Vodafone/CPW: Refusal to refund after overcharging. I'm posting the full convo

Dear Neil Blagden, Customer Service Director,

I am writing to complain about an issue with Mobile.

I have already raised my issue within your organisation, but I feel that my issue is still unresolved, hence my need to involve you in helping to resolve this problem.

Here is what happened: I agreed to a Vodafone contract, to pay £15.30 a month for 12 months on 15/10/15 through Mobiles.co.uk (Carphone Warehouse).
Soon after, my partner's apartment burnt down, and I had just started a 3 year degree. I wasn't paying as close attention to my bills as usual. Subsequently, it was not until months later that I realized I was being overcharged by £20.30 a month as I was on the wrong tariff - the Mobiles.co.uk deal I had agreed to should have resulted in my eventually paying £66 in total for my line rental over the 12 months, after cashback. I went to submit this and realized I was being billed for the wrong amount.

I contacted Vodafone immediately by telephone, but was told I would need to speak to Mobiles.co.uk.
I immediately spoke to Mobiles.co.uk, who assured me they would look into the matter and I would hear back from them within days.
This was the start of many phone calls placed to Mobiles.co.uk, and Vodafone, neither of which would take responsibility. This took place between March - May. Vodafone customer service were quite certain whenever I called that this was not something Vodafone could do a thing about - because of the relationship between Carphone Warehouse and Vodafone. Carphone Warehouse were quite certain there was nothing that could be done, not until some crucial conversation had happened between themselves and Vodafone, to confirm the facts - something they never succeeded in doing, despite repeated promises that this would happen.

In May, my partner emigrated and I went to live with him abroad for awhile. We left the SIM with a friend - there seemed to be no way of resolving this erroneous billing - Mobiles.co.uk would lie that they would do something, and insist that they were writing notes, but there would never be any when I called back, and Vodafone would just say, talk to Mobiles.co.uk. Neither of us could figure out what to do, and I decided I wanted to protect my credit score, so would keep paying the bills until the contract was over. Much upset and grief was caused, stress created, frustration, and anger at our mistreatment. It was easier just to put it all aside and accept that we were being ripped off, than try to get somewhere - every time it seemed like perhaps we had, after a very long conversation involving multiple Mobiles.co.uk staff, or having been passed around to multiple Vodafone staff, nothing would come of it, and it would be as if nothing had ever happened.

Between May and October, the SIM was used. It is very unfortunate that it was not kept to the 2GB usage, but we had given up at this point. The cashback (£130 ish, see attached documents) was also not paid, due to the bills being submitted not being those that Mobiles.co.uk expected to see related to this contract/claim. I had informed them of the discrepancy prior to claiming, but nonetheless the cashback was declined, so we didn't get that either. I thought it may as well be put to some use (I regret this in hindsight - I should have continued to barely use it, and continued fighting to get refunded, but I had more going on in my life than trying to get a bill straightened out). At this point, I was not aware it was a 24 month contract - I had not thought to ask anyone to confirm the contract end date, had just assumed it would be the one on my order confirmation (see attached).

In September 2016, I called Vodafone to cancel the contract. I was told an exit fee of over £200 would be applicable, as I was told, the contract had a 24 month duration (I had signed a 12 month contract).

I didn't know what to do! I had just started my second year of University. I was very upset, and shocked, and felt terribly badly treated - I was now expected to pay hundreds and hundreds of pounds more, for a contract I had never agreed to.
I didn't know where to turn.

On 28th October my partner decided to post about this matter on the Money Saving Expert forum, to ask for help as to what to do next. We were not aware of the Resolver service until today 28/11/16.

On 11/11/16 Carly from Vodafone posted suggesting I use the Social Escalations Form with code WRT135. I have since spoken to a number of staff (it is usually a different member who responds to every e-mail). All communication has been by e-mail (at my request), the ticket number is #14711125. I have not been offered my money back, only a partial refund.

A few days ago, I decided I would have to go to the Ombudsman. I have wasted a huge amount of time over this, been caused a great deal of stress, been lied to, had to try and "haggle" simply for a full rather than partial refund, argue my case, over and over, it has been a total nightmare. I have been given the impression that I am believed to be a liar, whenever I have mentioned the numerous phonecalls I placed in the past to Vodafone and Mobiles.co.uk, since through no fault of mine, your systems do not automatically create call records. I do not know who is responsible, but I do know that Vodafone have taken responsibility, apologized and tried to take "corrective action" (which has led to further shambles).

A few days ago (23/11/16), I was shocked to receive an e-mail confirming that I have agreed (I have not!) to a 12 month contract with Vodafone, beginning 22/11/16. I cried, not for the first time over this matter.

Firstly, I would like a refund of the difference in line rental for 6 months of the first 12 month period.
That is £124.20 (£36-£18.30=£20.70*6).
Secondly, I would like a refund of all charges, including any for a "notice period" since the end of the minimum contract term that I actually agreed to and was incorrectly refused permission to give notice of cancellation for in September - 12 months. I have not placed the SIM inside a phone since that 12 month period ended.

Since I stupidly decided to "give up" straightening out this contract I was being forced to pay for, from May onwards, I will leave it up to you as to whether or not you refund me £124.20 (£36-£18.30=£20.70*6) for that period. I understand that if you were to bill me for this usage as "out of allowance" it would be much higher. However, I at this time doubted I would ever be refunded because taking Vodafone to court seemed too time consuming and not something I have any knowledge of, and all my time and effort had gotten me nowhere - which is shocking, quite frankly - how can something like this happen with any company, let alone one with thousands of staff and a global brand.

I have spent at least 40 hours on this. My time is valuable to me. I have felt frustration, sadness, exasperation, defeated, very stressed, angry, incredulous. I have cried on multiple occasions. Upon sitting down to spend some more time on this today my partner asked me not to, said whenever I look at this, I get very stressed. But I'm determined to follow this to the end - I need that money back, I know I won't get this time back. I will need to take a short break and then get back to my degree once I send this. I really hope this is the end of months of stress and despair. I mean that.

The thought of signing up for any sort of contractual minimum length agreement, direct debit agreement, or giving my personal information to a company is quite scary now - I know this is very unusual, but I also know that if something goes wrong, you're at the company's mercy, and the fact that I've been signed into a new contract without a hint of any sort of permission or mention of, or anything whatsoever that could ever be mistaken to even vaguely resemble wishes to sign a new contract with you, and be subject to all the problems and incompetence that I have been over the last 12 months, is quite insane... and I wonder also, perhaps illegal?

Please reply back via this email address, as I would like to keep all my communications in one place.

Yours sincerely,

(me)