Vodafone don't cancel contracts when asked

podwin

Hello everyone,

Do people realize if you ask to terminate your contract, but ask for a Pac code and never use it, your contract will not be cancelled!

Vodafone have done this to.

My letter to them was as follows:

Please accept this as 30 days notice that I would like to cancel my mobile phone contract.
The account name and number is: xxxxxxxxxxx
The invoice address is: xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Mobile number: xxxxxxxxxxxxx
The date of termination is to be at contract end – 20/10/2012
I require a PAC code please.

Kind regards,

Yet my mobile phone account is still active.
The didn't tell me, that if I do not actually use my PAC code, the contract will run and run.

I am not very happy.

I have cancelled the direct debit already, but would like to complain to someone about this, as Vodafone repeatedly state (three times by three different people) that the contract did not end because I did not use the PAC code.

Do I care?

No

What part of "I would like to cancel my mobile phone contract" and "The date of termination is to be at contract end" do they not understand.

Sorry for not being the knowledgeable on everything, but I must have missed the memo on how mobile phone contracts work. If you ask for a PAC code, they'll ignore everything else to say, to their benefit of course.

Silk

podwin wrote: »

Do people realize if you ask to terminate your contract, but ask for a Pac code and never use it, your contract will not be cancelled!

Sorry to say thats how it works and it's quite well known.

It's not just Voda do that they all do

iritchie

As far as I'm concerned, the PAC code and the termination of the contract are 2 separate matters.
They are mutually exclusive, and there is no reliance on one to have the other.

For instance, you can terminate your contract WITHOUT requesting a PAC code and no not have to transfer your number to a new network.
You have to bear in mind that a PAC code is only valid for 30 days though, after which period Vodafone can charge you to transfer your number if they so wish (which they may feel more obligated to once you are out of contract).

If you have specifically said in writing "I wish to terminate my contract"and given at least 30 days notice, then this is all they ask for when you ask for a termination.
The PAC code is a separate concern altogether.

podwin

Silk wrote: »

Sorry to say thats how it works and it's quite well known.

It's not just Voda do that they all do

I presume this fact is in the small print

Neil49

When I cancelled my O2 contract a few months ago and requested a PAC they made it clear that if I didn't use the PAC and transfer my number within the 30 days then my contract with them would continue until I contacted them again to either request another one or simply terminate the contract (again with 30 days notice).

This, as far as I am aware, is standard industry practice.

iritchie

I would appreciate if the PAC code request had come after the termination request, that Vodafone would have to keep the line for you and there may be a cost, so the extension of your contract to the end of the PAC Code expiry would maybe be justified, but as they came on the same date, your PAC Code expiry and the date of termination fell on the same date, and therefore when the PAC Code expires, your contract is terminated as requested, and that is the end of the matter, whether it is used or not.
If there was no new request for a PAC Code, then I can't see how any company can "assume" to extend a contract, when their customer has explicitly stated otherwise.

It isn't in the T's and C's also.
Just accepting it as "what companies do" is how wrong and illogical policies never get changed.
If they advised you as per Neil49's advice, then fair enough.

Silk

podwin wrote: »

I presume this fact is in the small print

I would imagine so

podwin

iritchie wrote: »

I would appreciate if the PAC code request had come after the termination request, that Vodafone would have to keep the line for you and there may be a cost, so the extension of your contract to the end of the PAC Code expiry would maybe be justified, but as they came on the same date, your PAC Code expiry and the date of termination fell on the same date, and therefore when the PAC Code expires, your contract is terminated as requested, and that is the end of the matter, whether it is used or not.
If there was no new request for a PAC Code, then I can't see how any company can "assume" to extend a contract, when their customer has explicitly stated otherwise.

It isn't in the T's and C's also.
Just accepting it as "what companies do" is how wrong and illogical policies never get changed.
If they advised you as per Neil49's advice, then fair enough.

No, they told me the PAC code was valid for 30 days. That was all. I was told nothing about the fact that my request to cancel my contract would then be ignored due to not using the PAC code.

I saw two separate things here, not that one was dependent on the other happening.

You live and learn as they say.

redux

This is standard practice, and it needs to be that way to protect the number.

If things were run differently, and they cut off accounts at exactly 30 days notice while the account still had a valid PAC issued a few days after notice was given, they would be besieged with complaints from people wanting their phone numbers back, or reconnect to a few days service until the ttansfer.

So it's assumed that an unused PAC represents someone changing their mind about leaving. You may of course ask for another.

Guys_Dad

I understand OP's point as well as the others. iritchie is correct as well inasmuch as OP did give notice in writing.

However, it is, as said, standard across the industry to either (1) request a PAC code and use it within 30 days or things carry on as before or (2) give cancellation notice.

There is a site http://www.paccodes.co.uk/ that explains things and also give you instructions for each network you are leaving and for the one you are going to.

I chose an example of Vodafone to Orange and in these instructions is the following

It is important that you do not cancel your mobile phone contract with your current provider, Vodafone, until you have your PAC code and have given this to your new mobile phone network provider, Orange, or you may not be able to transfer your number across and may also incur a connection fee with Orange.

I suggest OP goes on this site and tries it for the transfer between Voda and their new network.

I would also recommend that MSE members keep a note of this link for future reference and sinilar threads !! :beer:

Vodafone

podwin wrote: »

Hello everyone,

Do people realize if you ask to terminate your contract, but ask for a Pac code and never use it, your contract will not be cancelled!

Vodafone have done this to.

My letter to them was as follows:

Please accept this as 30 days notice that I would like to cancel my mobile phone contract.
The account name and number is: xxxxxxxxxxx
The invoice address is: xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Mobile number: xxxxxxxxxxxxx
The date of termination is to be at contract end – 20/10/2012
I require a PAC code please.

Kind regards,

Yet my mobile phone account is still active.
The didn't tell me, that if I do not actually use my PAC code, the contract will run and run.

I am not very happy.

I have cancelled the direct debit already, but would like to complain to someone about this, as Vodafone repeatedly state (three times by three different people) that the contract did not end because I did not use the PAC code.

Do I care?

No

What part of "I would like to cancel my mobile phone contract" and "The date of termination is to be at contract end" do they not understand.

Sorry for not being the knowledgeable on everything, but I must have missed the memo on how mobile phone contracts work. If you ask for a PAC code, they'll ignore everything else to say, to their benefit of course.

Hi podwin,

To enable me to assist you further with your concerns could you email me with the relevant details via the link in our profile here?

All you need to do is copy and paste the link into your web browser and it will take you to the Contact us form on our website.

To ensure that it reaches us could you also quote the code WRT135 - MSE in the subject line and once our automated reply arrives update the thread with your email reference number and I'll get back to you as soon as possible?

Thanks,

Lee

Web Relations Team

Vodafone UK