Cancelling Vodafone contract due to price hike

Dagmar72

I received a text from Vodafone yesterday informing me that my current price plan will close in April and that they're moving me to a new one: I'd end up with fewer minutes as I previously had "stop the clock" and pay £8.20 more per month!

They also include a link to the website to learn more, and it says there:
"You can end your agreement with us - if you’re not happy about these changes - by writing to us within 30 days of receiving the text at: Price Plan Changes, Vodafone Limited, The Connection, Newbury, Berkshire RG14 2FN. These changes don’t affect your eligibility to upgrade."


As I have a phone as part of my contract, I wonder what happens though, would I get to keep the phone to use on a SIM-only tariff with another network if I cancel the contract?


I called customer services, and all they could tell me was that my contract runs until 30th June, that I'd be able to upgrade / change tariff from 16th April (that would however mean staying with Vodafone, who aren't necessarily the cheapest for SIM only), but that if I cancel beforehand I'd still have to pay the rest of my monthly payments until end of June, which doesn't really make sense in the context of my right to cancel due to the price hike...


Can anyone shed any lights on this?

Silk

Dagmar72 wrote: »

I called customer services, and all they could tell me was that my contract runs until 30th June, that I'd be able to upgrade / change tariff from 16th April (that would however mean staying with Vodafone, who aren't necessarily the cheapest for SIM only), but that if I cancel beforehand I'd still have to pay the rest of my monthly payments until end of June, which doesn't really make sense in the context of my right to cancel due to the price hike...


Can anyone shed any lights on this?

Thats because it applies to all the customers who are beyond the minimum term but sadley you've got a few months to run

Guys_Dad

That change of price and contract time is outside their contract change t&c, if it is within the initial period.

I suggest that you write to them with that effect at the address they have given and say that the change is clearly detrimental to you and that you require your PAC code to terminate the contract as per your agreement.

Also inform them that, as they have changed the contract, they must confirm that there will be no termination charges.

Dagmar72

Silk wrote: »

Thats because it applies to all the customers who are beyond the minimum term but sadley you've got a few months to run

Thanks, but as far as I'm aware, anyone outside their minimum contract can cancel at any time with just 30 days' notice, without having to write to that specific address, the paragraph I quoted and the page I was sent to (I don't think I can have links here, but it's basically vodafone.co.uk/plan07) was relating specifically to the fact my current tariff will no longer be available, so it seems it's aimed to people who are still tied inside the minimum period, and in that case they are the ones breaking the contract, not me!

An increase of £8.20 per month for less than half the minutes I previously used, there's no way I can go with that!

I just need to know I'll be able to keep the phone and have it unlocked so I can use it with another network. I guess I'll just have to write and see what happens!

Dagmar72

Guys_Dad wrote: »

That change of price and contract time is outside their contract change t&c, if it is within the initial period.

I suggest that you write to them with that effect at the address they have given and say that the change is clearly detrimental to you and that you require your PAC code to terminate the contract as per your agreement.

Also inform them that, as they have changed the contract, they must confirm that there will be no termination charges.

Thanks, will do that and see what comes out of it, are they likely to make it difficult for me to unlock the phone though?

Silk

Dagmar72 wrote: »

An increase of £8.20 per month for less than half the minutes I previously used, there's no way I can go with that!

I just need to know I'll be able to keep the phone and have it unlocked so I can use it with another network. I guess I'll just have to write and see what happens!

Yep just had a quick look
http://www.vodafone.co.uk/campaigns/price-plan-closures/2012-price-plan-closures-07/index.htm?cid=rdr-9570-07

To be honest I didn't notice it was £8.20 more and I agree with GD it's got to be outside the limits for price increases etc

Drop them a line asking for cancelation at no cost and see what happens.

The phone is yours by the way whatever happens

Dagmar72

Silk wrote: »

Yep just had a quick look

To be honest I didn't notice it was £8.20 more and I agree with GD it's got to be outside the limits for price increases etc

Drop them a line asking for cancelation at no cost and see what happens.

The phone is yours by the way whatever happens

Great, hoping to be with GiffGaff by this time next month!

I miscalculated originally, it's not £8.20 but £7.21, still unacceptable!
I pay £41.99 at the minute, and next month it's supposed to go up to £49.20

What's even worse is, when I first chose that plan, it was 600 minutes + stop the clock, unlimited texts, and unlimited internet; since then it's become 500MB internet, 3000 texts, and now they're closing stop the clock as well!