O2's Chief Executive is Ronan Dunne

For a company in the communications business - O2 seem to be pretty bad at it. Maybe that's why parent company Telefonica's profits in 2011 were down almost by half. They still made £4.6bn though. Here's how they do it. 

They help themselves to our money without our authority

My partner wanted to move her Broadband to a new address. O2 don't serve that telephone exchange so the price would jump from £14.95 to £28 a month. Although she was still in contract by a couple of months O2 said there would be no cancellation charge because of this.

So she was quite surprised a week or so later to receive a demand for £39.64 cancellation charge.

I phoned O2 and asked them to amend it. After much discussion a supervisor, Rory, promised they would re-issue the final bill for the correct amount. That was September 9th. 

Nothing happened. Does this sound promising? You're right. It doesn't. Something is going to go wrong. It will, but not quite yet.

So on 2nd October I call again. Sarah agrees the final bill should be just£ 5.81 - but we can't pay now because O2 have cancelled the direct debit. She promises to call back to take the payment tomorrow when her supervisor has amended the account.

I have a feeling of deja-vu.

3rd October - No call from Sarah at O2. But she promised I hear you say. I know, she promised, but she lied.

4th October - I call again. This time it's Gary. He promises either he or Sarah will call back later to take the payment of £5.81.

5th October - No call from O2. But they promised! I know. They lied.

5th October - O2 help themselves to £39.64 from my partner's bank account. Yes that's right they just stole £39.64.

THAT'S HOW O2 MAKE £4.6 BILLION PROFIT - THEY HELP THEMSELVES TO OUR MONEY!

6th October - Saturday night 7.30pm I phone O2 again. This time its Mark. He doesn't know the name of the Chief Executive of O2 (Ronan Dunne). I ask to speak to a manager. After much faffing about with nonsensical explanations that no one can help he puts me through to his boss Wayne.

Wayne knows Sarah's boss, Kerry, but only Kerry can put this mess right. Kerry's gone home.

I explain we don't have a contract with Kerry, our contract is with O2. And O2 is in breach of the Direct Debit Guarantee (they take your money without consent, they must give it back).


Apparently I can email in a complaint.

So here is my complaint. I've also tweeted this article to Ronan Dunne, the CEO at O2. No one I've spoken to at O2 knows his name. His twitter address is @ronandunneo2. If O2 have taken any money from you, or failed to call you back you might want to give him a shout. 

I've asked for a letter of apology, a full refund, and £25 compensation for the almost 2 hours I've spent correcting O2's mistake. 

With £4.6 billion in the bank O2 can afford it.

Update 20th November 2012 

After filing a formal complaint O2 finally confessed they were completely at fault. They said they would refund the money they stole, and offered £15 compensation. 

But then they failed to hand back the cash, and said my partner must send in her bank statements to prove they hadn't. She politely declined - would you trust O2 with your bank statements? 

Pushed to increase their offer of compensation to £25, O2 refused. Now we've referred them to the Ombudsman who will investigate. Apparently the Ombudsman Service will charge O2 £400 to tell them they must give back the money. 

This is a company who don't seem to care how heavily they trample on their customers, but with £4.6 billion profit last year O2 can afford it.