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ItsJordannn
Posts: 71 Forumite
in Mobiles
Hi guys, have posted this in consumer rights but was advised to post it here, I shall post an updated version here.
I pay £44.50 for a plan which gives me 7GB of data per month. My bill resets on the 7th of each month.
Towards the end of my last billing month, around the 2nd of February, I had a text to alert me I had almost gone over my data, and I could add 2GB and/or 1GB for £10 and £6 respectively. I did both. At the time I thought it was a one off payment, not recurring.
When I received my bill, it was £86 which was made up of my £44.50, plus two lots of £16. When I looked at the breakdown of this, I was charged for the billing month in which I requested the extra data, and I was also charged in advance for the next month, which is the billing month I am currently in.
I called up and it was explained to me that this was a recurring payment, she said she would remove the bundle off my account but she couldn't credit the £16 back to my account as it had already been charged and we were currently in the month in which it was to be used in. I realised this was my fault and accepted it, I told her to cancel it so I weren't charged for next month, I still thought I'd get use of the extra 3gb for this month, since I have paid for it.
This is where it gets interesting.
On Saturday, 27/02, I had a text to tell me I was running out of data, and whether I would like to add the bundles. If I didn't, I would be charged at £6.50 per 250MB. Usually I would've called up to explain however I was away for the weekend and I needed to use data, so I had add the bundle to my account. I thought it would be simple to call up and they would realise the error and add it back to my account, seeing as I wouldn't have had to purchase a bundle if I had been given the 10GB which I paid for, for this month.
On Sunday, when I got back, I called up and the lady said she would put in a request to credit the £10 back to my account. She also said she would give me unlimited internet for a month starting at midnight last night. She said I would get texts come through confirming both of these.
I thought that would be the end of the story, however, following the phone call I had a text come through to say the 2GB bundle has been removed off my account and I will no longer be charged for it. I then had another text saying I was out of data and would be charged at £6.50 per 250MB. I assumed I would get another text eventually to tell me about the unlimited use of data for the month. This text never came.
This morning, I have to use data on my phone for my sat nav for work, and I was unable to call Vodafone until I got back so I switched my phone from 4G to 3G and tried to use as little data as possible incase I hadn't had the unlimited data on my account. All day I have had nothing regarding the unlimited data come through.
I phoned Vodafone when I got back from work and the lady said when I cancel the bundle, it immediately removes the bundle from my account, meaning I lose access to the data. To explain it differently, when I cancelled at the start of this billing month, it removed the extra 3GB off my account, but I was still charged for it, even though I cancelled within 2 days of my billing month starting. I would have hardly used any data in that time so I wouldn't have been anywhere near having to use that extra 3gb. Obviously I wouldn't have cancelled if I had been aware of this. Was it reasonable for me to assume that because I had been billed for an extra 3MB, that I would get use of it? Surely the fact I cancelled so I wouldn't be charged after that is irrelevant?
After speaking to the lady more, she explained that I had infact used all 12GB of data (!!!), some 8 days before my bill renews. The 12GB comes from my usual 7GB, the 2GB and 1GB I was precharged, and the 2GB that I added the very day before. I know this is possible, but I thought this must be extremely unlikely seeing as my data usage is usually around 5GB for every month excluding these two most recent ones. I also made sure I used very little data in the last 2MB I added as I thought it might be easier to sort out. The lady on the phone I spoke to yesterday told me I had 1.87GB from the 2GB bundle so I questioned further whether I had actually used 12GB.
I brought up the following points to her
- Why did the lady I spoke to before, who agreed to give me unlimited internet for a month, not pick up on this? I asked how she knew that, whether she had a clear cut breakdown which she could give to me. She replied that these were just 'best guesses'.
- I reminded her of the fact that she told me when you cancel the bundle, it removes the data that you have already paid for. I asked why it was contradictory. She stated that I would have to wait for my bill to be published and I would have to wait because all she could give me was best guesses.
I must add I was polite and courteous throughout all of this, after some discussing, I asked the state of my account currently, meaning if I was to use data, what would I be charged?
She said as it stands if I use data I will be charged £6.50 per 250mb. She said she could add a bundle of 2MB but she and her manager were unsure of whether I would be charged again. She said if I am charged again, I can request it be credited to my account when I receive my bill if it finds that I haven't used 12GB and only used 7GB & whatever I use of this 2GB, which I think is the case. She stated that they couldn't guarantee this would be granted, however she admitted it would be logical for them to grant it.
I have three times requested to speak to a manager/supervisor in three separate phone calls because I keep getting contradictory information. I always seem to get disconnected when I am put on hold.
When I was on the phone to the lady, my bill was £61.60, I asked how this was made up and she told me the following:
£44.50 usual fee.
£6.50 for 250mb,
£10 for the 2MB bundle, plus a few pence for a picture message.
When I got off the phone and the lady added the bundle, it is now £81.60. I guess the £10 bundle comes into this but I am not sure where the next £10 comes from.
What I want:
I want to know exactly how much data I have used this month, I suspect it will be just over 7GB at the minute.
If this is true, I want all the additions onto my bill for this month to be removed as I should have had 10MB to use for this month.
The issue I have with waiting until the 7th for my bill to be generated is I don't want my bill to keep going higher and higher, but I have to use data.
I am unsure how to proceed.
Sorry for such a long post and I am grateful if anybody can offer any advice.
I pay £44.50 for a plan which gives me 7GB of data per month. My bill resets on the 7th of each month.
Towards the end of my last billing month, around the 2nd of February, I had a text to alert me I had almost gone over my data, and I could add 2GB and/or 1GB for £10 and £6 respectively. I did both. At the time I thought it was a one off payment, not recurring.
When I received my bill, it was £86 which was made up of my £44.50, plus two lots of £16. When I looked at the breakdown of this, I was charged for the billing month in which I requested the extra data, and I was also charged in advance for the next month, which is the billing month I am currently in.
I called up and it was explained to me that this was a recurring payment, she said she would remove the bundle off my account but she couldn't credit the £16 back to my account as it had already been charged and we were currently in the month in which it was to be used in. I realised this was my fault and accepted it, I told her to cancel it so I weren't charged for next month, I still thought I'd get use of the extra 3gb for this month, since I have paid for it.
This is where it gets interesting.
On Saturday, 27/02, I had a text to tell me I was running out of data, and whether I would like to add the bundles. If I didn't, I would be charged at £6.50 per 250MB. Usually I would've called up to explain however I was away for the weekend and I needed to use data, so I had add the bundle to my account. I thought it would be simple to call up and they would realise the error and add it back to my account, seeing as I wouldn't have had to purchase a bundle if I had been given the 10GB which I paid for, for this month.
On Sunday, when I got back, I called up and the lady said she would put in a request to credit the £10 back to my account. She also said she would give me unlimited internet for a month starting at midnight last night. She said I would get texts come through confirming both of these.
I thought that would be the end of the story, however, following the phone call I had a text come through to say the 2GB bundle has been removed off my account and I will no longer be charged for it. I then had another text saying I was out of data and would be charged at £6.50 per 250MB. I assumed I would get another text eventually to tell me about the unlimited use of data for the month. This text never came.
This morning, I have to use data on my phone for my sat nav for work, and I was unable to call Vodafone until I got back so I switched my phone from 4G to 3G and tried to use as little data as possible incase I hadn't had the unlimited data on my account. All day I have had nothing regarding the unlimited data come through.
I phoned Vodafone when I got back from work and the lady said when I cancel the bundle, it immediately removes the bundle from my account, meaning I lose access to the data. To explain it differently, when I cancelled at the start of this billing month, it removed the extra 3GB off my account, but I was still charged for it, even though I cancelled within 2 days of my billing month starting. I would have hardly used any data in that time so I wouldn't have been anywhere near having to use that extra 3gb. Obviously I wouldn't have cancelled if I had been aware of this. Was it reasonable for me to assume that because I had been billed for an extra 3MB, that I would get use of it? Surely the fact I cancelled so I wouldn't be charged after that is irrelevant?
After speaking to the lady more, she explained that I had infact used all 12GB of data (!!!), some 8 days before my bill renews. The 12GB comes from my usual 7GB, the 2GB and 1GB I was precharged, and the 2GB that I added the very day before. I know this is possible, but I thought this must be extremely unlikely seeing as my data usage is usually around 5GB for every month excluding these two most recent ones. I also made sure I used very little data in the last 2MB I added as I thought it might be easier to sort out. The lady on the phone I spoke to yesterday told me I had 1.87GB from the 2GB bundle so I questioned further whether I had actually used 12GB.
I brought up the following points to her
- Why did the lady I spoke to before, who agreed to give me unlimited internet for a month, not pick up on this? I asked how she knew that, whether she had a clear cut breakdown which she could give to me. She replied that these were just 'best guesses'.
- I reminded her of the fact that she told me when you cancel the bundle, it removes the data that you have already paid for. I asked why it was contradictory. She stated that I would have to wait for my bill to be published and I would have to wait because all she could give me was best guesses.
I must add I was polite and courteous throughout all of this, after some discussing, I asked the state of my account currently, meaning if I was to use data, what would I be charged?
She said as it stands if I use data I will be charged £6.50 per 250mb. She said she could add a bundle of 2MB but she and her manager were unsure of whether I would be charged again. She said if I am charged again, I can request it be credited to my account when I receive my bill if it finds that I haven't used 12GB and only used 7GB & whatever I use of this 2GB, which I think is the case. She stated that they couldn't guarantee this would be granted, however she admitted it would be logical for them to grant it.
I have three times requested to speak to a manager/supervisor in three separate phone calls because I keep getting contradictory information. I always seem to get disconnected when I am put on hold.
When I was on the phone to the lady, my bill was £61.60, I asked how this was made up and she told me the following:
£44.50 usual fee.
£6.50 for 250mb,
£10 for the 2MB bundle, plus a few pence for a picture message.
When I got off the phone and the lady added the bundle, it is now £81.60. I guess the £10 bundle comes into this but I am not sure where the next £10 comes from.
What I want:
I want to know exactly how much data I have used this month, I suspect it will be just over 7GB at the minute.
If this is true, I want all the additions onto my bill for this month to be removed as I should have had 10MB to use for this month.
The issue I have with waiting until the 7th for my bill to be generated is I don't want my bill to keep going higher and higher, but I have to use data.
I am unsure how to proceed.
Sorry for such a long post and I am grateful if anybody can offer any advice.
0
Comments
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I have to use data on my phone for my sat nav for work
sorry that reply does not help in anyway with your vodaphone issue0 -
NotRichAtAll wrote: »surely its got to be cheaper to buy a tomtom device?
sorry that reply does not help in anyway with your vodaphone issue
Or use a free satnav app like Here Maps, NavFree GPS or Navmii. The maps are stored on the phone and there is no data connection needed.====0 -
NotRichAtAll wrote: »surely its got to be cheaper to buy a tomtom device?
sorry that reply does not help in anyway with your vodaphone issueOr use a free satnav app like Here Maps, NavFree GPS or Navmii. The maps are stored on the phone and there is no data connection needed.
Cheers for the advice regarding Sat Nav's guys, tbh I've never had an issue with data before so always took it for granted, probably going to consider getting a tom tom eventually.
I know you can download the maps via google maps so you don't have a data connection but the main reason for me using google maps on my phone is because the traffic is so hit and miss where I have to go I enjoy having traffic updates come up on it. I know there are other ways around this which I shall have to look into.
Does anyone have any advice with my issue with Vodafone?0 -
I was thinking of cancelling the direct debit then only paying what I believe I owe when I receive the bill, then call them up to resolve the disputed amount.
I feel like they are going to be more bothered if they believe I still owe them money.
Any thoughts on this? What is likely to happen if I take this route?0 -
ItsJordannn wrote: »I was thinking of cancelling the direct debit then only paying what I believe I owe when I receive the bill, then call them up to resolve the disputed amount.
I feel like they are going to be more bothered if they believe I still owe them money.
Any thoughts on this? What is likely to happen if I take this route?
They will put you in default and then trash your credit file. If you do this be sure you don't want to get anything else that might need a decent credit check pass for around the next 6 years or so.====0 -
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Correct. It would be completely the opposite.0
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What would people suggest I do then? Am I being reasonable to expect that the data I've paid for would be added on to my monthly plan, regardless of if I cancel it for the next month?0
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I believe that is logical, but unfortunately Vodafone seem to have the least common sense of all mobile operators.
Unfortunately with mobile operators reporting to the CRA's, there's no viable option other to pay and then dispute it. They (especially Vodafone) will never investigate in time to resolve the issue before you have to pay the bill. It is true though that they'd take more notice if you owed them money.
You may find some help in this thread: https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5393903 . Vodafone's Web Relations Team seems to be the only way to go.0 -
I believe that is logical, but unfortunately Vodafone seem to have the least common sense of all mobile operators.
Unfortunately with mobile operators reporting to the CRA's, there's no viable option other to pay and then dispute it. They (especially Vodafone) will never investigate in time to resolve the issue before you have to pay the bill. It is true though that they'd take more notice if you owed them money.
You may find some help in this thread: https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5393903 . Vodafone's Web Relations Team seems to be the only way to go.
Thank you, I will check that out now. I'm hoping when I call up after I have paid this bill, common sense will prevail and I will be refunded what I'm owed. The trouble is getting through to someone who
A) Understands the issue andKnows how to resolve it.
0
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