Do Not Use Madasafish Warning!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

mattyh

I'm with MAAF, they're fine, no trouble at all. I read the t+c's before signing up, I know exactly what i'm getting and what the contract is and there's been no problems.

Like anything I think, the odd disgruntled customer is usually the result of a) The customer getting something a!se about face b) a one-off mistake by the company that, if explained properly, could probably be resolved quite quickly.

tomos42

Just a note of caution when cancelling your MAAF account:

I've been with MAAF for the past 18 months and things have been relatively hassle free. The only problem during that time was when our service when down for a few days. Technical support were very helpful (although their answers were geared very much to the non-tech-savvy, which is fair enough I suppose). They sent us a new modem FOC and everything was great. Until now...

I phoned up CS on the 21st of November stating that I would like to cancel my broadband account. I was told that 28 days notice would be required, which was fine as I had read that in the T&C's already. I was never emailed or sent a confirmation of this, but then I wasn't really expecting anything.

Now, we are normally billed £17.99 on the 15th of every month, so I was expecting our last bill to be about £2.90 for the 5 days of usage (15th December - 19th December) that we would incur. However, when I received a bill a few days ago (9th December), it was for the full £17.99 and the bill clearly stated this was for broadband use up until the 15th January. Hmm...

Skip to today, when I finally get round to phoning them up, and CS said that I should have been informed that I would be charged for a full month when I phoned up to cancel originally. I told them that was not the case and stated that there was nothing about that in their T&C's, to which they assured me that there was. I asked them to refer me to the T&C section number where this information was located, to which they put me on hold. A few minutes later I got told that there was an "error" when my original cancellation request was processed, and they would cancel my outstanding bill.

So...I didn't get charged £17.99 and actually saved £2.90, which might just about pay for the phone call (from my mobile), but it was definitely worth phoning them up!

setmefree2

Hi

I use madasafish and find it rubbish:eek:... I now use Yahoo instead but I still get to many e mails to my madasafish address to get rid of it....I can't send any e mails from my madasafish a/c....

MothballsWallet

I'm with MAAF, and I've never had any serious problems - anything that has gone wrong I've been able to sort out myself or with the help of the support team.

There was the time that the management decided to use a premium rate phone number and I was on hold for a long time (yeah, I know, but I needed to get back online because there were important emails waiting for me from recruitment consultants), and I even had a call from BT about the cost of the call...

Myke_UK

I never ever known a server not to be fixed after 20 hours...what sort of company is this that cant resolve a server problem. After spending hours calling madasafish to be told it was them it was my ISP causing the problem, only to be told 6 hours later it was their server...not once a apology..nothing..
This company really is the worst, no customer service, no real tech help, ( its ok if its in their manual and they can read it back to you)...based in south africa call center, london server that break down and cant be repaired within a reasonable time ( still waiting to access my account after 20 hours ) costing customer money in phones calls only to be given the run around...I think the £25.00 they asking to move my website and email account to another host is going to be well spent.
Good luck if you go with madasafish. ( you be as "mad as a box of frogs" if you do )

dmg24

This is one of those posts that keeps getting resurrected ...

But just to add, having worked at ntl for several years, I have known endless cases of a server problem not being fixed after twenty hours!

tincat

I've never used Madasafish, but is there any particular reason for the vitriol against a South African call centre? I've never complained about CS based in another country, as long as they are able to give the same advice as someone who works in UK. I mean, unless you wanted to go and speak with them personally, it shouldn't make a difference whether they were in the house next door or in Timbuktoo.

Whilst it would be nice for UK companies to have UK call centres, I acknowledge that it's partly my fault as a consumer that they all seem to be outsourcing to other countries; I want the lowest price possible for my services and will usually choose the service because of their competitiveness. (I suspect 90% of other MSE users feel the same).

I hope it was just your frustration that makes you sound so anti SA.

oldagetraveller

Have to agree with tincat. I recently had a set up problem with a Linksys wireless router and contacted their tech. support, by the accent of the reps. it was obviously SA based.
They couldn't have been more helpful, knowledgeable and polite. Even went to the extent of 'phoning me back a couple of times, as promised, to rectify the problem and save my 'phone costs.
I'm also with MAAF and intend to carry on with them, I've always found their CS and tech people to be very helpful and well mannered AND understandable! However, the tech. people are a bit stumped when they have to stray from the script - as a lot of "tech. support" people are, even U.K. based ones.
Also having Samara on MSE is a big bonus, she will usually always respond to both general/tech. questions and critical posts

Myke_UK

To say I have something against SA is ridiculous, all my post have been about the poor service you get from this company. I dont care where the service center is as long as they can provide up to date information and a reliable service.
And after still not being able to access my email or update my website after a day and half with no explanation is not satisfactory, I asked if there was any compensation for this down time and they kindly offered me the standard rate of..5 pence a day. its a joke, especially when they charge you 4p a minute to talk to them, multiply that by 10 call average time 15 - 30 mins a call,
So yes, i am frustrated, yes i am annoyed, and for every hour that passes and I cannot access my mail or update my website which may potentialy cost me thousands of pounds in commision i will remain frustrated and annoyed.
Im not happy...

HSBCareNot

Hi everyone!

I have been with madasafish.com for many years, but! as of now i have had enough. The latest stunt is a "Systems error!" i enquired as to what this was exzactly and was told by the pleasant Customer Services person, "ermm!?.....ah...its a Systems error!" What i advise every person who currently has a MAAF account to please check their standing order amount deducted as you may well find that you have been double even triple charged for you service.

I printed a bank statement last month and saw a monthly deduction for £114.83.
The next morning i decided to take the morning of work as i know that in order to get anywhere you need to be prepared for a 20min standby wait. I rang and eventually got through to a very pleasant CS girl and asked her why my account had been deducted £114.83 when my monthly amount is £23.55, she told me that i had been triple charged and would refunded £50.88! i did not have my bank or agreement details too hand so accepted and thanked her and was told it would not happen again!?

A month later 2nd or 3rd Dec, i went to my bank and got a print out mini statement & it showed payments to MAAF on the 2nd Dec they had charged me £49.79. I called them again and they raised another ticket on my account. I asked if they would provide me with their Regulators details and also asked who their ombudsman was and i was passed through to another pleasant chap Tahir and he told me it was a "Systems Error" and i replied "Oh that explains it!?" he assured me it would not happen again and i told him it had happened last month and now alarm bells were ringing in my head as too how long this had been going on?

Today, i went to my bank and requested a 12 month statement of all my SO's over the last 12 months. My account had registered standard payments to MAAF for in and around the contracted amount of £23.55 for broadband and telephhone, i never really use the land line unless im calling MAAF and noticed that this has been going on for some time and the payments are infront of the CS when you enquire about your account, i asked on each occasion is there any other overcharges on my account and was told No!

* Sept 4th 2009 MAAF charged £51.97, the month previous they charged £24.53
* Oct 2009 my credit card expired and there was no payment made.
* Nov 2009 they charged me £114.83
***(Called before i understood the full overcharged amount and was refunded £50.88) Paid 7-14 days after the phone call! Why can't they refund immediately it is their mistake!? Afterall they deduct my account on the exzact day each month!
* Dec 2009 charged £49.79

I then called today and spoke with another CS person and said that there was already 2 tickets on my account and that i had been overcharged again and was offered a refund of £25.45 on a payment made in Sept09 for £51.97.

I told the girl that my monthly payment was supposed to be £23.55 and was told No! it was £25.45 and i asked how this could be since my payments for the first 6 months of the contract had been £23-24 and should infact be 2.5% lower as VAT was now 15%. I was told i was wrong but i have been researching and i am correct!

I have had enough, been with them for 5+ years and it has steadily gotten worse! I now feel that although the CS are pleasant, they are simply there to fob you off. Once you catch them out refunds are offered and these are below what they should be and they will not tell you if you have overcharged at any other time unless you spend the time and effort to pinpoint them. I was told by Tahir, that if i should have any issues i should contact him, so! today after 15-20min wait for customer services, i asked for him and was asked to hold, 8 mins later the CS rep told me he was unavailable!

I now would apologise for my ramblings! any of you good people advise me on how to proceed and who i should follow my complaint with? Is there an ombudsman/regulator that i can approach?

I also am already prepared for the £40 disconnection charge and the response gained from here £11 and 28 days notice only.

Regards,

David.