Mobile company complaint - Help

Rudess

Hi

I'm a customer of one of the big mobile companies in the country. Few months ago my mobile was stolen unfortunately and I had to go and get replacement for which I paid as I was asked.

Two months ago I was astonished to find out that £200 disappeared from my bank account because that company decided that 'Phone was found' and 'I didn't return it', therefore have to pay this astonishing amount of money.

I recovered the money by calling my bank but the company started sending threatening letters and even a threatening phone call from their 'debt collection' department. I made many calls to their customer services, they never phoned me back although promised on many occassions. They are not willing to remove this charge, although I explained them there is no sense in what they are doing, and I'm really desperate and don't know now what to do.

I was never advised that in theory if a mobile is found, that I should return it to them (logically I paid in addition to the monthly contract another sum of money for a replacement). Secondly, if I had the phone as they claimed, why wouldn't I return it? Their story doesn't make any sense, it's just another case of a cowboy company using its power over a poor citizen.

I would really appreciate your help with this matter.

grumbler

If it is some insurance company complain to the FSA.

T_T_2

What 'replacement' cost did you pay? Was it a contribution or was it for the full value of the replacement handset? If it was only a contribution, representing a fraction of the cost of replacing the handset, then it would seem reasonable that the phone company should recover the balance once the phone had turned up. If your replacement cost was for the full value of the handset then by all rights they shouldn't have charged you anything once the original phone was back in your possession.

chanz4

full facts are required

Rudess

First of all the phone is not in my possession, therefore I shouldn't be charged anything at all. Secondly it was a contribution (not full value) of 50% and the replacement I got wasn't new but a refurbished one.

Anyway, this company has no right to charge me for not returning a phone, because this phone was stolen and is not with me.

grumbler

Rudess wrote: »

First of all the phone is not in my possession, therefore I shouldn't be charged anything at all.

It's not uncommon, say, to sell a phone on ebay and then report it stolen. In this case the phone is not in the possession of the original owner, but he should be charged.

Secondly it was a contribution (not full value) of 50% and the replacement I got wasn't new but a refurbished one.

Unusually big excess for an insurance claim.

Anyway, this company has no right to charge me for not returning a phone, because this phone was stolen and is not with me.

As above, in some circumstances they do have grounds for charging.

Rudess

But these circumstances do not apply to me. What should I do about it?

grumbler

As above, complain.
Stop wasting time on telephone calls and do everything by mail or email.
If you want a better advice, post the full story with all details.

Silk

This doesn't make sense ?

If your car is stolen the Insurance company pays you the value less your excess etc etc

If the car is recovered it has to be given back to the insurance company as they now own it and they can recover some of the losses

The same situation with the phone ...so who has it and why has it not been handed back ?

Guys_Dad

Rudess wrote: »

First of all the phone is not in my possession, therefore I shouldn't be charged anything at all. Secondly it was a contribution (not full value) of 50% and the replacement I got wasn't new but a refurbished one.

Anyway, this company has no right to charge me for not returning a phone, because this phone was stolen and is not with me.

Reading this particular post, it smacks of evasion and a certain concealing of facts.

A straight honest person would have said something like "it was stolen and I don't know who took it" Sound like you know where the handset is and who took it.

Also, none of your posts have actually said you have had an insurance settlement.

I'm sorry, but your posts are all a bit fishy and if you have had an insurance pay out and you know where the handset is or who took it, then that information should be given to the insurance company and police.

Try being straight, both on this forum and with the insurance company/network.

T_T_2

I believe that what the OP means when they say it is not in their possession is that when it was stolen it was never recovered. In other words it remains stolen. Please correct me if I am wrong.

If this is the case then the next obvious question is to ask why your phone company believes you have recovered the handset? Have they said anything about this?