Disappointed at lack of help from Vodafone

spongerob500

I have had my hours cut from work and cannot afford to pay for my £46 a month contract along with an outstanding balance. I am into a few months of a new contract to boot. I contacted Vodafone originally, who said that as long as I paid £10 towards an outstanding balance I'd get reconnected and would look at reducing my price plan (I know under normal circumstances it is not allowed). I couldn't afford it till two days later where I rang up again and explained my situation and what I had been told. I was refused the opportunity for them to reduce the plan with the reason behind the contract having had an Iphone from it. Not very happy. I was also told the only thing to do was to split the outstanding balance into 6 months where I'd be paying £20 extra on top of the £46pm contract to clear the outstanding debt...absolute joke, as I cannot afford to pay £46 per month let alone another £20 on top. I have received a complete lack of sympathy from anyone beside the original phone call, who were more than happy to help. Anyone looking to join Vodafone i'd steer clear of Vodafone, if I were you.

grumbler

What did you expect? I am not a fan of Vodafone, but any network would offer your the same.
It's not their job to check your circumstances and they cannot do this even if they wanted. If they start allowing downgrading people will just get free luxury phones on expensive contracts and then routinely demand downgrading because of hardship.
Sell your iPhone, pay the outstanding balance and use the remainder to contribute towards the remaining monthly payments. A replacement handset will cost you no more than a tenner.

Annie._2

You wont be able to downgrade your contract.

Your other alternative would be to try and do a change of ownership for the contract.

If you are going to have a problem paying your bill, it may be worth calling Vodafone and explaining the situation, they should be able to help with a repayment plan until you are in a better financial position.

spongerob500

Ann_S wrote: »

You wont be able to downgrade your contract.

Your other alternative would be to try and do a change of ownership for the contract.

If you are going to have a problem paying your bill, it may be worth calling Vodafone and explaining the situation, they should be able to help with a repayment plan until you are in a better financial position.

I have tried with the ownership thing. I have already contacted them and the told me what i stated in the original post.

gas4you

Unfortunately your problem, not the networks.

eschaton

spongerob500 wrote: »

I have had my hours cut from work and cannot afford to pay for my £46 a month contract along with an outstanding balance. I am into a few months of a new contract to boot. I contacted Vodafone originally, who said that as long as I paid £10 towards an outstanding balance I'd get reconnected and would look at reducing my price plan (I know under normal circumstances it is not allowed). I couldn't afford it till two days later where I rang up again and explained my situation and what I had been told. I was refused the opportunity for them to reduce the plan with the reason behind the contract having had an Iphone from it. Not very happy. I was also told the only thing to do was to split the outstanding balance into 6 months where I'd be paying £20 extra on top of the £46pm contract to clear the outstanding debt...absolute joke, as I cannot afford to pay £46 per month let alone another £20 on top. I have received a complete lack of sympathy from anyone beside the original phone call, who were more than happy to help. Anyone looking to join Vodafone i'd steer clear of Vodafone, if I were you.

What did you want them to do?

Lie you down, tickle your chin and tell you it was going to be ok?

It isn't Vodafone's fault you have had hours cut and are in debt.

Your experience would not put me off Vodafone in the slightest.

Buzby

Perhaps not, but then since nobody has the benefit of 100% clairvoyance, the secret is NOT to enter into a contractural relationship for something as fickle as a mobile phone, especially as you can opt for a no-commitment alternative (PAYG). The biggest threat is having your good credit record fried simply for the sake of staying in touch. Circumstaces change, consumers know this, but the networks because they hold you to a contract, couldn't care - it's not their problem.

mobilejunkie

I have no sympathy for the networks, but why should they "care"? Would their customers care if they were making a loss and offer to pay extra? If contracts are "fickle" society couldn't exist because no-one would be able to make a commitment to anyone.

People go in with their eyes open and can't blame the person or oganisation they commit to if other things in their own lives go wrong. Perhaps peoples' inability to see into the future should therefore mean they should rent rather than buy a house and be prepared to pay a lot more for everything simply because they won't make a judgement and give a commitment. Or perhaps the other party should take their burden instead?