Cashback Guide for Dummies

mobilejunkie

We seek them there...
We have them near
Then they disappear!
Maybe in court?
The chance is "nought"...

Change the claim date -
It will make 'em late!
But why stop there?
Bolder still we can dare!
Terms & Conditions are no object -
We can mess with ANY subject!
Oh dear - another legal claim...
Ok then then, we'll play our game.
We pretend and splutter
Sinking further into the gutter
Our position we WILL defend...
Many will not contend
But those who still do
We will have to pay their due

Llyllyll

I've had four cashback deals, 2 with Mobileshop (all fully paid up without using MCOL) and 2 with Dial-a-Phone (3 out of 4 claims for each of 2 contracts paid no problem - so far).

My question relates to the final cashback with DAP. The T&C state:

You will cease to be entitled to your redemptions if your airtime contract has been terminated at the date the redemption is applied unless a delay in applying the redemption is our fault.

Now my final payment/bill is due on 8th October, and the final cashback claim is to be received by DAP between 8th Nov. - 8th Dec. (roughly a month behind). It is perfectly possible that I will also give 30 days notice of cancellation on the 8th Oct.

Does this mean that if my current contracts(s) are cancelled (even though the 12 months is up and has been paid in full) before 8th Nov. DAP can refuse to pay? If so it doesn't seem right and is just a way of extorting another months tariff out of me?

Grateful for any advice.

Thanks

mobilejunkie

I'm not sure I understand why your claim date is a full month after the 12 months are up. Dial-a-phone are now part of Phones4U and their cashback t&c say something similar. I have several contracts with Mobiles2YourDoor (part of Phones4U with the same t&c, basically) and I will never go beyond 365 days for a contract. In my case the claim dates should be ok (although in theory since you get 60 days to claim it's entirely possible I could have ended my contract before my last claim is received). However, the offers were 12 months free on a 12 month contract - not a 12 month and one day contract. I would therefore be prepared to take my chance in court on that basis if it proved necessary - but I very much doubt it would be.

I have found the company excellent. They make a few minor errors but I am always to speak with them on the phone and never had a problem I couldn't solve easily. Before you get to the last claim I would call them and ask - although on the Dial-a-phone thread I was reading earlier today it was stated that speaking with them is actually very difficult. If so - and because written confirmation is always the rule - I would email them and ask the question. That way you would either a) have their written acceptance that it will be ok or b) know you need to argue the point and find out your legal position before the point if needbe.

Dial-a-phone has been around a long time before it was taken over by Phones4U earlier this year, so there must be thousands of people who have reached this point and would know the answer from their experience. I'm afraid I'm not one of them (their deals were never good enough!).

Llyllyll

mobilejunkie wrote: »

I'm not sure I understand why your claim date is a full month after the 12 months are up.

The last months's payment is due on the 8th Oct, so I suppose contact techinically ends 30 days after that i.e. 8th Nov. All the claims I've made so far have been based on this. From DAP T&C:

Redemption 3 (Month 12): Bill dated between 08/10/08 and 08/11/08 to be received by DAP between 08/11/08 and 08/12/08.

mobilejunkie wrote: »

I would therefore be prepared to take my chance in court on that basis if it proved necessary - but I very much doubt it would be.

Thanks, that's what I thought.

mobilejunkie wrote: »

I would email them and ask the question. That way you would either a) have their written acceptance that it will be ok or b) know you need to argue the point and find out your legal position before the point if needbe.

I've done that and will post back the reply for info if/when I get it (unless anyone else can advise in the meantime).

mobilejunkie

If the last bill is 8th October and you're not cut off before that date you will be charged a month in advance, to be reclaimed in part on the November statement date, after termination. Since the October bill will show you are connected I don't see why you think there's a problem!

Llyllyll

Only because the T&C state:

You will cease to be entitled to your redemptions if your airtime contract has been terminated at the date the redemption is applied unless a delay in applying the redemption is our fault.

To me 'date the redemption is applied' means the date it's actually received by them, which could well be after I've cancelled my contract. If not then it's no problem, just nice to be sure about these things...

mobilejunkie

This is the same as Phones4u. I'm not concerned with mine.

Llyllyll

Llyllyll wrote: »

Only because the T&C state:

You will cease to be entitled to your redemptions if your airtime contract has been terminated at the date the redemption is applied unless a delay in applying the redemption is our fault.

To me 'date the redemption is applied' means the date it's actually received by them, which could well be after I've cancelled my contract. If not then it's no problem, just nice to be sure about these things...

Just had this reply from Dial-a-phone:

Dear Mr XXXX,

Customer Reference: XXXX

Thank you for your recent email. I can confirm that if you decide to give 30 days notice of cancellation, your final redemption will still be valid providing you send the correct bill within the specified dates.

Kind Regards

Dial-a-Phone Customer Care

mobilejunkie

Although not as clear as I would like and I didn't see the wording of your email, there's really not much more they could have said on a 12 month free deal on a 12 month contract.

SCRIBES

I'm looking to do an 18th contract by redemption deal for about £12 @ mth and have searched through and come up with two options. One is with esave (CPW) and the other is Dial-a-phone (Phone4U). Which one would you recommend?