Official Vodafone Complaints/Query Thread

Vodafone

Hi secretsquirrel007,

I'm sorry to hear that you remain unhappy.

As you've escalated your complaint to the Ombudsman, you'll need to discuss it further with the investigating officer to a final decision can be reached.

SuperPerson - So I can check that we've got your email, please update the thread with your email reference number from our automated reply.

Kind regards,

Lee

Vodafone Social Media

secretsquirrel007

Hi Lee - I remain unhappy for various reasons, including Ombudsman Services. Am I able to speak to anyone at Vodafone? This is especially related to the fact the payments have been classed as late and unpaid on my credit history when my account has been in dispute.

secretsquirrel007

Thanks pmduk. I think I shall have to try posting a note on my credit record as there seems to be nothing else I can do. I'm so appalled by all of this. Vodafone put in writing that I could contact them to resolve the matter and it would avoid going to default and I did that but then they didn't call me back and put it to default the following month anyway. And now the Ombudsman have decided that's all fine because I didn't pay the bill, and that although Vodafone didn't deal with the complaint, it did explain the charges on the phone so I should have paid. Despite the fact that me not paying is linked to the bad service, they are treating them separately so it seems to not matter why I didn't. I've also just discovered that the Investigation Officer you deal with doesn't even make the decision and so the appeal process and following call if you don't agree is completely pointless. And then there's no recourse on any of what they decide. So they are a law unto themselves and I feel even more powerless than I did before. They have disproportionately placed blame on me, my life will be ruined but Vodafone pay me £75 and write a sorry letter for MONTHS of failed service in dealing with the complaint that led to me not paying. I can't even find out if the last call I had with Vodafone when someone promised to look into to it and call me back was even listened to as part of the evidence. I'm pretty in the dark about my own case to be honest.

In the overall scheme of things, what happens if I don't accept it? Can I then re-open discussions with Vodafone? Am I better to have it from the Ombudsmen that there was a failure in service? Does an apology from Vodafone mean anything?

I'm sorry. I'm so angry and confused by all of this and I need to decide today. I've had terrible service from Vodafone but if I have to pay the bill then I have to. It includes late payment fees that the ombudsman has also refused to remove so that's galling but I don't even care about the £75 compensation I would get, I just want to sort the credit history out.

I regret ever going to Ombudsman Services and my advice to anyone else is to keep persevering with Vodafone. Ombudsmen Services aren't worth the risk or effort, and they see things differently to any customer experiencing stress from Vodafone. They're a low unto themselves.

mobilejunkie

Sounds like you've shot yourself in the foot. The notice of correction won't do anything. You can lodge a dispute on an entry with the credit agency, but unless Vodafone agrees to amend the entry won't achieve anything about the current entry after about a month.

Cancelling a direct debit is always a bad idea. The only way you may have got somewhere is using the WRT - but since it's now gone to the Ombudsman you have lost that option. Relying on Vodafone through normal channels is only ever likely to escallate the problem, so "persevering" with them (other that through the WRT) is not good advice. Promises to call customers back are simply a mean of fobbing you off, passing the buck or telling you what you want to hear - nothing more.

secretsquirrel007

I had to cancel the direct debit as Vodafone kept taking payments they had told me they would not take while they investigated the complaint. There was no money left and I was incurring bank charges. That also formed part of my complaint which is why I'm so annoyed that it's being dealt with as two separate issues - I wasn't happy to pay them over £200 when they wouldn't look into my complaint or bank charges, and when they refused to communicate with me unless I called them and then I couldn't speak to the right people. Me not paying was a direct result of it all but Ombudsman Services will only look at 1) them giving me bad service and 2) me not paying the bill. They seem to see no link at all.

I have also been told by someone there that when they went to Vodafone they put my request to remove the credit file markers to them and Vodafone said no. I thought they only went to Vodafone to gather information and Ombudsman decided on it. Very disillusioned after today.

But what if I don't accept the Ombudsman's outcome? Does that re-open the chance to talk to Vodafone?

I meant persevering through WRT. I would avoid Ombudsman Services unless there was no other option and even then, don't count on it being looked at properly or ever speaking to the person making the decisions. You will at best talk to a front for that person and they won't budge because it's not their words, they simply compiled a case. I also didn't realise that, the Investigating Officer makes it sound like it's their decision but apparently it's not after all. My "appeal" feels very pointless, no wonder it only took a day to be looked at.

They have their satisfaction scores on their website and they're not great, I can see why now.

secretsquirrel007

Hi Vodafone/Lee - Ombudsman Services told me it's ok to speak to Vodafone directly so I filled out the WRT135 form. Reference is 16296301. Any help would be appreciated, I'd just like to get this nightmare sorted out. Thanks.

Vodafone

Hi secretsquirrel007,

Thanks for updating the thread.

I've got your email and I'll get back to you as soon as possible.

Kind regards,

Lee

Vodafone Social Media

catscradle_2

Hi Lee

I have filled out the WRT135 form and reference is 16328832. Please can you help? Help to alleviate this incredibly stressful situation is much appreciated.
Thank you.

dazzaofdagenham

d123 wrote: »

How so? This thread alone is proof of the usefulness of the WRT process. They have a pretty good track record of resolution once the customer follows the process and updates with ref number.

I know you have an axe to grind, but try and keep it factual...

I have no axe to grind at all.

After I contacted the WRT in January about the billing issues I was having in October / November / December it took a age for anybody to contact me and virtually nothing was done.

After emailing the CEO nick Jeffrey, I got a call back within 24 hours and the problem solved within 72 hours.

How it ever escalated to that stage I'll never know...a simple billing issue that just snowballed outta control.

As I said before, all my messages about Vodafone are documented.

d123

dazzaofdagenham wrote: »

I have no axe to grind at all.

After I contacted the WRT in January about the billing issues I was having in October / November / December it took a age for anybody to contact me and virtually nothing was done.

After emailing the CEO nick Jeffrey, I got a call back within 24 hours and the problem solved within 72 hours.

How it ever escalated to that stage I'll never know...a simple billing issue that just snowballed outta control.

As I said before, all my messages about Vodafone are documented.

So are you saying you have no animosity or dislike for Vodafone?

Also, do you maintain that the WRT people have not, and do not, help people?