Vodafone complaints

Vodafone

Hi vrp08sdu,

It's disappointing to hear how unhappy you have been with the service provided. It's certainly not the impression we want our customers to have.

I will be happy to look into this further for you. As you have mentioned that you have emailed in previously, could you let me know the email reference number and I will be able to find it and get in touch.

I must advise though, iPhone 5 plans are set and are non negotiable. This is the same for both new and existing customers. The plans can be viewed here.

You have also mentioned that you are not eligible for upgrade on some of your lines. If they are not in the last 75 days, we would be unable to offer an early renewal.

Kind regards,

Heidi
Web Relations Team
Vodafone UK

sortemout

Hi I really need help .
I have had a dispute with Vodafone about my husband’s phone since February 2011, so far I have tried to sort this out myself direct with Vodafone, then I used the Financial Ombudsman service, but the Ombudsman’s final decision is siding with Vodafone even though the Ombudsman agrees Vodafone did not do what I asked.
My original calls with my proof, of me asking for HELP, have been deleted, how very convenient.
At the end of the day , my husband was gambling on his phone using our debit card, I saw this and cancelled the card, it was not until I went onto our online banking and saw a direct debit of £388 was taken from our joint account, I called Vodafone and asked for help.
Vodafone advised me to not shut the account as I would still have to pay the rest of the line rental until contract ends, so Vodafone advised blocking his phone on over 18 internet sites, then we would not get another high bill as he would be unable to gamble on his phone as gambling sites are all over 18.
I was well happy with the Vodafone rep, she advised my bill is already high over £500, but at least it will not get any bigger.
WHAT A LOAD OF RUBBISH, I went on our Vodafone account to check out the total bill prior to the direct debit and was so surprised to see my bill was £900 plus.
Straight away I called Vodafone, as I knew the bill was going to be high , but not this much, I have four children and just do not have this sort of money, Vodafone told they would offer me a £10 goodwill voucher, how pathetic, were talking hundreds.
Vodafone would not amend the bill, I said lets go 50/50 as my husband is the stupid gambler but Vodafone said No , they wrote on their computer what was to be done, but did not implement it.
After emails and telephone calls Vodafone offered to reduce my bill by 25%, I am not accepting, I had said 50/50 and that was more than I should have been paying, so I said I am only paying for what I am supposed to and not paying for any of their error, I thought I had everything covered at home, he has no debit card, no passwords to access anything online in our house, telephone gambling is just a new invention that has caught me out.
But I asked Vodafone for help and thought they were helping me.
I have had a debt collector call me loads, they left me alone whilst it all went through the Ombudsman, but now the Ombudsman has made his final decision and says I should take what Vodafone offered me, which is 25% discount, but because we did not pay the disputed bill, Vodafone blocked the whole phone and has still charged us to the end of the contract.
So as well as Vodafone want us to pay for their error, they are charging us for a service for over a year, that we were not given.
I am now on medication and believe Vodafone have caused me all this stress, for 18 months I have been trying to sort this out.
Last week I was offered 50/50, but I suggested this at the beginning, but now the bill is higher as the line rental is on it, how do they think I should pay for a service I was not given.
I then went on the government site money claim, I called them asking what do I put in box what I owe them or what I am not going to be paying, but money claim just did not understand, if they had told me there and then that this service is to claim money and not to sort out a dispute, then I would not of processed as stupid me was trying to complete, but money claim did not tell me this service is just for claiming money, sounds so obvious now, I paid £70 and Vodafone Solicitor contacted me, advising that I had put the claim through incorrectly and was asking Vodafone for money, NO I just wanted to pay my correct bill.
So I have now lost my £70 fee and another debt agency is contacting me , also increasing my bill by £100 for their fees, it is now getting scary, I have had to tell my children not to open the door to anyone they do not know.
But I am now hoping that when Vodafone called me last week to discuss their next best offer, they said that their solicitor believes me , I was so happy with this, I am now paying £10.50 to ask for a copy of that call.
I wanted to take them to court, now my only other option is to just sit and wait or I may try the Ombudsman again because Vodafone are now admitting that their solicitor believes me, I hope this will go my way, at the end of the day my husband did wrong I tried to sort, thought Vodafone had implemented their suggestion , but NO,I have all the proof, the phone was used to access gambling website, but Vodafone told Ombudsman my husband could of accessed through home computer , gambling site said NO, Vodafone lost my cheques from earlier, they said it was lost because I put an extra 0 on reverse of cheque, I get a copy and there is no extra 0.
Vodafone tell Ombudsman they thought I was asking for block to be removed, how stupid are they, if there was a block on his phone already he would not of been gambling and I would not be here now telling the world, I have contacted the programme “Scammers” “Watchdog” and “Don’t get done get Don”, as I know I asked for a block on his phone , Vodafone know this, so why should I pay for their error, because of all this now , I feel that I should be compensated and the bill thrown away.
Please I have no extra income to afford Solicitors and I have gone all this way, please can someone HELP me.
Sorry to waffle on but this means so much to me , just because we are a family, I do not and will not accept being treated like this all because of their error, they have the money for solicitors we do not.
Thanks for listening Annette

mobilejunkie

It seems to me that the only argument you have is that the Vodafone rep told you the bill wouldn't get any higher - and then it did. Apart from that, I can't see where it is "their mistake" as you keep repeating. It also seems that you are the one making lots of big mistakes as a result of the original situation. Claimng on MoneyClaim is simply taking legal action - costing you more money for something you can't win (as you've found out). Writing to the various consumer programmes won't help at all - there are far mor worthy cases where help isn't given.

It's not Vodafone's fault or problem that your husband gambles; it's his. They are in business and when you sign a contract you are signing a blank cheque - it's up to you (or in this case him) to use it responsibly.

Whilst Vodafone's customer service is almost universally appalling, once the Ombudmsan has found against you there really IS no-where else to turn. Unless the web Relations Team (read this thread) decide to take a hand if you contact them you need to deal with the situation as it now is and stop keep trying to find a way out - there isn't one.

Maybe not what you'd like to hear, judging by all your previous actions - but THAT is very good advice.

sortemout

Its Vodafones mistake not actually putting the block on when they said they would.
No if or buts about it, a block was put on, I would have a big bill aprox £571,which I was willing to pay, but after that it would be the normal contract to pay £20.50 a month.
The situation as it is now, is that when this bill is sorted I have no issues with my husbands gambling, he is actually doing very well, this has made an awfull time in our house and I believe this is the turning point for him.

Mickyk

The answer you want to hear, but not the correct one:

Call Vodafone and tell them they are in breach of the statute, Being Meanies, and The Customer Is Always Right. Not only will they refund all charges, but they will give you extra, as well as come round and wash your windows for the next few months.


The answer you don't want to hear, but the correct one:

In this scenario, they could well have put the block on when they did, but it can take a couple weeks for all charges to show.

So even if a block was on, a website can still put charges retrospectively on your bill.

But as said above, to put a blanket blame on Vodafone is not the way forward here. I would say if they were to cover a portion of the new charges for you, then that would be generous.

sortemout

Hi you say a block could of been put on but takes a couple of weeks for it to work, sorry but this is wrong, my husband went on his phone, then the internet then the gambling site, then whilst in site you ask for credit, it is instant you can ask for £10, £20 or £30, £30 is the maxium alowd in a day, but this is not a sunbscription, the money is only credited as and when customer wants it, the Ladyluck bill coresponds within minutes of my husband being on his phone, it is an instant payment, and goes through imediatly.s scenario, they could well have put the block on when they did, but it can take a couple weeks for all charges to show.
I am not putting the whole blame on my husband and I have always said I would pay up to the day they said a block would be put on, they offer me 50% discount now when I said lets go 50/50 at the beggining, but they said no, but now they say 50/50 when I have a whole years line rental added and debt collector fees.
This is all about the principle now, I am a customer and they are taking me for a ride.
And I will not give up, so come on Vodafone take me to court.
I am sure the courts would like to hear your last tellephone call telling me that Vodafones solicitor actually believes me, that Vodafone did not block phone.
Cheers Annette

mobilejunkie

No good offering advice to those who are determined to dig an even bigger hole for themselves. Hope you have a strong shovel.

Vodafone

Hi sortmeout,

I can appreciate that you are in a difficult position with this and that is clearly causing a great deal of concern.

Although I can’t guarantee I am able to help to resolve this, I will certainly be happy to take a look into it in more detail for you.

If you could contact me via the link here with WRT135 FAO Heidi in the subject, I will investigate further.

If you could also include a link to your post and a contact number, I will get in touch.

Many thanks,

Heidi
Web Relations Team
Vodafone UK

inops

Update: my two year default-that-never-was has now been removed and my credit rating is now in good standing again. As you can imagine this is a massive weight off my shoulders.

So a huge thanks to Heidi and the web relations team for sorting this when no one else at Vodafone would.

Vodafone

Hi inops,

Thanks for posting the update. I am really pleased we managed to get this resolved for you.

If you need anything else, you know where I am.

Best wishes,

Heidi
Web Relations Team
Vodafone UK