Vodafone and Zinc Group

bethany00

Hello there.
Has anyone else had similar problems?
I phoned up Vodafone in December 2016 to cancel my contract and ask for a settlement figure. Despite repeated requests for that figure, the call handler seemed reluctant to give me the actual figure to be able to cancel the contract.
After over an hour of wrangling on the phone, I was given a settlement figure which I then dually paid.
The contract had been cancelled and the money taken out of my bank.

In April 2019, I received an email out of the blue, suggesting I somehow owed money.
I thought this was a scam, so ignored it.
I am now being chased for debt by Zinc on behalf of Vodafone. It is completely unlawful and I have spoken to BBC's watchdog, who has taken a keen interest in this case.

If you have suffered similar problems, please get in contact with BBC watchdog and I advise anyone else to avoid taking out a contract with Vodafone.

PHK

Surely, the issue here is that the final bill amount won't be known until it's generated. Even if you cancel, there's still the notice period to wait out. During this period other charges could be accrued. So it doesn't make sense to demand a final payment. This is not just Vodafone.

What people normally do is cancel (you can work out the rough cost as number of remaining months x monthly charge) then wait for the final bill. (You might get a bill before this if you cancel close to a bill date.)

pmduk

An ETF (early termination fee) usually would mean that there is no 'final bill'. The contract ends with the payment of that fee.

[Deleted User]

Watchdog are not interested in this, trust me.

Contact Zinc/Vodafone and find out what's going on.

No need to start making mountains out of mere molehills

Tea_spiller

Check your credit file there may information as to when debt accrued.
Vodafone have a bad history of wrecking peoples credit for "system" errors.


If it is established that Vodafone is at fault, ensure they rectifty credit history & compensate accordingly.

dot2005

Yes I noticed a couple of months ago I was paying two direct debits to Vodafone, one for about £36, which was correct, and another for £9 - for what I do not know. I couldn't get any answer from Vodafone so I just cancelled the £9 direct debit. I have today received a call from Zinc Company saying I owed £29.97 to Vodafone and if I didn't cough up my credit rating will be affected!! I've been with Vodafone for over 20 years without any bother. I'm a bit worried about this. I spoke today to someone at Vodafone (Indian Call Centre) who said the cancelled direct debit went to an "outside party" who he would call tomorrow (they closed at 6pm apparently) and get back to me tomorrow. It's really worrying!

DCFC79

dot2005 wrote: »

Yes I noticed a couple of months ago I was paying two direct debits to Vodafone, one for about £36, which was correct, and another for £9 - for what I do not know. I couldn't get any answer from Vodafone so I just cancelled the £9 direct debit. I have today received a call from Zinc Company saying I owed £29.97 to Vodafone and if I didn't cough up my credit rating will be affected!! I've been with Vodafone for over 20 years without any bother. I'm a bit worried about this. I spoke today to someone at Vodafone (Indian Call Centre) who said the cancelled direct debit went to an "outside party" who he would call tomorrow (they closed at 6pm apparently) and get back to me tomorrow. It's really worrying!

Your score wont be affected but your history could get a bad entry.

mobilejunkie

dot2005 wrote: »

Yes I noticed a couple of months ago I was paying two direct debits to Vodafone, one for about £36, which was correct, and another for £9 - for what I do not know. I couldn't get any answer from Vodafone so I just cancelled the £9 direct debit. I have today received a call from Zinc Company saying I owed £29.97 to Vodafone and if I didn't cough up my credit rating will be affected!! I've been with Vodafone for over 20 years without any bother. I'm a bit worried about this. I spoke today to someone at Vodafone (Indian Call Centre) who said the cancelled direct debit went to an "outside party" who he would call tomorrow (they closed at 6pm apparently) and get back to me tomorrow. It's really worrying!

Don't hold your breath. Huge mistake - cancelling the direct debit. Is likely to have already hit yopur external credit rating and will stay on there for the next 6 years once it has.

Vodafone are a nightmare to deal with. Thye will lie, make promises and often do the opposite of what they say. First rule they have is to fob people off; transfer them elsewhere, promise to call back, promise something's been fixed (when it isn't) and/or hang up on you.

Unfortunatley, the only people who actually avoided that training were the WRT - and now they seem to have disappeared. I recommend you start getting things in writing - starting with a formal complaint. By all means wait for the call back - but don't expect it to come.

PaulEwall

Vodafone Zinc Group
I have made a further request for a refund to Nick Jeffery Vodafone CEO, 

18th May 2020: Second request to Vodafone for refund £4,761.16

22nd December 2012:  Items returned unused

Direct Debit Service User Number 628328 Direct Debit Reference Number 295725669M  to Vodafone to account number 687148692/00001 all Vodafone bills have no usage on account. 

18th December 2012:  SMS message from 08443308014 purporting to be from 02 with limited customer offer for 02 customers.

Refurbished equipment Motorola Defy Mini phone and ipad received 

19th December 2012:  No mention made that equipment would not be OEM factory sealed packing. At no time had the equipment used by myself. 

19th December 2012: Email welcome from Business Phone Direct –  a Vodafone Platinum Partner with Business Phone Direct contact details

21st December 2012: Received Motorola Defy Mni phone and ipad, phone received used not in sealed packing opened, ipad was not opened.

21st December 2012: Vodafone – Direct Debit set up form “thank you for choosing Vodafone and for arranging to pay your mobile phone account by Direct Debit.

22nd December 2012: Items returned Special Delivery  ref:SC834821545GB  £9.75 to Business Phone Direct Ltd, registered office. 

In response to receiving the returned Motorola Defy Mni phone and ipad phone. I received a telephone call from Business Phones Direct with the purpose of having me change my mind and to keep the returned products. I advised representative I would not agree to having product returned back to myself.

30th December 2012: I mailed notice of termination letter mailed 1stclass mail to Business Phone Direct Ltd, registered office and Vodafone Customer Relations Manager.

No acknowledgement or communication received.

16th January 2013: Email from Business Phone Direct Confirmation of go live on Vodafone One Net express service

19th January 2013: I emailed inlife@bdpdiret.co.uk  a copy of notice of termination letter Business Phone Direct Customer Service.

21st January 2013:  Email Ticket#25511 received from Business Phone Direct Ltd confirming my request, response promised within next 24 hours.

No response received 

30th March 2013: I resent copy notice of termination letter Recorded Delivery ref:AU137227093GB £1.55 to Vodafone Customer Relations Manager. As mentioned, no acknowledgement or communication received

16th October 2016Vodafone Letter Phil Mottram Vodafone Enterprise Director – roaming services rate increase ref A/C 687148692

9th March 2019: Signed Delivery ref:NJ734195398GB £2.50 to letter mailed to registered office for attention of Nick Jeffery Vodafone UK CEO, with request for refund £4,243.86 including copy of 1st bill no record of calls and the then current bill again with no record of calls.

11th March 2019: Email received from G Wilkie for and on behalf of Nick Jeffery Vodafone UK CEO Tel:08080 045 200  Unique reference 766311.  ‘Working to resolve issue quickly in relation to my recent experience”

15th March 2019: Email received from W Minshull for and on behalf of Nick Jeffery Vodafone UK CEO Tel:08080 045 200  Unique reference 1-1027517 766311. “Investigation now started into your concerns, but I just need a few more details from you”

22nd March 2019: I called Tel:08080 045 200 and spoke to customer services representative K Goddard who advised W Minshull was not available to receive my call, and suggested I should take my complaint to their partner Business Phone Direct - Company acquired by Onecom Ltd.

I reiterated all payments have been made via Direct Debit Service User Number 628328 Direct Debit Reference Number 295725669M   to Vodafone for Vodafone mobile phone account number 687148692/00001 all Vodafone bills have no usage on account as equipment was returned to Vodafone partner Business Phone Direct.

I requested a copy of the call transcript and was told this would not be available to send to me as would take a few weeks to be ready.

30th April 2019: Email received from W Minshull for and on behalf of Nick Jeffery Vodafone UK CEO Tel:08080 045 200  Unique reference 1-1027517 766311.  “Investigation now started into your concerns, but I just need a few more details from you”

15th May 2019: Email received from W Minshull for and on behalf of Nick Jeffery Vodafone UK CEO Tel:08080 045 200  Unique reference 1-1027517 766311.  “Investigation now started into your concerns, but I just need a few more details from you”

19th May 2019: Email received from W Minshull for and on behalf of Nick Jeffery Vodafone UK CEO Tel:08080 045 200  Unique reference 1-1027517 766311.“In your email you explained that you had taken two new deals out with a 3rd party company which was on the Vodafone network. You have advised the deals were miss sold to you and have requested £4,243.86 to be refunded back to your bank account. I can confirm the deals were taken out with a 3rd party company called Phones Direct; this is the company you will need to direct your query to, in regards to misselling 2 contracts to you”

13th February 2020: Vodafone notice of default £217.32

17th March 2020: Zinc Credit Management Letter for collection of 217.77

Reference:10472883  Following five calls form the Zinc Group I emailed The  Zinc Group Manager Dale Simpson as requested with details of communications, with Business Phone Direct Ltd and Vodafone Limited. 

Email addresses provided by Ben 25th March 2020 /Mike 31st March 2020 and Laura 7th April 2020 dsimpson@thezincgroup.com/ dale.simpson@thezincgroup.com/

DSimpson@thezincgroup.com/ support@thezincgroup.com.  

I have verified email address supplied as three emails provided for Dale Simpson have failed to go through.