Carphone warehouse woes

staceyGEM

Hi there, brand new to these forums, but hoping someone can help me.

3 weeks ago I bought an iPhone from carphone warehouse. To buy it I was obligated to purchase a top up along side it. I was told the top up would go on automatically. After waiting 24 hours the top up still hadn't appeared on my credit balance so I decided to top up myself in the mean time. I had a look on their website and it suggested waiting up to 48 hours, after which it was the weekend.

I waited a whole week then contacted the store I bought it from, they advised me to call my network provider (giving me a wrong number to call...). I called my provider and they were beyond helpful suggesting all kinds of solutions, unfortunately none of them worked. It appeared to the advisor that there was no top up given in that case. I was happy that my provider wasn't at fault.

I then went on to email carphone warehouse rather than call them. Their solution was to tell me they'll send a cheque for the amount and that it would arrive within FOURTEEN days. (a straight 14 days NOT 14 working days) I wasn't very happy with this, as this would mean I'd waited 3 weeks to receive my money back then a further wait while the cheque cleared, but never the less it was a solution to the problem.

Fast forward the 14 days then add a few more on top and said cheque still hasn't arrived. I emailed them to say as much and was told to wait a bit longer as the "Bank holiday may have delayed it". Now I may be being stupid here but a bank holiday is only one day so should surely only delay post by one day.

I have calculated that even if the cheque were to arrive say the end of this week by the time it cleared etc, I would have waited more than a month.

I paid that money in good faith for an item that basically was not an optional add on... I HAD to take it to purchase the phone, and yet here I am over 3 weeks later with no top up and no refund. From my very first email to the latest one their attitude has seemed very off hand and pretty much "it will arrive when it arrives" in regards to complaining I still have no cheque. I'm now very fed up of the situation and just want it resolved asap so I don't have any further dealing with them (hopefully). Can anyone suggest the next stage of me escalating this complaint?

I normally do well with my consumer rights and complaining, but this is the first time I haven't had a situation resolved quickly and painlessly.

(also must add the reason I haven't been back to the actual store to have them refund it there is that it is right across town and I cannot get there easily with 3 children in tow lol)

Guys_Dad

Send them a letter before action if you want to move it on, but I suspect c*ck up not conspiracy. Ask for a £10 compensation/goodwill payment.