Vodafone complaints

mobilejunkie

Don't bother calling them. You've seen what happens. Contact the Web Relations Team as instructed on this thread (see post 3326 putting "WRT135 - MSE in the heading, although there may be problems at the moment) - they are the only people at Vodafone who seem to care and try to resolve a problem rather than multiplying it.

Loosetooth

Okay... so, this is directed at Lee the Vodafone Rep.

You told me that if I was unhappy with the Ombudsman's decision I needed to contact them. I attempted to explain that there was no decision. People on this forum made me paranoid enough that I emailed the Ombudsman for clarification... which they emailed me today, here it is:

[FONT=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial][FONT=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial]"In response to your email, we have informed Vodafone that you chose to withdraw from our process and opted to look to resolve your dispute outside of our service. We did not advise the company that the decision is, or is not, in their behalf, because when you withdrew your complaint the decision we had made became null and void and non-binding on the company. Therefore, we have technically not made a decision on your case and Vodafone is free to make any decision that it wishes to on your complaint, including maintaining its original position before you raised the complaint with our service.

As you have chosen to withdraw your complaint to look to resolve your dispute outside of our service, we are unable to re-open this case and you will need to pursue other means to try to get a resolution. Please note that we are an alternative dispute resolution company and there are other options available to you to try to reach a resolution aside from our service or Vodafone, such as small claims court."
[/FONT][/FONT]
Now... I do not mind if you still come here and say "I cannot help you". As stated I have now sent off an LBA. But I want that advise to be accurate and reflect the actual situation, which would be "I cannot help you, because I cannot help you" (and I do not say that antsy, that is fine if that is what it is). Not all this stuff about the Ombudsman have made their decision and that I need to contact them - which is wholly inaccurate.

Perfectly willing to go and get another number, alls I want is to speak with someone at Vodafone and whilst I am not 100% after a dialogue I will receive help (it certainly has not happened yet) at least by allowing that dialogue there will be no confusion as to what my situation is, which there has been from all sides up until now.

Silk

Loosetooth wrote: »

[FONT=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial][FONT=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial]"In response to your email, we have informed Vodafone that you chose to withdraw from our process and opted to look to resolve your dispute outside of our service. We did not advise the company that the decision is, or is not, in their behalf, because when you withdrew your complaint the decision we had made became null and void and non-binding on the company. Therefore, we have technically not made a decision on your case and Vodafone is free to make any decision that it wishes to on your complaint, including maintaining its original position before you raised the complaint with our service.

[/FONT][/FONT]

Who wrote that ?
It doesn't read very well does it.
I didn't think they make a decision anyway, they make a proposal which you then decide to accept or reject.

Loosetooth

Silk wrote: »

you will have to respond via email

Okay.... look I am not going reply to your last post, we have been around that track a number of times. I did not accept/reject... I withdrew. It is different.

As I have said to others, though, I am not this unreasonable idiot that you guys want to paint me as (ie I have reacted to what I have been given) and I try to be fair in my asessments.

I have just realised that all I have to do is hit the "reply" to Lee's email to me for my reply to go straight to him. That is pretty basic, I know. But the culture at Vodafone, hitherto, has been they respond to me in ways that brook no reply - text messages, other emails, telephone calls. So they contact you and you are not able to reply, if you do you get some kind of "Sorry, try ringing 191" response/message. Lee's e-mail address looks like one of those e-mail addresses, so I made an assumption, it was the wrong assumption.

Nonetheless, that piece of stupidity is on me and I now understand the "why you posting all this here, just e-mail Lee" mentality. For that I do apologise, it must of seemed nonsensical and annoying.

Silk

Loosetooth wrote: »

Okay.... look I am not going reply to your last post, we have been around that track a number of times. I did not accept/reject... I withdrew. It is different.

It's not different at all.
You clearly don't understand the process. Once you have contacted the Ombudsman and a proposal has been put on the table that you disagree with, you can contest it if it's an error or you have new evidence to support your claim.
They will have at this point sent the same copy to Vodafone as was sent to you so Vodafone could contest it if they wished.
If you fail to contest it within the time frame, reject it or object to it and it fails be reviewed it will then move on to be a final decision.


Once that happens there is no going back, you have the right to reject it but not to appeal. Vodafone on the other hand would have no right of appeal nor the right to reject it. At this point the door to the Ombudsman is now shut.
By rejecting the offer (or withdrawing if you prefer) it leaves you free to go through the courts without the proposal of the Ombudsman.


As you went through the Ombudsman your position is considered to be in deadlock and Vodafone will no longer discuss further (notes should be on your account) unless they choose to through their legal team if you are threatening legal action.
Be aware though that should you go to court it is very likely they will enter into evidence the offer of resolution that was put in front of you by the Ombudsman and failed to accept.

Loosetooth wrote: »

Nonetheless, that piece of stupidity is on me and I now understand the "why you posting all this here, just e-mail Lee" mentality. For that I do apologise, it must of seemed nonsensical and annoying.

Apology accepted

Loosetooth

Silk wrote: »

It's not different at all.
You clearly don't understand the process. Once you have contacted the Ombudsman and a proposal has been put on the table that you disagree with, you can contest it if it's an error or you have new evidence to support your claim.

Apology accepted.

Again... it is your understanding, in this case, that is incorrect. Re-read the email that the Ombudsman have sent me and clarifies the legal situation exactly. You cannot accept that by withdrawing the complaint at the proposal stage you have neither accepted nor rejected the offer and it leaves a person free to pursue a resolution with Vodafone or take the case to Small Claims and that all the evidence will be eligible to be heard.

I know, it is good when someone can allow when they have been wrong and apologise, isn't it?

Silk

Loosetooth wrote: »

Again... it is your understanding, in this case, that is incorrect. Re-read the email that the Ombudsman have sent me and clarifies the legal situation exactly. You cannot accept that by withdrawing the complaint at the proposal stage you have neither accepted nor rejected the offer and it leaves a person free to pursue a resolution with Vodafone or take the case to Small Claims and that all the evidence will be eligible to be heard.

I know, it is good when someone can allow when they have been wrong and apologise, isn't it?

The supposed email is suspect to say the least both from it's content and writing .
If you doubt what the situation is I suggest you go to the Ombudsman website and check the process.
I've always maintained you are free to go through the courts

Loosetooth

Silk wrote: »

The supposed email is suspect to say the least both from it's content and writing .
If you doubt what the situation is I suggest you go to the Ombudsman website and check the process.
I've always maintained you are free to go through the courts

So? It is suspect to you.... But it is from the case officer who worked my case. If Vodafone require me to forward the email and identify the officer in question I would.

Like I could care you do not accept its authenticity. What do you feel I need to prove to you? You are just a bloody minded person who cannot accept they may be wrong.

Silk

Loosetooth wrote: »

So? It is suspect to you.... But it is from the case officer who worked my case. If Vodafone require me to forward the email and identify the officer in question I would.

Like I could care you do not accept its authenticity. You are just a bloody minded person who cannot accept they may be wrong.

Try reading about the process on the website ....
http://www.ombudsman-services.org/resolving-complaints.html


Unhappy with our report?



If you or the consumer disagree with what we've proposed, you can write to us and request a review, but only if:

• we have made a significant error in fact; or
• you have important new evidence that would have a material effect on our decision, had it been available earlier.

This is the final opportunity to give us any additional information.


Stage 2- The ombudsman's final decision


If you, or the consumer challenges our report and we decide that we need to review the information or proposed resolutions an ombudsman will make the final decision.

The ombudsman’s final decision signifies the end of our process. The ombudsman’s final decision cannot be challenged and there is no right of appeal.

If the consumer accepts our final decision you have 28 days to carry out all of the actions. We will continue to work with you and the consumer to make sure that this happens.

If the consumer declines the decision or fails to respond to us with the given timeframe, the consumer loses the right to the solution offered, but remains free to complain in another way, for example through the courts.

In this situation we have no further involvement in the complaint and the case is closed.

Loosetooth

Silk wrote: »

Try reading about the process on the website ....
http://www.ombudsman-services.org/resolving-complaints.html


Unhappy with our report?



If you or the consumer disagree with what we've proposed, you can write to us and request a review, but only if:

• we have made a significant error in fact; or
• you have important new evidence that would have a material effect on our decision, had it been available earlier.

This is the final opportunity to give us any additional information.


Stage 2- The ombudsman's final decision


If you, or the consumer challenges our report and we decide that we need to review the information or proposed resolutions an ombudsman will make the final decision.

The ombudsman’s final decision signifies the end of our process. The ombudsman’s final decision cannot be challenged and there is no right of appeal.

If the consumer accepts our final decision you have 28 days to carry out all of the actions. We will continue to work with you and the consumer to make sure that this happens.

If the consumer declines the decision or fails to respond to us with the given timeframe, the consumer loses the right to the solution offered, but remains free to complain in another way, for example through the courts.

In this situation we have no further involvement in the complaint and the case is closed.

None of that is relevant because I WITHDREW the complaint.

If I had not have withdrawn the complaint then I would have had to decide whether to accept the proposal or reject the proposal and provide new evidence. But I WITHDREW the complaint, making the whole process null and void.

It free's me up to go back to Vodafone and try again. It free's Vodafone up to do as they please and it means, that should I so choose, I am free to pursue Small Claims and keep all evidence in play.

So... again and again and again. It is you that is misunderstanding the process. So let us agree to disagree... but the reason that I know I am correct is because I am living through it, have the documents and am factually correct... I do not need you to corroborate that, believe me or approve. It will happen whether you say I am incorrect or not.