3 messing me around with faulty phone

Tainted81

I've had some problems with 3 of late, regarding CS and their inability to help me with issues I'm having with my my Sony Ericsson C510. It's especially hard with a thick Belfast accent speaking to someone from India or wherever they are based.

My phone recently started heating up at the back, to the point where you couldn't hold it in your hand and had to use speakerphone 5 mins into the call. Then it began to cut out in the middle of calls and randomly restart and often it restarted the screen split in two the top half was upside down and the bottom half like a minimized version of how it should look, then the reception indoors in my house became non-existant to the point where I couldn't get any reception whatsoever indoors and had to go outside to make a phonecall, in dull and dreary Belfast this is not always a pleasant experience.

I sent the phone off to be repaired as per 3 CS request. I got the phone back from the Engineers who said they had fixed my phone by 'soldering and replacing parts' as a result, it was worse! It even came back scratched up around the lens cover on my phone. I keep my phone in very good condition. I rang 3 CS back and spent upwards of 5 hours on the phone over the next 72hrs to try to get them replace or exchange the phone since the fault was so obvious. My phone cut out twice during the phonecall marathon and I ended up having to start from the beginning with a new CS Rep each time I called back. They had the cheek to offer me a Nokia 2730 but only if I extended my contract for a further 2 months - you can imagine how that phone call ended.

Now I'm in the process of going through the complaints procedure after I brought my phone to my local 3 store (as per the request of 3 CS) only to be told I'd 'wasted my journey' by the advisor in the store despite their CS Dept telling me to visit the store and explain the problem as the first time I'd been there I had to pay £30 deposit for a loan phone whilst my first was repaired, 4 days later the money still hadn't been refunded to my account so I told them I wouldn't be paying a further £30 until the original £30 was refunded. I told them that the 3 CS Rep had told me that the store should call them directly to advise them on my repair and if any problems arose during the repair procedure and to speak to them regarding my refund. I was barely able to get a word in when I mentioned my conversation with their CS Dept and they decided to cut me up in the middle to ask me for my handset. They basically told me they couldn't do anything without £30 deposit. They wouldn't budge and didn't want to know so I took the phone back off them and left.

I emailed 3 CS approx. 9 days ago with my complaint and still haven't had a reply. I'm giving it a few more days and then I'll be taking it further.

Now i'm stuck with a phone which turns itself off on a whim, it heats up like it's just landed from space and I have to go outside to make a call. Needless to say, they won't be getting my money again unless they pull something out of the bag and redeem themselves.

The phone is covered by insurance, is still within warranty and it also has a 90-day repair warranty from the Engineers who supposedly fixed it the first time it was sent off for repair.

Where do I stand on asking for a replacement or exchange of handset as the one I have obviously isn't working, despite the problems I'm having actually trying to communicate this to 3 themselves?

Thanks

Snakeeyes21

Email [EMAIL="Executive.Office@three.co.uk"]Executive.Office@three.co.uk[/EMAIL] they are usually good at sorting things out.

Completely bypasses the CS fools and the complaints route.

I had a problem with a faulty phone and they sorted it out within a couple of days, replaced the handset and gave a nice credit to my account for my trouble

Tainted81

Thanks, I'll try that today and see how it goes.

Tainted81

Quick Update:

3 Executive Office replied today and told me that they will be investigating the issues I had mentioned and would reply back within 5 days. Has anyone went through anything along similar lines with 3 and what should I expect from them?

Once again, thanks for pointing me in the right direction Snakeyes.

seaniboy

Some satisfaction compared to India, ask 3 Exec to sent you a copy of the complaints procedure India is meant to follow for your reference & post us it aswell, mine recently got recycle binned as it was from 2005.

Tainted81

seaniboy wrote: »

Some satisfaction compared to India, ask 3 Exec to sent you a copy of the complaints procedure India is meant to follow for your reference & post us it aswell, mine recently got recycle binned as it was from 2005.

Just asked for that via email. If I get a copy, i'll forward it along to you.

seaniboy

Thanks Tainted

Tainted81

I got a call from Executive Office today and they are exchanging the phone for and one of the same make and model. I just hope this one works properly!

Thanks for the advice.

Seani, PM me your email address and i'll get that emailed to you should it arrive.