£1300 vodafone bill in one month!!

SKINTMARE

My dad got my teenage daughter a mobile a year ago, but we pay the bill for it and to be fair she has been good as gold on it not going over on her bill. We decided that as she didnt use it too much and reduced the tarriff. But two months ago for some strange hormonal teenage reason she managed to build a bill up of £1300.00 in one month talking to some strange teenager in the night for 5 hrs a night!!!(thats another story about stranger danger!) any how you can imagine my total shock when I went to pay the bill when it should of been max £30!!! Ive been in touch with Vodafone asking why there was no alert of this but they just say we encourage people to check the bills! fair enough if we knew she was on it...... My question is ....I feel vodafone should take some responsibilty for not alerting us to this humongus bill and reduce the bill..... should I keep on at them ? Has anyone had any experience of this or am I on a high onto nothing and I should just shut up and pay up?

merlot123

I have two teenagers with Vodafone contracts, I check online daily to make sure they are using their phones responsibly, they know if they go over the contract, they pay out of the monthly allowance I give to them,

In your case, you need to pay up, it is the responsibility of your daughter and you to keep an eye on the account. I think you can get a balance on the phone too, so plenty of ways to check usage.

Vodafone are a business, they are in the business of making money, it is not their responsibility to keep tabs on the account (unless reported stolen etc)

I would personally take the phone off my teenager if I ever got a bill for that kind of money, and I would sell their laptop too to help pay the bill.

SKINTMARE

I know its no excuse just didnt see her ever using it....she used it at night when we were all asleep..... I drummed into her the importance of never using the phone only texting(unlimited) we are unfortunately going through a bad patch in life at min. I have took phone away! Just wished they could of alerted me to it sooner...

robbies_gal

its not really their responsibility to alert you they dont know who uses it you know and fine u didnt see her physically use it didnt u think she might be using it elsewhere

Herongull

Never give a child or teen a contract phone. PAYG is the only safe way to go.

NiftyDigits

Write to their Executive Office and appeal to their better nature. They will likely reduce the bill. I'm guessing by at least half, but you can try to suggest that they charge you for the closest bundle that covers what you daughter used and offer to put a little extra to sweeten the pot.

Indeed businesses are there to make a profit, but I'm sure they won't won't to put you in an untenable situation if you explain what happened and they know you cannot afford it.
But don't try the 'shifting the blame' tactic.

robpw2

£1300 talking to some teenagers for 5 hours a night? ouch
having said that vodafone charge 35p a miniute to mobile phones outside of your monthly allowance so its very easily done

CKhalvashi

Unfortunately, whilst I with they'd alert you, they don't, as it's how they make the big bucks.

I managed to hit a £4,000 one one month, having been outside the country, and I'm in mid 3 figures already this month (although billing date is the 10th), as I'm out the country again.

I know, it's not nice, but unfortunately, that's occasionally how it is.

CK

nonnatus

But WHY is it Vodafones responsibility to check who your daughter is speaking to at night????

This is why phones are for adults, who alledgedly understand the financial commitment...

I have a feeling your daughter is going to owe you that money for a very long time

robpw2

three on the other hand always send me a text before i reach my credit limit of £50 and after just to remind me , i wouldn't be able to afford to pay over £50 so it reminds me i need to stop using it

visidigi

You know something I'm with the OP on this, while there is nothing legally (in the consumer rights sense) that Vodafone have done wrong I do think that systems should be in place, to ensure that people don't have massive bill shock.

Having just gone through sheer hell trying to get my credit card company to let me spend my 'money' on something I legitimately wanted I cannot understand why mobile companies don't have the metrics to trigger a warning when a customers monthly spend goes over normal by a %.

I mean, if the tarriff is £10 a month they really should question the fact its reached £1,300 without any form of warning.

Worst still is the fact this has happened on Vodafones own network, so the roaming excuses of 'we didn't know' don't fly.

I would be following the executive office advice as I really don't think you will get anywhere with the standard CS if they are still as shoddy as they were when I was with them.

Good Luck.