Vodafone Billing Warning

mobilejunkie

I know this has been around for quite some time, but it's quite likely there are a lot of people who are unaware of what is happening. By chance (sort of!) I've discovered it's now my turn - but Vodafone seem to think it's fine to let their customers find out AFTER they've done it, so thought I'd do what THEY should be doing and inform you.

1) Up until now, ALL my contracts have been bundled on a calendar month - regardless of my billing date. I find that very useful and it differentiates (d!) Vodafone from the other networks.

2) They are moving people over to a different billing method; the same as other networks, where the bundle date will now start on any date they choose in a month - usually along the lines of the current billing date or when one of your contracts (if you have several, like me!) started.

3) They don't TELL you unless you ask.

4) It happens whenever YOU CHANGE SOMETHING; e.g. "upgrade" (God forbid!) or take out a new contract.

5) They then realign your billing dates to their new system. The EFFECT is that you only get PROPORTION of your bundle that month up to the new BILLING date - when it is restarted for the new cycle (which straddles two months normally). THIS means that people could end up with bills for calls made legitimately from their full bundles because (unbeknown to them!) they won't GET the full bundle in the shortened cycle. It ALSO means that the next bill will be much higher just for the bundle - because it will be for 1 and a part months.

So, if you change something on Vodafone CHECK and ensure you don't end up arguing about unfair charges - after all, it's clear that Vodafone are one of the worst organisations to try and sort out problems with - especially where THEY have created them in the first place!

crd3000

I couldn't agree more 'mobilejunkie'....

Vodafone can waffle on as much as they like about 'Anniversary', 'Billing Cycles' the fact that the bill is produced 'Pro Rata' (or as an Egyptian Call Centre employee pronounced it: "PRO RATED".... huh?) etc, but all the consumer sees and understands is that in a particular month (without any extra wages or extension time til the next Direct Debit, to fund it) they have been charged nearly DOUBLE their normal monthly bill. The Direct Debit dates haven't changed, so how Vodafone can think they are "helping the customer" (Customer Service quote) completely baffles me. I asked when I had been notified about this and the female said "Vodafone didn't notify you, I apologise for this". An admission that they were in the wrong.
My bill is usually £56 (2 contract phones - pre 20% VAT), BUT for January it was £94 !!! I was told to cancel my Direct Debit (I did) pay my normal amount within 2-3 days (I did) then pay the remainder (£38 ish) within a vague 2-3 weeks - with no end date/no specific due by date. Less than 2 weeks later I got a 'your account is in arrears/will be suspended' text and within a couple of days I was cut off, I was unable to send texts/call anyone/use the Internet on my phone.
I couldn't even call 191 from my mobile!!
I had to search 'saynoto0870.com' for an alternative FREE number as I can't make calls from my work phone.
When I got through they asked me to pay the bill, I said I'd pay it that evening and they resumed my service for 24 hours.
I phoned Vodafone and paid when I got home, giving my debit card No., expiry date and security code to someone in EGYPT which I WAS NOT entirely happy with.
Anyway, when pressed, she stated that I would not have another Direct Debit payment due until MARCH 6th (a lie), as indeed the person that I spoke to at the beginning of January had also stated. In fact they appeared to not be sure when I would next be billed. They just do not have a clue.
Also I have now had 4 apologies (4 different people: 2 in Egypt, one Irish male and one other Customer service 'Supervisor') because I was not notified that this bill would be coming. They have also credited my bill with £5 (another admission that they are in the wrong, as they surely would not apologise or credit the account if they are 100% correct?).

BUT..... I am still £33 worse off..... and extremely unhappy about this sharp practise/underhand technique.

Caz.

mobilejunkie

It's not THAT which you should worry about. IF they have left a mark on your credit file it could blow you away for years to come. That is what you need to tackle them on - to make absolutely certain it hasn't and get them to remove it urgently IF it has....!

Isn't it great when customers have to do their job for them - informing/warning other customers about what they're up to because they introduce such a major change without thinking it important (at least) to INFORM their customers? Too much to expoect them to CONSULT or give the option of keeping their bills as is - it IS Vodafone, after all...!

Vodafone

Hi Mobilejunkie and Crd3000,

I understand that you are annoyed with this matter, if you weren't previously warned of the changes then it would come as a shock.

So that we can look into this for you, can you send us an email here with WRT135 in the subject and a link to this thread so that we can see if we can help clear this up.

Best wishes,

Heidi
Web Relations Team
Vodafone UK

Guys_Dad

Vodafone_company_representative wrote: »

Hi Mobilejunkie and Crd3000,

I understand that you are annoyed with this matter, if you weren't previously warned of the changes then it would come as a shock.

So that we can look into this for you, can you send us an email here with WRT135 in the subject and a link to this thread so that we can see if we can help clear this up.

Best wishes,

Heidi
Web Relations Team
Vodafone UK

Why not make your job easier, Heidi? Just check who you did notify in advance. Should be a much shorter list.

Perhaps you might like to post the template letter that should have gone in advance to customers ? Certainly I was affected.

mobilejunkie

Vodafone_company_representative wrote: »

Hi Mobilejunkie and Crd3000,

I understand that you are annoyed with this matter, if you weren't previously warned of the changes then it would come as a shock.

So that we can look into this for you, can you send us an email here with WRT135 in the subject and a link to this thread so that we can see if we can help clear this up.

Best wishes,

Heidi
Web Relations Team
Vodafone UK

I am not sure how you can "clear this up"; the horse has bolted and many others are in the same situation - but without even knowing about it. I never disclose too much person information on here and without a clear purpose/objective I can see absolutely no reason to break that rule.

EIGHTOF8

Sounds like a very underhanded way of getting more money for less service.
I come to this thread looking for advice and would be grateful if anyone can help.
My situation is different to yours but, thought here would be the best place to ask.

After being with Vodafone for 10 years, I decided to leave this month as my contract ended on Feb10th and the signal where I work is non existent.
I switched to PAYT to keep my number to transfer to a new network.
On the day my contract ended, they took a direct debit for the usual amount that I would normally pay. I emailed them, and asked why. They sent me back this:
“I checked your account for the mobile number 07********* and see that the £**.** (Inc. VAT) was you bill for the month of January 2010 and it was payable on 10th February 2011.
Due to this we've taken the payment on the same date when your account was transferred from Pay monthly to PAYT.
I trust this helps.”


Now, as I can no longer access my billing online anymore, I can’t check. I have just tried calling them, only to be passed from 1 call centre to 2 others and ended up in the wrong department.
I just find it very odd that the amount I normally pay was taken on the day the contract ended.
Does this sound right to you?

narika

mobilejunkie wrote: »

I am not sure how you can "clear this up"; the horse has bolted and many others are in the same situation - but without even knowing about it. I never disclose too much person information on here and without a clear purpose/objective I can see absolutely no reason to break that rule.

Totally agree MJ.

No point in disclosing the identity.
I dont think these voda reps are any different from their CS who we get through on the phone.

end of the day I look at the productivity. I see a spectacular CIRCULAR percent of issues resolved by these reps in here except for doing the usual PR replies.

mobilejunkie

EIGHTOF8 wrote: »

Sounds like a very underhanded way of getting more money for less service.
I come to this thread looking for advice and would be grateful if anyone can help.
My situation is different to yours but, thought here would be the best place to ask.

After being with Vodafone for 10 years, I decided to leave this month as my contract ended on Feb10th and the signal where I work is non existent.
I switched to PAYT to keep my number to transfer to a new network.
On the day my contract ended, they took a direct debit for the usual amount that I would normally pay. I emailed them, and asked why. They sent me back this:
“I checked your account for the mobile number 07********* and see that the £**.** (Inc. VAT) was you bill for the month of January 2010 and it was payable on 10th February 2011.
Due to this we've taken the payment on the same date when your account was transferred from Pay monthly to PAYT.
I trust this helps.”


Now, as I can no longer access my billing online anymore, I can’t check. I have just tried calling them, only to be passed from 1 call centre to 2 others and ended up in the wrong department.
I just find it very odd that the amount I normally pay was taken on the day the contract ended.
Does this sound right to you?

Not only does it sound correct (supposedly you're still on the original billing system) but you will get another bill in February for payment in early March. The distinguishing thing about Vodafone (others could add some less positive things!) is that their bills covered a calendar month - regardless of the billing date. In this case the January bill for for the line rentail from 1-31st January (even if it was produced on, say, 5th - though yours must have been around the end of January for the direct debit to go out on 10th February). That ALSO means that the February bill will also charge from 1st - 9th February. That is correct and there's not much you can do about it unless you're not still on the calendar month billing.

EIGHTOF8

Thanks very much for explaining that.:A

eagleeye

that's why i left vodafone last year.The bill are confusing and billing cycle(bundle minutes) & bill dates are different.Then each month they used to charge me 32 to 60 pence extra although minutes used were always with in the bundle.I'm on O2 at the moment & really happy with their billing service apart from the mobile internet connectivity.