EE and my mother

ThisisYOGI

Hi all, I need your help please.

Bearing in mind that I've only just found out about this, please read the story and tell me if you can offer any advice as to whether I can do anything about it and how i should proceed.

I have just found out that in September last year, my mum visited EE for a new phone and contract. She ended up walking out with a 64GB iPhone, unlimited calls, unlimited texts and 7GB of data a month.
During a conversation, it became apparent that she had no idea of what she was signing up to. She refers to 'Having to download more memory' on her last contract and clearly has no concept of mobile data nor the memory capacity within her phone.
Hearing this, I ran some checks on her phone. Since September, she had used 186MB of mobile data. Since September!
Also, she had only used 10GB of memory within her phone.
She is currently paying £57 a month for a contract and phone which is way way beyond what she needs.
I believe she has been grossly mis-sold her phone and her contract.
What I would like to know is, is there anything I can do? Who should I approach and how?

Thanks in advance

YOGI

[Deleted User]

The obvious answer is to talk to EE first and foremost, I'm not sure the shop would be of much help but you can only try but may get more help on the phone. Out of interest what was her previous phone and contract and was it on EE as well.

Kim_13

The 64GB is probably the only thing that is appropriate for her. 64GB would at the time have been the second smallest available, regardless of whether she has the 6s or the SE. The smallest is 16GB. The full quoted capacity is never usable due to the iOS taking up space (I believe my 16GB iPad has around 12GB usable) so with 10GB used she may have struggled with space in the future had she had the 16GB. I assume she would keep her phone for at least a relatively long period before replacing it. A 32GB (probably what she actually needs) iPhone 6s has only been available since the 7 came out and it sounds as though this was after your mum took out the contract. A 32GB iPhone SE doesn't exist.

From previous posts, EE seem to be the worst network for issues like this (they don't even have a cooling off period for purchases made in store.) You could try to get them to agree to lower her airtime plan, but this probably wouldn't knock much off per month (the lowest offered seems to vary with the phone, iPhones being higher than some other phones.) Unlimited texts is pretty standard in pay monthly contracts and having had a quick look on the EE site, unlimited minutes seems standard with an iPhone.) It's just the data really, but that is the part (apart from phone cost) that is costing the most money.

When I had an iPhone contract with O2 (5 years ago now) I reduced my minutes from 600 to 300 around three quarters of the way through the contract; it knocked about £3 per month off (this was something O2 offered at the time to customers in the later stages; my contract was not missold but circumstances had changed and I didn't need anywhere near the 600 any longer.) So I would try to get at least £5-£10 or so off a month, but it's a long shot until phone contract misselling becomes a recognised issue.

You could always mention, while complaining to EE (if informally asking them to lower it gets nowhere) you're willing to get the ombudsman involved; the complaint failing is likely but it would cost EE £550 if you did, so they may as well knock something off as it'll cost them less in the long run. This is assuming that EE exceed the fee free number of ombudsman cases per year, which is highly likely. The complaint should come from your mother but you can write a letter and get her to sign it if she is happy to proceed with a complaint.

ThisisYOGI

Pretty certain from reading back what I had written, I hadn't said that anywhere. But I do believe that she is not as tech savvy as she could be. I do try to educate her as much as possible and now think she understands what is what. In truth, I feel it should have been explained properly in the shop in the first place.
I do find it annoying thought that people seem to think that someone who is not tech savvy require Putting in a care home.
And thanks for your helpful answer.

mac.d

ThisisYOGI wrote: »

I do find it annoying thought that people seem to think that someone who is not tech savvy require Putting in a care home.

People are just making comments like that because there's no law against selling stuff to people who aren't really sure what they're buying. It might not have been very nice of them, but they're not technically doing anything wrong if she's walked into a shop and told them she's not happy with her current phone/contract so they've sold her a better one. In future, tell her to consider taking her with you?

There have been a few helpful replies in the thread too... speak to EE, instore with your Mum first, if no help from them, call EE, raise a complaint if you don't get anywhere. Good luck, it seems likely the best you can hope for is to reduce the allowances on the contract and knock something of the monthly cost. Personally I'd also be putting in writing a complaint to them, not saying too much about your Mum not being tech savvy but cleary being sold a contract way above what she needs.

AndyPK

Sadly most salemen are bxxxxxds. It's the way the world is.

The 64Gb phone is a nice model and they have discontinued it.

They are taking the px$$ with the data though.

Just please make sure you put a note in YOUR calendar as to when the contract ends. and get her a sim only deal of £5 a month!

Marcio45

Other option is to sell the phone and buy a cheaper one. Iphones do hold their value better than other smartphones. You dont say which model, but i am guessing an iphone 6 or 7. You would probably get 300/400 pounds for it. That would offset a little the very high monthly cost.

But i guess it is a lesson to be learned. Sales people do not care and dont need to worry if a product suit a particular costumer. What matters is their sales comission. And believe me that they are under huge pressure to reach sales targets. Not that it justifies what individuals do.

moremore

ThisisYOGI wrote: »

Pretty certain from reading back what I had written, I hadn't said that anywhere. But I do believe that she is not as tech savvy as she could be. I do try to educate her as much as possible and now think she understands what is what. In truth, I feel it should have been explained properly in the shop in the first place.
I do find it annoying thought that people seem to think that someone who is not tech savvy require Putting in a care home.
And thanks for your helpful answer.

Note EE been charge 2.7m for overcharging on Ofcom website.

AndyPK

for call costs.
When out of the country IIRC ?

Marvqn1

Is the contract for 12 months?

Phone memory capacity is usually amounts such as 16GB or 32GB, so if your mother used 10GB on her previous phone then she probably had 6GB remaining, unless that 10GB amount doesn't include the memory used by the phones OS.

AndyPK

iPhones tend to be

16Gb, 32Gb, 64Gb, 128Gb

They have stopped the 64Gb