Shell Broadband: £35 charge for non-return of returned router.

LandOfConfusion

A bit over 18 months ago I moved my grandmother (87) to Shell broadband. Although the supplied router wasn't anywhere near as good and the line speeds significantly lower it was cheaper than who she was with (NowTV) and Alexia still worked despite added issue of markedly reduced WiFi coverage. So she was happy and therefore I was happy.

Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago and she's now been switched to Plusnet, in part because they were cheaper but also because for the last 8 months or so the router had been regularly dropping the connection and her phone line had become progressively intermittent. We paid the £12 termination charge, which we expected as it was in the contract, packed up the router, microfilter & cable and then wrapped, boxed and returned them using the Shell-provided returns label. 3 days later Royalmail's tracking showed that Shell had received the kit but to date we've never had any acknowledgement of this from them.

Today we had an email from Shell saying that as we had not returned the router they would be charging my grandmother £35. This promoted a quick check online which showed that although some broadband review sites think the package & customer service is good the actual customer reviews seem to show something else.

So I'm just wondering if anyone else has had problems with router return?

[Deleted User]

I'm sure there will be have been somone else at some point. But that's not important.

Let Shell know that it was returned and received. Then they can update their records and the problem will be solved.

LandOfConfusion

I intend to but the customer reviews linked to above all say much the same thing, and they aren't exactly confidence inspiring.

neilmcl

LandOfConfusion said:

I intend to but the customer reviews linked to above all say much the same thing, and they aren't exactly confidence inspiring.

Don't worry about what anyone else is saying just contact Shell with your proof that the router was delivered and take it from there.

cajef

Do you still have the receipt for Royal Mail tracking, I had the same problem with returning a Sky product tracking said it had been returned but they kept saying it hadn't and threating to charge me for it fortunately I still had the RM receipt with the tracking number and was able to prove they had received it.

LandOfConfusion

That's good to know. I kept the receipt as I had a feeling this might happen.

fenwick458

I was with Shell Energy for the past year, the contract ended on the 8th Sept and I am now with talktalk as of last night.
today got an e-mail reminding me to return my router, or else I would may be charged £35!
for at least the last 3 years and maybe longer I have sold my routers on ebay for £20-£25, theres loads of them on there.
Last night as I was fitting my new router I searched on ebay completed listings for the old shell router and saw loads of them, all selling for £20 average, so I took pictures and created a draft which I was planning on listing this weekend if we get free listings...
but seems like I'll have to return it! 
It does make me wonder where all the ones on ebay are coming from?
is it just shell energy who have this policy?

JenB79

fenwick458 said:

I was with Shell Energy for the past year, the contract ended on the 8th Sept and I am now with talktalk as of last night.
today got an e-mail reminding me to return my router, or else I would may be charged £35!
for at least the last 3 years and maybe longer I have sold my routers on ebay for £20-£25, theres loads of them on there.
Last night as I was fitting my new router I searched on ebay completed listings for the old shell router and saw loads of them, all selling for £20 average, so I took pictures and created a draft which I was planning on listing this weekend if we get free listings...
but seems like I'll have to return it! 
It does make me wonder where all the ones on ebay are coming from?
is it just shell energy who have this policy?

Some other providers also have this policy, but it’s irrelevant how much their router’s worth as you don’t get charged anything if you return it as requested. 

AskJIM001

Hello,

I have a similar issue. Shell requested to return the equipment at the end of the contract, which I am happy to oblige with. They said that they will be sending a return label, which they subsequently didn't. In the next email they threatened to charge me for the equipment and informed me to use the label they provided (not the case). I  contacted them twice via email form on their web and had no reply, nor the return label. The next email I received was informing me that they have charged me the £35 for the equipment. How annoying, when you intend to comply!!!

Sims like yet another company that is happy to apply rip off charges and have next to no customer service. For now, my advice is to AVOID Shell Energy Broadband! Will update you once I hear back from them. 

cx6

How did they charge you? If by DD complain to the bank.that it was an unauthorised transaction and they will refund you under the dd guarantee

Also, raise a formal complaint with Shell and if they don't reply or find against you escalate to Ofcom.

pallyman

I had this type of issue with them,after posting it to them ,2 weeks later they sent me a email saying i had not returned it & were going to charge me.I put in a complaint and gave them proof of posting details & they rang me to say they had now found it & no charge,but i told them they have a reputation for doing this.