Mobiles.co.uk - Auto Cashback (sorry if this is a repeat)

bondipops

This is my first post on MoneySavingExpert so apologies if I have got the etiquette wrong; I am aware that this subject has been discussed before so apologies for the repeat.

So my situation is that I purchased an HTC Desire on the 26th of May. The agreed deal included £240 Auto cash back. I clearly asked them to clarify how payment works in layman's terms and was told the following:

In order for the cheque to be raised I would need to wait 2 periods of time. The first period was for 14 days upon receiving the phone in case I returned and cancelled my policy (which I did not). The second period was to allow the cheque to be raised and this would take an additional 14 - 28 days.

I received the phone on the 27th May which means the initial 2 week period finished on the 10th of June. I spoke to mobiles customer service department on the 7th who confirmed that the cheque would be raised on the 11th June and that I would receive it within 14 - 28 days after this date; meaning and confirmed that I would receive the cheque at the latest on the 9th of July.

On the 22nd of June I decided for good measure to confirm that the cheque had been raised and that I was in line to receive it on time which customer service department confirmed that I had.

On the 1st of July (9 days later), I decided to check one last time before my due date that the cheque was on its way; and this is when Mobiles customer service department tell me there has been an issue with the raising of the cheque, or in their words an 'error' which means that the cheque will need to be raised again. What I don't understand is why, if there was an error on the 15th of June, did they not inform me on the 22nd of June and only when I had called on the 1st of July, meaning that probably it was my call on the 1st of July that prompted them to re-raise the cheque. The person I spoke to at customer services told me that I should receive the cheque as normal on the 9th of July.

Today it is the 6th of July and I thought now is as good as time as any to clarify what is happening with the cashback cheque. I spoke with customer services who told me that the cheque has now been raised again on the 1st of July and that I would receive it 14 - 28 days after this date. Until this point I was prepared to be patient with Mobiles and give them the benefit of the doubt; but there are a couple of things that stood out as contradicting each other...
Firstly if there was an error and they could not raise the cheque on the 15th of June, why did they not tell me on the 22nd, and why did they only raise the cheque after I called them in the 1st of July last week??? And Secondly - upon being told that I had to wait another 14 - 28 days after the 1st of July I questioned customer services saying that it was unacceptable and what if an 'error' repeats itself during July and I have to wait a further 14 - 28 days (for the 3rd time) what would happen to which I was told that they themselves could raise the cheque!!! I then asked customer services why they could not raise the cheque at their end immediately, which I think the customer service man realised he had made an error in telling me that they could do this and then he back tracked and said that there would have to be 2 miss sent cheques before customer service could send the cheque themselves.


The one thing that customer service did do was confirm all the above conversations and the dates that they occurred, so thank you for that. I hope other people find this useful, Anyway I would appreciate some answers from mobiles as my patience is waring thin. Thanks for reading this


Nick

mobilejunkie

Nothing new there then. Though not a repeat as such it's normal for this lot. If the cheque hasn't arrived by the 9th, send a LBA (c/o cpw registered office) demanding payment within 7 days and stating that if not recived by then you will commence legal proceedings since they have already broken the t&c they contracted to. That's the kind of customer "support" they generally do actually care about. Make sure you send a copy of the letter (assuming it's necessary) via email to mobiles.co.uk so they can expedite your money. If you'd done your research on here you would have a better idea of who you have dealt with.