Official Vodafone Complaints/Query Thread

dolphin19

Well it looks like I spoke too soon; I had a letter from Vodafone today - this is what it said (the grammatical errors are theirs, not mine!)

"Thank you for contacting Vodafone Customer Services in regards to Early Termination Fee

I apologies for the inconvenience caused, in regards to your letter, I have checked the account and confirm it has already been dealt with our team of customer relations.

As per notes on 26/12/2015, the contract term for the number xxxxxxxxxxx is from 27/6/2014 to 26/6/2016. If you wish to transfer the number before the contract end date then an Early Termination Fee (ETF) will be applicable to your Account. The ETF is £234.16 (ETF amount after 30 days' notice period) as of today.

This amount is nothing but the line rental till the contract end date and is calculated on a pro rate basis. This amount will reduce on a daily basis.

As contract was taken from Carphone Warehouse, hence they should have been provided the contract term details while taken the contract, which has the contract end date. If there is any dispute with the contract end date, you can write back with the copy of contract.

We would not be able to waive off the cancellation charges, the early termination fee applied in your next bill if found correct (due to system error), you can pay the amount of £234.16 and write back for the same, we would remove the incorrect charges.

Please write back to us in case if you have any further queries"

So basically they have agreed that the £460 charge was a system error and it should really be £234.16 but it seems like they are holding the Carphone Warehouse responsible for not telling me the contract had not ended and also me for not knowing - however, the Carphone Warehouse asked me if my contract was at an end and I said I didn't know.

When speaking to Vodafone I was not told that there would be a termination fee and given the PAC code - there's no way I would have agreed to pay it - is it my responsibility to know that the contract had not ended though?

I think my next step is to go back to the Carphone Warehouse or should I go directly to the Ombudsman?

Some of the letter is nonsensical - it really doesn't inspire confidence in the company does it.......:mad:

Cloudane

The "someone" was DPD and they did eventually send a text message and pick it up. Just a bit of shaky communication on Voda's part IMO.

daydotz

Cloudane wrote: »

The "someone" was DPD and they did eventually send a text message and pick it up. Just a bit of shaky communication on Voda's part IMO.

That's good news i was told it would be DPD ive not heard anything still i sold mine in the end

56cheffy

Briefly!

My 2 year contract ended on Dec 23rd so I chatted on 23rd Nov (1 months notice required) via online chat and arranged for a new contract at a reduced rate to start on Dec 23rd.

I agreed to terms and conditions which stated that if the new contract was cancelled I would be liable for the remaining months.

On 23rd Dec I had no signal on my mobile I called to find out the problem and spent 90 minutes on the phone.

I was told that I was now on PAYG, I explained the situation (I also had kept chat log from 23rd Nov) that I was on a new contract, after 90 minutes, incredibly nothing was resolved.

On morning of 24th I chatted online as I still had no signal, I was told that the 'servers were being upgraded' and to call back in 2 hours.

I chatted again 6 hours later at 3 pm in the afternoon and was told 'servers still being upgraded and that I should call back again at 8:00am on Christmas Day!

By now I had been without my phone for 36 hours.

I asked for the PAC code to migrate my phone to O2 and was subsequently transferred to 5 other people and finally told they couldn't do anything 'because the servers were being upgraded'!

I was told to call 191 but I couldn't as I had no signal and didn't fancy another hour on the phone.

I eventually got the code 2 days after Christmas.

But now Vodafone are billing me for the remaining months of the contract.

My argument is that Vodafone failed to fulfil the terms of the contract that I had agreed to by disconnecting my phone for at least 4 days.

How should I proceed with this.

Thanks

forgotmyname

Usually when i have phoned to renew a contract its applied there and then, never known them defer an upgrade date. Was the contract up in december or was that the upgrade date?

What are they charging you for? How much? How many months?

56cheffy

forgotmyname wrote: »

Usually when i have phoned to renew a contract its applied there and then, never known them defer an upgrade date. Was the contract up in december or was that the upgrade date?

What are they charging you for? How much? How many months?

The contract was up on 23rd Dec, the contract I was on requested one months notice so I contacted them on 23rd Nov to cancel.

When I 'chatted' online on 23rd Nov I was originally going to cancel and change to O2 anyway as I don't use anywhere near the quota per month even though it's their lowest and cheapest with Vodafone.

But Vodafone offered me 4 months FREE and a lower tarif than the one I was going to go with on O2.

They are now asking me for around £58 for the remaining 8 months of the contract!

IMHO they failed to fulfil their part of the contract by leaving me without a service for 4 days over Christmas.

Had they provided a service, there would not have been a problem, they provide a service, I would have paid for it...no problems.

The problem was entirely of their own making.

IF I wanted to 'escalate' this and take it higher what should I do?

Whose contact details should I request?

Thanks for your response forgotmyname

When I originally called on Dec 23rd to ask why I had no service I was told that my contract had been cancelled (by me) and that I had requested to go PAYG!

forgotmyname

I know its easy to get annoyed and just cancel and go elsewhere or refuse to pay, but they will just mark your credit file as missed or non payment which can have serious issues for the next 6 years.

You needed to push them and make a formal complaint about lack of network. Seems like you agreed a new contract so the money maybe owed.

You need to make a formal complaint in writing.

56cheffy

forgotmyname wrote: »

I know its easy to get annoyed and just cancel and go elsewhere or refuse to pay, but they will just mark your credit file as missed or non payment which can have serious issues for the next 6 years.

You needed to push them and make a formal complaint about lack of network. Seems like you agreed a new contract so the money maybe owed.

You need to make a formal complaint in writing.

Correct I did agree a contract, but I was more than willing to fulfil my part of it ie pay my bill each month as I have done for the past 2 years, but they did not fulfil their part from the outset, it should have been a seamless transfer from one contract to the other.
It wasn't a case of 'lack of network, they disconnected me from it!

The people I chatted to were worse than useless.

BUT if it means problems for the next 6 years I guess I will end up being bullied into paying!

forgotmyname

Yeah, pay it and make a formal complaint to get the contract cancelled and refunded. or continue with the contract.

From all the threads on here i was expecting to phone them yesterday and have issues getting my PAC. But the guy asked if he could try and match the deal i was moving to but couldnt and gave me the PAC there and then. Said it would be emailed also but that has not arrived yet.

Leon_W

I gave up trying to return a phone.

I phoned several times (recorded calls obviously, as you have to with Vodaphone). Contacted the rep on here with the same result. Gave them the final ultimatum, collect within 7 days or I will do as I deem fit with it.

Sold it on Ebay :beer: