Complain to O2
UK mobile network - Ofcom data shows among most complained-about for mobile services
TelecomOr start with what went wrong:
After 6 weeks (or a deadlock letter), CISAS can step in for free.
How to complain to O2
O2 has no complaints email that we could find on its own site. Use its official online form instead.
Public complaints often get faster responses
Common O2 complaints
O2 Refresh device plan disputes
Confusion between the Airtime Plan and the separate Device Plan credit agreement, or charges after you tried to settle it
This part is a credit agreement, and handling those takes FCA authorisation we don’t have. Complain to O2 first; if they say no, or say nothing for eight weeks, the Financial Ombudsman reviews it for free.
Mid-contract price rises
Annual increases you weren’t clearly told about in pounds and pence when you joined
Roaming & out-of-bundle charges
Unexpected roaming fees abroad or data charges outside your allowance
Poor signal or coverage
Coverage well below what O2's map or a salesperson promised at sign-up
Charged after leaving or upgrading
Airtime bills continuing after you switched with a PAC, or a Device Plan that wasn’t closed on upgrade
Know your exact situation?
Step-by-step guides for the most common O2 disputes - the law that applies, deadlines, and a template letter for each.
O2 ombudsman & regulator routes
Which ombudsman handles O2 complaints?
CISAS. Once O2’s own complaints process is exhausted (after 6 weeks or a deadlock letter), you can take your complaint there for free. Go to the ombudsman. Read our guide to telecoms ombudsman schemes.
Can you complain to Ofcom about O2?
Not for individual disputes: Ofcom sets the rules for the sector but does not resolve personal complaints or award compensation. Complain to O2 directly first and keep written records, then escalate to CISAS if it stays unresolved after 6 weeks or you receive a deadlock or final-response letter. You can still report O2 to Ofcom to flag systemic problems, but that will not get your own money back.
Laws that protect you
Consumer Rights Act 2015
Your O2 airtime service must be provided with reasonable care and skill, and any device must be of satisfactory quality and as described.
Consumer Credit Act 1974
With O2 Refresh your handset sits on a separate Device Plan - a regulated credit agreement. You can pay it off any time to stop it, and finance complaints go to the Financial Ombudsman.
Ofcom General Conditions
Since January 2025 mid-contract price rises must be set out in pounds and pence at sign-up. If O2 didn’t make an increase clear, you may be able to exit penalty-free.
Communications Act 2003
The framework behind switching, PAC codes, and number porting between mobile networks.
Tips for O2 complaints
- O2 Refresh is two agreements: the Airtime Plan and a Device Plan (credit). You can pay off the Device Plan any time to lower your bill
- Device Plan finance complaints go to the Financial Ombudsman after 8 weeks; airtime and service complaints go to CISAS after 6
- If a mid-contract price rise wasn’t shown in pounds and pence at sign-up, ask to leave penalty-free
- For signal complaints, screenshot the coverage O2 promised at your address and log where and when it fails
- Keep your PAC and switch date - it’s the proof if O2 keeps billing airtime after you leave
- O2 has 6 weeks to resolve a complaint - after that, or with a deadlock letter, escalate free to CISAS (O2 is not covered by the Communications Ombudsman)
If O2 doesn't respond
- 1
Customer Service
6 weeks from your first complaintContact your provider’s customer service team
- 2
Formal Complaint
Submit a formal complaint: providers must log it and give you a reference number
- 3
Ombudsman Services
6 weeksFree escalation to your provider’s ombudsman after 6 weeks or deadlock
Visit website - 4
How to complain to O2
O2 has no complaints email that we could find on its own site. Use its official online form instead.
Public complaints often get faster responses
When you can escalate
6 weeks
If O2 hasn’t sorted it within 6 weeks, or sends a final response sooner, you can take it to CISAS.
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Frequently asked questions
Tools & guides for your O2 complaint
Free calculators and explainers that strengthen the case you make to O2.
- Loyalty penalty calculatorCalculate how much you’re overpaying.
- Consumer rights checkerFind the laws that back you up.
- Am I entitled? Quick quiz60 seconds to know if you’ve got a case.
- Case strength quizCheck if your complaint has legs in 30 seconds.
- Broadband speed complaint generatorGenerate a complaint for slow or unreliable internet.
- Broadband speed compensation checkerNot getting the speed you pay for? Check your exit rights.
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Not sure what the law actually entitles you to? Start with our UK consumer rights guide - refunds, faulty goods, and how to enforce your rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015.
Work at O2? Reply to complaints here.
Don't let O2 ignore you
Read your O2 letter first: it cites the law that applies, sets a deadline, and says what happens when it passes. No account until you want to keep the draft and track what they do next.
Free to draft • The letter is yours either way
Disclaimer: NoReply is an independent consumer advocacy platform. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to O2 or any of the companies listed on this site. Where an address is marked verified, we read it on O2’s own site or a complaint sent to it arrived. Addresses marked not verified have not been checked, and ones marked bounced do not reach O2. This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.