vodafone frustration

vodascum

Hello all,

I've just been massively !!!!ed off by my local (harrogate) vodafone shop and I'm after a bit of advice from one of you wonderfully knowledgeable complainers. The story is:

18 months ago get an HTC desire on an 18 month contract. Also take out vodafone's coverme insurance.

2months ago get caught in a storm, phone inside waterproof jacket but still fills with water. Claimed on insurance, £25 excess to pay, and they send me a new (refurbished?) phone as a replacement.

2 days ago the new phone stops working. Initially locking up on the white HTC screen when you try to turn it on, attempted to reboot it a couple of times. Now it doesn't even switch on at all. Take it back to the shop. They ask if its been dropped or anything, no it hasn't. I am then told that as its out of warranty they can't do anything about it. I am confused as the phone is only 2 months old but the manager tells me the warranty ran out a few days ago when my contract ran out, and doesn't start from the date I received a new phone. I ask about claiming on the insurance, and he tells me I can try, but there'll be another £25 excess to pay. I am not best pleased as I haven't done anything to break the phone, it must be a duff one.

I then get told that if the problem is found to be with the phone itself, and not due to me damaging it, then it won't be covered by the insurance and I'll have to pay to get it repaired, minimum £65 but most likely a lot more.

All the while the smug **** is trying to sell me an upgrade (on a new contract) and visibly smirking away. I don't want a new contract, I want to still use the phone that I've paid for gradually over the last 18months and drop down to a sim only contract. I'd also like to get a phone that actually works from the insurance that I've been paying for for the last 18months!

I may just be being really suspicious, but this just smacks of 'built in obsolescence' to force you into a new contract.

GRRRR

grumbler

I would argue that all HTC phones have 24 month manufacturer's warranty. Your replacement phone is supposed to have at least the same remaining manufacturer's warranty as the original one. If it is the case, just contact HTC directly.

gjchester

vodascum wrote: »

I ask about claiming on the insurance, and he tells me I can try, but there'll be another £25 excess to pay. I am not best pleased as I haven't done anything to break the phone, it must be a duff one.

I then get told that if the problem is found to be with the phone itself, and not due to me damaging it, then it won't be covered by the insurance and I'll have to pay to get it repaired, minimum £65 but most likely a lot more

This is true. Cover me protects you from accidental to malicious damage and loss or theft. It does not cover manufacturer faults. As grumbler says that's down to the manufacturer.

The question is did your original warranty period move with your insurance replacement or did the refurb have a lesser warranty. You need to look at the refurbs paperwork to see that.

You may also want to consider using the name vodascum and using off colour language will not help your case if you need to talk to Vodafone. Calm and polite works far better in most cases than tearing a strip off someone before they know all the facts.