about it though, unfortunately I feel they'll just try to fleece me of as much money as I've got (which isn't much).

If you've spent 800 minutes on the phone on top of your contract amount, they're not being unreasonable to charge you for it.

[Craiky1506]

(Original post by 123450)
If you've spent 800 minutes on the phone on top of your contract amount, they're not being unreasonable to charge you for it.

It's unreasonable because I got told it'd be free to other Orange users. Sure I know I'm at fault as well for not checking but I presumed they knew what they were talking about.

[OU Student]

If calls are free, there's generally a limit on that.

[Megaross]

This is the trouble with not reading contracts, always read contracts where money and billing are involved.

Best you can do is go into store or failing that ring up customer services, explain your situation, keep talking to relevant people until you get somewhere and come to a compromise. You may get a bill reduction or a payment scheme which you can afford but thats probably about all.

[JacksterD]

(Original post by Craiky1506)
It's unreasonable because I got told it'd be free to other Orange users. Sure I know I'm at fault as well for not checking but I presumed they knew what they were talking about.

So you say, but you've not actually said how many of those calls were actually to Orange users

[walterwhite123]

(Original post by Craiky1506)
It's unreasonable because I got told it'd be free to other Orange users. Sure I know I'm at fault as well for not checking but I presumed they knew what they were talking about.

Did they give you a contract? Did you read it?

[Craiky1506]

(Original post by JacksterD)
So you say, but you've not actually said how many of those calls were actually to Orange users

I only rang one person, my girlfriend, who is on Orange. I know it's still my fault, I should have looked into it... I'm not saying they're unreasonable to charge me for it, I do accept I deserve some blame.