Mis-sold SIM card (mobile) broadband

Tiger_Duck

I run a small business- desk rental for freelancers- and we were having massive issues with our landline internet provider as it kept dropping out. As a result we lost a tenant and offered a discount to our tenants to make up for the crappy service while I was resolved. In addition to preventing losing more tenants we got a couple of mobile routers to provide mobile wifi in the office so they wouldn't experience any interruption of service.
I purchased 2x 25GB sim cards with a one month contract at £50 and a direct debit was set up for payment.

I went to close out the account last week after 3 months and have been told there is an outstanding bill of over £500 of usage which I knew nothing about and am obviously horrified by.
I explained I hadn't been billed and the direct debit taken was only £50 and they said that it was a self-managing account and I should have logged in to check it using my mobile number. None of this was explained when I bought the sim cards, indeed I wasn't even given a mobile number for either of them at the time so would have had no way of checking in on the account. In addition I had just assumed it was Pay as You Go- it wasn't explained that I'd continue to be charged once the amount on the SIM card had been used.
Also, I have a contract mobile and if I use more than my contract amount then it comes out my next bill- this didn't happen- it was just the £50 used. If it had it would have alerted us to the fact that we were being charged for additional use.
Obviously we've used the data, but if anyone has any advice on my consumer rights given that I knew none of this when sold the contract. The payment plan being offered by Vodafone is still going to be a struggle to meet given we're such a small business and the losses we've incurred already.
(I've complained to Vodafone and have since left my internet provider for a better one and am complaining to them for their ludicrous time in resolving the issue and cost to our business as a result with a pathetic offer of compensation.) Thanks!

JJ_Egan

Consumer rights for a business .
That depends upon your business to business contract and its T&C .

Compensation will depend upon the contract if its a business service with service level agreements . If you are using a home service for a business then no compensation rights really bar the odd £30 .

onomatopoeia99

JJ_Egan wrote: »

Consumer rights for a business .

Nods agreement. Businesses don't get consumer rights as they aren't consumers.

I'm intrigued about who the hopeless ISP is, so I know to avoid them in future if we are looking to change our supplier where I work. I've generally found business ISPs to be pretty reactive in getting stuff fixed, whereas the ones touted here for their cashback and TV channels for domestic consumption can be a nightmare.

[Deleted User]

You have my condolences...


How on earth could you login in to a Vodafone online account as they require two factor authentication that only seems to work if the dongle, sure signal etc is on the same account as a contract Vodafone mobile...


No way to access your account even if you call them as it's almost impossible to pass their security.


Like many, I've moved loads of accounts off Vodafone as every aspect of their internet and customer service is beyond dire.


Best pay it as they will trash your credit record for years...

tastyhog

jeepjunkie wrote: »

You have my condolences...


How on earth could you login in to a Vodafone online account as they require two factor authentication that only seems to work if the dongle, sure signal etc is on the same account as a contract Vodafone mobile...


No way to access your account even if you call them as it's almost impossible to pass their security.


Like many, I've moved loads of accounts off Vodafone as every aspect of their internet and customer service is beyond dire.


Best pay it as they will trash your credit record for years...

the dongles have an online portal like a normal router where you manage settings and can receive text messages to the included sim

Vodafone

Hi Tiger_Duck,

Thanks for making me aware of your experience.

If you'd like me to take a look at your account, email me via the form here.

To access the form you'll need to enter the code WRT135.

As well as stating your query in the question box, please also quote "MSE Forum".

Once sent, you'll receive an automated reply with a reference number. Post it on here and I'll check I've received it.

Kind regards,

Lee

Vodafone Social Media

[Deleted User]

tastyhog wrote: »

the dongles have an online portal like a normal router where you manage settings and can receive text messages to the included sim

That has not been my experience for years...

Xbigman

Same here. Everytime I tried to log onto the VF website I had a message telling me they needed my phone number, which they already had. 40 mins on the phone and then over an hour in a VF shop got me nowhere. Are VF shop staff trained to be sarcastic?
I gave up.

Scr*wed by VodaFone for the 2nd time, never again.

Darren

[Deleted User]

Xbigman wrote: »

Same here. Everytime I tried to log onto the VF website I had a message telling me they needed my phone number, which they already had. 40 mins on the phone and then over an hour in a VF shop got me nowhere. Are VF shop staff trained to be sarcastic?
I gave up.

Scr*wed by VodaFone for the 2nd time, never again.

Darren

I don't think they are trained in anything, perhaps toilet... but that about it