vodafone help !

amanda270583

hi all,
I really need some help if possible, i have had my vodafone contract for just over a year and throughout ive had to contact them on several occasions regarding having no signal. Now after several phone calls, speaking to them on live chat and going in to store last night i was told that i can end my contract this is where my problem starts. Basically to end the contract they want me to send in the original phone but as i informed them the original phone was stolen (it was snatched out of my hands when we where on holiday) and i had to replace it (original phone was an xperia z) with an iphone 4s and that i was happy to send them that as the new phone was of higher value, to which i was inform that without the original phone i would have to pay a termination fee £283. My question is surely as i have paid them for the last 12 months with 80% of the time no signal they should allow me to come out of the contract without sending them the original phone? there is no way i can afford to pay out that kind of money and generally feel like i shouldn't have, to considering there unable to give me a service, I'm more than happy to give them the phone that i have. As i have explained to them this contract is my 14 year old daughters and due to no signal she has been left stranded because shes been unable to contact me as you can imagine i'm not willing to allow this to go on but im equally unable to pay out for 2 contracts when especially when vodafone have admitted that there at fault. Not really sure where i can go from here any ideas ? On the plus side if no one can help i feel tons better just for the rant thanks for taking time to read this and i apologise for my poor spelling and grammar.

grumbler

amanda270583 wrote: »

...My question is surely as i have paid them for the last 12 months with 80% of the time no signal they should allow me to come out of the contract without sending them the original phone?

Unfortunately, it doesn't work this way.

there is no way i can afford to pay out that kind of money

Negotiate what amount they can accept instead taking into account the fact that the phone wouldn't be new. Then sell your iphone and add some money if needed. Will they accept a second hand Xperia Z if you buy it?

amanda270583

Hi thanks for your reply I've tried negotiating the cost but
Was told that nothing could be done. I think what's irritating me the most is the fact that there admitting there's nothing they can do and I'm been penalised because some thieving git took the original phone

mobilejunkie

Then find and sue the "theiving git" and make sure you don't let them repeat the event. It seems you could "afford" a replacement high-end phone so why should Vodafone make a loss because of your carelessness?

grumbler

mobilejunkie wrote: »

.... why should Vodafone make a loss because of your carelessness?

Why loss? They just have to show some flexibility (I know, I am dreaming). Surely more than a year old Xperia Z doesn't cost £288 when a new one is available for £290.

mobilejunkie

A loss because a contract is for the full term. Loss is also a matter of definition. If every customer chose to end the contract in this way they wouldn't be in business and customers who stayed the course would end up paying a lot more. A termination fee isn't meant to cover the cost of the handset alone. The OP hasn't mentioned if there was a (albeit smaller) cost to ending it early by returning the phone.

amanda270583

And what about the loss I've made in paying them for the last 12 months with no signal despite me reporting it on numerous occasions

JJ_Egan

Vodafone admit they are at fault you say .
In what way do they say they are at fault ???

grumbler

mobilejunkie wrote: »

....A termination fee isn't meant to cover the cost of the handset alone. The OP hasn't mentioned if there was a (albeit smaller) cost to ending it early by returning the phone.

Simply because there was no any cost if the phone, in whatever condition, was returned.

forgotmyname

Did the no signal issue start after changing phones?

Buzby

Coverage (lack of) is an irrelevance. They do not guarantee 100% availability and as a gesture of goodwill they will release you IF you return the phone they supplied you with.

Since you cannot, then you cannot benefit from the waiver and have to pay the relevant fee to cancel. Of course it is easy to blame the network, but there are 4 to choose from - did you not do due diligence to seek which provided the best coverage for you?

There is an element of consumers making wrong choices - but that's what competition is all about. I had to go through 2 until I found the one that suited me best. Go PAYG until you are sure, and only then be contracted if you must.