Complaining and reporting Mobiles.co.uk to Ombudsman

dylan1273

Does anybody know the correct protocol of complaining and reporting Mobiles.co.uk to the mobile Ombudsman?


I see a post on Moneysavingexpert on sunday detailing a good deal on the Samsung galaxy s9 phone with Vodaphone via Mobiles.co.uk.


As I required a new phone for myself and partner I thought this would be a good deal, so ordered online via Mobiles.co.uk (I usually use carphonewarehouse instore)


After adding both phones 1 black and 1 purple to the basket the total for both was £260 upfront cost and £46 pm thereafter, I entered my banking and personal details and submitted my order, I also received an email confirmation for both handsets on the order.


Later I receive an email saying my phone has been processed and will be sent out, but the second handset had totally disappeared from the order, I then contact mobiles.co.uk (after waiting ages in a queue at 13 pence per minute) asking why only half my order has been processed to be told that i need to reorder the second handset with no explanation why the complete order was not processed and told it would require a second credit reference check which I was not happy with.


After worrying about my mounting phone bill to Mobiles.co.uk I decided to email them and then asked them to just reorder the second handset I will just have to live with two credit searches on my credit file.


I then receive an email stating that I have failed carphonewarehouse groups security check and I should wait 6 months before attempting to reorder !.


I then phone them again to try and get some resolution to be told the supervisor is not available and cannot ring me back.


It appears that once you fall foul of the security check nobody can override it or resolve it, but they still will send the first handset even though I failed it for the second??
in the end I give up I have emailed my complaint to Jeremy Fennell the managing director (no reply-surprise surprise) and have posted on their twitter feed.


so checking my phone bill today I have ran up £36 phone bill talking to their useless customer services department.

its_all_over

As I understand it, you've passed a credit check only for 1 phone but wanted 2 and are upset that CPW won't bend their rules and pass you for the second one as well?

Have you considered getting your partner to apply for their phone in their own name?

I can't see any cause for complaint to the ombudsman (I don't think they investigate cases of perceived bad service or being failed on a credit check).

System

its_all_over wrote: »

As I understand it, you've passed a credit check only for 1 phone but wanted 2 and are upset that CPW won't bend their rules and pass you for the second one as well?

Have you considered getting your partner to apply for their phone in their own name?

I can't see any cause for complaint to the ombudsman (I don't think they investigate cases of perceived bad service or being failed on a credit check).

They won't get involved in this as mobiles.co.uk (carphonewarehouse) aren't obliged to sell you a mobile phone contract.

It's a purely business decision.

its_all_over

Heng_Leng wrote: »

They won't get involved in this as mobiles.co.uk (carphonewarehouse) aren't obliged to sell you a mobile phone contract.

It's a purely business decision.

Yes, that's the term I was thinking of.

dylan1273

its_all_over wrote: »

As I understand it, you've passed a credit check only for 1 phone but wanted 2 and are upset that CPW won't bend their rules and pass you for the second one as well?

Have you considered getting your partner to apply for their phone in their own name?

I can't see any cause for complaint to the ombudsman (I don't think they investigate cases of perceived bad service or being failed on a credit check).

Hang on a minute sorry did i post that i wanted them to bend the rules?
please read the post correctly, i ordered two phones, which were added to the order and order confirmation received for two phones (yes you can order more than one phone)
the order was messed up and incorrectly processed and only half the order processed, so i asked them to rectify the issue by reordering the second phone and for filling my complete original order, (i wasn't happy they had to do two credit checks for their mess up) when they attempted this the carphonwarehouse internal security check and NOT credit check (as i have a very good credit score) failed.

but on reflection i do think your probably correct the ombudsman would not be interested in bad service

its_all_over

dylan1273 wrote: »

Hang on a minute sorry did i post that i wanted them to bend the rules?
please read the post correctly, i ordered two phones, which were added to the order and order confirmation received for two phones (yes you can order more than one phone)
the order was messed up and incorrectly processed and only half the order processed, so i asked them to rectify the issue by reordering the second phone and for filling my complete original order, (i wasn't happy they had to do two credit checks for their mess up) when they attempted this the carphonwarehouse internal security check and NOT credit check (as i have a very good credit score) failed.

Yes, you can probably add 5 phones to an order but unfortunately when the retailer eventually processes the order it'll likely fail and only approve for one or two depending on the credit check.

Unfortunately your credit score is a made up number than has no real bearing on your actual credit worthiness as decided by CPW, I do know that some mobile networks would only allow a single connection at first for applicants with a good or fair credit check and would only allow more than one if the result was excellent. You would have to wait 4-6 months after activating your first phone to apply for a second line on the account so that chimes in with what you were told.

Again, couldn't your partner apply in their own name?

You really can't force CPW to do business that they don't want to, and no one will force them to.

pmduk

Have you checked what the Ombudsman service for Mobiles.co.uk actually covers? You need to be their customer before you can complain!

mobilejunkie

There is no ombudsman for a retailer.

CPW would say the second order failed the credit check because they have there own rules and won't usually allow two contracts with the same customer until a month has passed (with further internal rules on numbers after that). Fortunately I have a contract where calling 0871 come out of my bundle so would have cost me nothing.

I have managed to circumvent their own internal limits by speaking with them since I (used to) order lots of contracts from them.

Some networks also restrict the number of contracts you can apply for in a given period (for example, Vodafone would offer me as many as I ordered but only 30 days apart (might have been 90 - long time since I ordered a Vodafone contract).

Applying in someone else's name usually does the trick and overcomes both credit issues.

pmduk

To be fair, there is a retail ombudsman service. I don't believe mobiles.co.uk is a member

connect2me

Hi Everyone,

I bought my contract mobile via mobiles.co.uk

The mobile completely died (hardware fault) after 1 year, but still on 2 years contract.

1) I have asked for a copy of contract,

2) mobiles.co.uk says contact network provider.

3) Network provider says contact carphonewarehouse, as they done have my contract on their system.

4) carphonewarehouse (shop manager) said that they cannot see my contract on their system, as the contract is via mobiles.co.uk which is just a website.

5) mobiles.co.uk asked me to login and find the contract on the website. There is only a copy of invoice, and not the full copy of contract, which I need in writing for legal purposes. Legally they must provide full copy of contract including terms and conditions of the contract - in writing.

6) mobiles.co.uk are responsible for the phone since they provided mobile to me and I am paying them for it - despite having a dead phone still under 2 years contract.

7) There is a consumer legal rights law - “Under the consumer Rights Act 2015, goods should be of a satisfactory quality, fit for the purpose and as described.” Under this legal rights law my mobile is covered for 6 years.

Please give suggestion / advice on how to escalate this case ? I will be complaining this to :

https://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/advice/how-to-complain-to-the-ombudsman-about-a-mobile-phone-provider

http://selfhelp.carphonewarehouse.com/SelfHelp/request.do?view()=c%7B1f0bb8a0-926c-11e0-4223-f20203001e3d%7D

Really surprising that no company is providing me with a copy of my contract in writing. So am I paying without having any contract ?

Any legal guidance / suggestions please ?

JJ_Egan

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7) Under this legal rights law my mobile is covered for 6 years.



That is not true .
Fact is its not a 6 year warranty/ rights .
Its 6 years to take your case to law .


First have you asked the vendor to repair and what did they say .
You will find your contract is for the network time .