Vodafone: avoid them if looking for a new contract

salvyria

I have been a Vodafone customer since 2008.

Today I asked them for help to reduce my contract/tariff as I have been made redundant.

They refused point blank and their response was "its business policy and we cannot help you." The only solution they offered was either to end the contract early (by paying the remaining contract fees upfront) or getting a friend to take over the contract and pay it for me. Or to default and not pay the contract fees at all.

I wanted a solution that would avoid a default!

I am absolutely appalled that there is no policy for helping those in financial difficulty. The customer service advisor just repeated "its business policy I'm afraid" over and over.

I have always found Vodafones cutomer service to be bad, but this is appalling.

EVERY other company/creditor I have spoken to today has been helpful and made sensible suggestions as to what to do, or how to manage our bills/contracts with them

NFH

This is not a reason to avoid Vodafone. If you were on a simple SIM-only contract, then one could reasonably expect them to be sympathetic, but are you instead paying back a disguised loan for a phone that they supplied to you at the beginning of the contract period? If so, why shouldn't you pay for the goods that you received? Vodafone is a business, not a charity, and you cannot reasonably expect them to make a loss by supplying goods to you that you don't pay for.

salvyria

Is it a reason to avoid Vodafone if you want a decent level of customer service, for any problem. They are very difficult to deal with by livechat or on the phone. Their shop floor staff are great at our local store though.

Its not the first time their customer services have been unhelpful, but usually you can argue your case and they will come to a compromise with you about your problems.

I asked them to reduce my tariff slightly to an affordable level whilst I am redunant. I offered them proof of my redundancy and finances. They have no policy to help and no want to help.

Their options to me were 1.default, 2.transfer ownership to a friend. Both these would incur losses on their part.

As for the "phone loan" thats already been paid for. I have been in my contract long enough to have covered the cost of the handset. I worked for a mobile phone company for many years, and am fully aware of the costs in a mobile contract.

NFH

salvyria wrote: »

As for the "phone loan" thats already been paid for. I have been in my contract long enough to have covered the cost of the handset.

a = full SIM-free retail cost of the handset
b = monthly charge that you're paying
c = months to date
d = SIM-only monthly charge for the same allowances

What figure do you get if you take (b - d) x c - a ?

grumbler

salvyria wrote: »

I asked them to reduce my tariff slightly to an affordable level whilst I am redunant. I offered them proof of my redundancy and finances. They have no policy to help and no want to help.

So you have to avoid all providers as their policies are the same.

Their options to me were 1.default, 2.transfer ownership to a friend. Both these would incur losses on their part.

So would reducing your monthly payments. However, I don't see how (2) incurs losses on their part.

As for the "phone loan" thats already been paid for. I have been in my contract long enough to have covered the cost of the handset. I worked for a mobile phone company for many years, and am fully aware of the costs in a mobile contract.

This might be correct for some contracts, but not for all. Many contracts barely cover the retail price of the handset.

salvyria

NFH wrote: »

a = full SIM-free retail cost of the handset
b = monthly charge that you're paying
c = months to date
d = SIM-only monthly charge for the same allowances

What figure do you get if you take (b - d) x c - a ?

Thats a good question, I dont know the answers to all of those! I will look....

a - 258 (looked online)
b - 41pcm
c - 18 m out of 24
d - 21pcm sim only

(41-21) x 18 -258 = £302

salvyria

grumbler wrote: »

So you have to avoid all providers as their policies are the same.

Last time I faced redundancy ... 2007, I was with 02 and they were most helpful

Cycrow

the price of the handset would be the cost it was when you got the contract, not the cost now.

if you get a bank loan to buy something for £1000 over 3 years, and after 2 years, the item you bought is now only worth £200, does that mean that you should only have to pay back £200 on the loan, as thats all the item is worth now ?

salvyria

Cycrow wrote: »

the price of the handset would be the cost it was when you got the contract, not the cost now.

if you get a bank loan to buy something for £1000 over 3 years, and after 2 years, the item you bought is now only worth £200, does that mean that you should only have to pay back £200 on the loan, as thats all the item is worth now ?

I've no idea what it would have cost then. I didnt look into that at the time, but I didnt get a free handset I did pay a contribution

ZhugeEX

salvyria wrote: »

Last time I faced redundancy ... 2007, I was with 02 and they were most helpful

Ask them again now and they'll tell you their policy has changed.

salvyria

ZhugeEX wrote: »

Ask them again now and they'll tell you their policy has changed.

Thats likely, but I refuse to accept that my only choice is to default on this contract.