Does anyone have any experience with returning a contract and handset to Three for a refund?

greggydoo

Hi everyone,

Last month I decided to splurge and ordered a new iPhone and contract with Three from their website. However, I almost immediately felt that pang of buyers remorse and realised that I had made an impulse purchase. Luckily (or so I thought) three offer a 14 day returns policy if I you change your mind with a web purchase. I had decided to return it before it had even arrived in the post. I called up and explained, went through what I assume must be the usual motions for the entire process. They sent a bag in the mail with instructions on how to return it. I followed them to the t (with the exception of adding a bit of card inside the returns bag for more protection). I took it to the post office with the prepaid address and got a receipt with tracking number.

All good so far? Well about 2 weeks later I received a letter saying that they can't close my account and give me my refund just yet because they still havent received the returned phone. I immediately found the receipt and the tracking number says they received it 3 days after I sent it! I called up and handed them the address of the post office and the tracking number and they claimed to take it up with royal mail about it even though the tracking said they had received it. I am still, a month after returning it, waiting for a refund for the upfront cost. I have even started receiving calls from them asking for the first months payment for the contract (even though they canceled the direct debit that I had set up when I first ordered).

I am going to call them later today to get an update and see if I can get anywhere with them. Does anyone have any experience with this as I am wondering how covered I am if they claim they didn't receive the phone!? I really want my refund, but more importantly, I really don't want to have to pay for a phone I did not keep or even have a mark on my credit report for payments that I don't owe!

eDicky

greggydoo wrote: »

I am going to call them later today to get an update and see if I can get anywhere with them.

If you are told that the matter is resolved and your refund is being processed, request written confirmation. Record the call if possible (apps are available).

If you are still obviously not getting anywhere, register a formal complaint while still on the phone and/or according to their complaints procedure, stating clearly the facts and timeline etc.

mobilejunkie

I'd send a LBA and give them 7 days to pay up AND ensure they haven't made any adverse entries on your external credit files. I'd point out that you used their label. Royal Mail shows they received it and it's up to them, not you, to take it up with Royal Mail. Send it to their registered address and email them a copy, stating that if they don't comply in full you will immediately issue proceedings and add court fees, incidental costs and statutory interest. Their returns policy is also irrelevant; for an internet transaction you have 14 days to cancel from receipt in LAW.

greggydoo

Thank you both. I called earlier on and after a bit of a struggle I managed to get confirmation that they have received the handset. I asked for this confirmation in writing as you suggested but they apparently don't provide that service. Luckily I also took your advice and recorded the call so have my back covered there. The only troubling thing at the moment is that they claim that it will still take a bit of time for them to close my account for some reason. I will get my refund 'soon', will still be sent some bills but have been told to 'ignore them' and that when it's all complete I will receive a 'final bill'. Hoping this final bill is them confirming that I don't have to pay anything? Either way, after probing for an answer to the time expected for my refund, I was given a 1 week estimate. (though it sounded like he just told me that to get rid of me). Either way, i'm a bit concerned about how long it is taking for this whole process, especially seeing as they have had the phone returned to them for a month now. Will wait for the week and if I have heard nothing still then I may take your advice on sending an LBA to help hopefully speed up the process.

Thank you for your help! Assuming the assistant on the phone wasn't telling me porkies just to get rid of me then hopefully it will all get sorted in the next week.

Edit: Oh, and also worth noting that I checked my credit report earlier and so far nothing negative seems to have been noted on it from them. I do still however have an open credit link with three still but at a zero sum value. Hopefully that doesn't change negatively whilst I am waiting.

sforrest78

Hi Did this get resolved?
I tried renewing my contract with 3 in August but as the wait on the phone was so long I decided to do this online. Apparently (I have been told afterwards) that you can not keep your same 3 phone number if you do this online. When I realised my new contract had been issued with a new phone number I called 3 to see if I could get it cancelled, they said you can not cancel the process, they told me the best thing to do was to order another contract through the phone which will keep my old number. I will receive 2 devices and I should just return the other device and they will close the contract.

I returned the device in the royal mail bag they sent and a few days later had proof of delivery. Since then I have been sent bills and debt collectors notes. I have 3 missed payments on my credit score. I have had about 20 calls and 6 webchats trying to resolve the issue. They just keep telling me they cannot find the device in the warehouse and so will not close the account. I feel completely lost, this is ruining my life. I asked for all my call recordings as at one point I was told my account would be closed immediately and they apologised, only for 2 weeks later to receive another debt collectors threat. I called 3 and they said that my account had not been closed and could not be as, "They could not find the device". Apparently they only had recordings for 3 short calls in all that time, so I have no proof of any of the things said. 

JJ_Egan

OP last active August 2019 .

JPH_JPH

I have the same problem with Three returns but not as far on as the above case.  I returned a mobile router bc the signal wasn’t good enough.  It was bought on-line and there was a free-return in the first month offer.
When I spoke to their technical support people they were really thorough and helpful, however the data rates weren’t any good.  The guy advised me to make sure I kept the post tracking receipt bc they have a habit of losing returned items in the warehouse.  I used their prepost returns bag that Three sent me.
Well, sure enough, they’ve gone and lost it.  I sent proof of delivery and proof of receipt to proofs@3mail.com. In return I’ve had several phone calls, bills and now my first threatening letter.
Has anyone got another similar story ? Did you get a special contact number for escalation ? According to the ombudsman website I need a deadlock letter and then have to wait 8 weeks before I can formally complain.
Many thanks for replies.