Phone Company, cold calling, pensioner and 2 phones

Jonny_B_3

Hi all

Saw my mother in law last night for the first time in a while.

She has a brand new Nokia phone which I thought was odd as she had a brand new Sony phone just a few months back.

She said that the company had rang her and asked her about a new contract and what have you.

When I looked at the paper work it turns out its a different company that has sold her another contract for £27 a month. My Mother in Law became confused as she was on 3 and the new one is also on 3 and she thought it was the same company.

She didn't use the new Nokia phone for quite a while as she didn't know how to work it and said "Michael" kept ringing her asking why she wasn't using it.

So now she has 2 contracts, 2 phones and is shelling out over £50 a month on phone contracts.

Now, I know she has signed the paperwork and what have you but it does make me very cross that these companies cold call a pensioner and sell her something she didn't need.

I am going to ring up and kick up a fuss, maybe ask for the transcripts of the phone conversations.

What do people think?

kido_2

Don't try and kick up a fuss first just be polite and firm and ask how they can cancel the contracts.

If they don't cancel the contracts then you can kick some !!!.

pinkshoes

Go for the polite and firm tactic to begin with (on the second company), as it's really unfair to use tactics like this.

How long has she had this phone, and when did she sign? Under distance selling regulations, she might still have some time to cancel.

If you don't get anywhere, I'd then contact watchdog, along with trading standards.

Jonny_B_3

Shes had it nearly 3 months and shes been using it for 2 - whilst the other Sony phone sits idle for £25 a month.

hollydays

maybe get advice from Age Concern first?

Jonny_B_3

I spoke to the manager. He was insistent that my mother in law would have been asked a lot of questions. He also said that my Mother in Law had been called as a final call to check everything and she had told him she only had a pay as you go phone.

He then told me to ring back and ask why she had said she only had a pay as you go phone and how much it was to cancel the other contract.

I asked her and it turns out that she had been told her to say that by the pushy salesman as it would affect the deal she was getting. I also found out it was £100 to get her out of the contract she had in the first place.

I rang the manager back and he said that my mother in law should not have said that if it wasn't the truth, completely unbothered that one of his advisors is cold calling pensioners, misleading them and then telling them to lie, all in the name of his commission.

He then offered to pay off the £100 to cancel the other contract once we had paid it. I said that I wanted some confirmation and he sent me an email to that effect.

Should we just take up his offer or should we go down any other route. The phone company my Mother in Law is with won't be very happy when they find out why she is having to cancel and I begrudge paying this company any money! :mad:

Reggie_Rebel

Does she spend £25 a month on calls?

If not get her off a contract and on PAYG