Losing my mind with Vodafone - please help

Help07

Hello all and apologies for may turn out to be a long post...

I have had my phone since May 2012 and it broke on Dec 2nd. The next day I went to the Vodafone store where they said that they would have to send the phone for repair - fair enough. I came to pick up the phone five days later and it was missing its back cover (which also acts as the antenna for wifi) the shop assistant informed me that I should have been given this back when I gave my phone in for repair but I wasn't and since they had no spares they had to order me the part. It was out of stock and I received a part two weeks later...

This was the wrong part and so it had now been two weeks for me with no wifi and having to use my data in places I would normally be using wifi, therefore increasing my data usage.

I went to a Vodafone store to tell them they gave me the wrong part (I went to a different store due to the incompetence of the first) and they told me there was nothing they could do and I'd have to get in touch with customer services to get a back cover.

I called customer services and she told me to buy the back cover from a shop and they would credit my account with the cost for it. I went to four shops and none of these said they sell the part - Vodafone themselves deem the cover to be part of the phone and not an accessory so I'm not sure how other shops would sell it as an accessory. I told customer services and she said ok we will send you a phone with a back cover tomorrow. I received a phone - it had no back cover so I was in the same position as I was in the first place.

I called customer services again and she said she was shocked at what had happened, would speak to her manager and arrange for me to get a brand new sealed phone sent out today. I called Vodafone yesterday to confirm this would be delivered today and she said yes there is a delivery for the 5th. I called Vodafone this afternoon as I still hadn't received the phone and wanted to find out when it would be sent - she then said that the new phone was not authorised to be sent out so nothing has been sent and it is now a month later and I'm in the same position.

I'm so fed up and cannot understand why they cannot send a new phone if it is still in warranty. Especially as this whole situation has arisen due to a fault on their part and not mine! I'm in a right mind to cancel the contract but I have 18 months left which would mean a hefty termination fee. Is there anything I can do?? I'm at a complete loss and feel grey hairs coming on!

Thank you if you've managed to read my whole essay, I'm in desperate need of advice!

grumbler

What phone is it?
Google for the part, buy it online and claim the money from Vodafone (as they promised you).

Help07

It is a htc one s. I've looked online and the part is out of stock until January 28th so by then I'd have had 2 months of no wifi and increased data usage - can I ask for a credit to be put on my account? as I will have been paying for a service that I'm not fully receiving.

Vodafone

Hi Help07,

Thanks for making me aware of your recent experience.

To enable me to review the concerns you've raised could you email me with your 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 me 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

Rusty!

For what it's worth, the part is available from eBay sellers.