Cancelling with T-Mobile

osirisja

Hi all

I wanted to bring to your attention the problems I have had trying to cancel my T-Mobile contract. They really epitomise all that is wrong with the way in which some large organisations treat customers with pure contempt and disrespect these days!

First of all, I never really had any issues with t-mobile's mobile phone service - just their customer care. I had simply found a better deal elsewhere.

I called in March this year to cancel two accounts with them. I was told to put it in writing which I duly did. T-Mobile then wrote to me telling me they were sorry I was leaving them, but I was to phone them (After telling me to put the cancellation request in writing)! I had already made my decision to leave and I wasn't prepared to try and be cajoled by some sales person trying to offer me a better deal if I stayed so I didn't call, thinking that I had done what was necessary by putting it in writing.

Through April, May, June and July they continued trying to take the direct debits from my account (which I had cancelled) and then I was hit with a letter from a debt management company demanding the sum of ~£172 in August. To make matters worse, I was informed by my bank that I had been red flagged by a credit reference company, just when I was trying to get my business off the ground, so because of this, I was refused a business bank account! I went ballistic!

I called T-Mobile and spoke to a stroppy and unhelpful agent who happened to find it funny when he told me to put my complaint in writing! I put it in writing, attaching my original cancellation letter, and they wrote back saying it was because I hadn't phoned them! So I phoned the T-Mobile complaints department, and oh my, what a joke!

So many excuses. When I asked them why they didn't call me to discuss they said they didn't have a record of my phone number (even though it was written at the top of all of my correspondence). But the best excuse I ever heard when I pointed out my number on my letters (bearing in mind this is T-Mobile), was "We don't have the facilities to make telephone calls!".

The funny thing was though, I called the debt management company to reluctantly pay the requested sum and they told me that T-Mobile had actually reduced the balance outstanding - so after all, they were in fact prepared to cancel one of my accounts retrospectively based on my cancellation letter and complaints!

Obviously I feel a personal grievance towards T-Mobile, but the way they have tried to 'con' me into paying by confusingly requesting phone calls, then letters, then phone calls and so on, is unprofessional and unnecessary. I am pursuing this through whatever means I possibly can, but in the meantime, if you want my advice - steer well clear of T-Mobile!!! At least until they become a little more customer centric!

grumbler

To be fair, at the very start of the T&C they say:

Terminating this Agreement. You can phone Us and give 30 days’
notice to terminate this entire Agreement with effect from the end of
(or after) the Minimum Term.

However "can" is a little vague as it is not clear whether you can use other ways of giving the notice.
Anyway, they have to have a log of your telephone call in March and they don't deny receiving the letter.
Complain to the ombudsman and demand the incorrect 'debt' claims to be withdrawn and the default records in your credit files to be removed.

osirisja

Hi Grumbler

Thanks for your feedback. Originally I did Phone to cancel but they told me to put it in writing - that's what is so infuriating about it. Every other service provider insists on putting cancellation requests in writing as well because phone calls are inadequate (for whatever reason!).

But I think what has irritated me more than anything is T-Mobiles inability or refusal to 'call' customers to 'discuss' issues such as this, instead choosing to leave it to fester and causing more problems for individuals like you and I. If they had called at the start, this would not have become such a problem.

What's even worse is they expect customers to Call but not Write, but for them they expect themselves to Write but not Call! Where is the consistency?

Rant over

Cheers

Andy

Buzby

They're trying to have their cake and eat it, but you'll be glad to know they don't have a leg to stand on. I'm assuming all payments have now stopped? It is a shame you paid anything to the Debt Collectors as this can be construed as an admission that you did wrong.

Assuming you have calculated everything correctly (the supposed 'final payment' 30 days from giving notice, and that both accounts were explicitly mentioned, your notice is full and final, they cannot attempt to modify the exit by getting you to call, and like you would have no time to isten to CS begging you stay. They usually dress this up as 'security' to ensure your wishes are not being misrepresented, but this is bogus. Providing you wrote from your usual address, quoted the A/c numbers and signed the letter, it is a done deal.

Work out how much you have been erroneously been made to pay (you want all this back) and a total removal of all adverse credit data entered on your file due to their error. Give them 28 days to comply, stating that without the refund and assurances of the credit file correction, you will without further notice raise a Small Claims action for the full costs in curred in resolving the matter.

This may concentrate their minds in resolving the issue, but ensure that if they don't, you do!

grumbler

Buzby wrote: »

Work out how much ... a total removal of all adverse credit data entered on your file due to their error.

I think you cannot do this at any cost. You have to force T-mobile to remove the record(s).

c-m

Complain to MD.complaints@everythingeverywhere.com

Buzby

grumbler wrote: »

I think you cannot do this at any cost. You have to force T-mobile to remove the record(s).

You misunderstand - the requirement is part of the judgement procedure, this requires the defender to comply as part of the action (which is why 'Moneyclain' is no use). It is this that provides the requirement for removal, not a request.

grumbler

I see. I was wrong in assuming that the "Small Claims Court" is the same as the online "Money Claim"

osirisja

Grumbler, Buzby, C-M - I want to thank you all for your very valued feedback. T-Mobile actually make you feel as if you are in the wrong and they are squeaky clean but a little customer care and little dusting of professional courtesy will always put any company in good stead, particularly when dealing with minor disputes - I apply that mentality in my own business and it never did me any harm.

I have stopped all payments and have written once again to them informing them of my displeasure along with my intention to pursue this at the highest level, but I felt I had to resolve the payment with the Debt Agency as I did not want my personal credit rating tarnished any further. Stupidly, I thought it was them that had flagged my credit rating but they assured me (after I had paid) that it was T-Mobile that had taken this action!!! We live and learn :-)

I will keep the thread updated of progress

Thanks again all

Andy