We'd like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum. This is to keep it a safe and useful space for MoneySaving discussions. Threads that are - or become - political in nature may be removed in line with the Forum’s rules. Thank you for your understanding.
🔔 You've got till Monday to apply to become an MSE Forum Ambassador

EE Overselling Contract Issue

Hi all,

An elderly family member has been oversold a mobile phone contract which is due to expire in 7 months time. I would estimate they use 5GB of data per month but they were up-sold a contract in the store for 164GB!! They do not understand data allowances or requirements so as a long term EE customer, relied on EE to view their historical data usage and make recommendations.
Now, unless she she is about to take up aggressive gaming and streaming, there is no legitimate reason they needed this contract.

Is there any way EE can be challenged or recompense made for what is clearly an over sell?

Thank you for your help
«1

Comments

  • Even though they were relying on an expert in their field to guide them and make recommendations?
  • eDicky
    eDicky Posts: 6,835 Forumite
    Ninth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Even though they were relying on an expert in their field to guide them and make recommendations?

    If you're referring to shop staff, their aim is usually to sell contracts most lucrative commission-wise or in their job-advancement interests, regardless of what would be suitable for a customer. It is better to enter such mobile phone shops without your wallet and cards, to later reflect at leisure on what has been 'recommended', or buy online.
    Evolution, not revolution
  • Brie
    Brie Posts: 13,724 Ambassador
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    In contradiction of the others (who may be correct in what they are saying) I would suggest a complaint being logged on behalf of the elderly individual to point out that it was a case of taking advantage of an elderly and vulnerable individual. 

    Now your elderly granny (or whomever) might be completely on the ball for most things - politics, finances, the lineage in Wagnerian opera - but technology is a different game all together.  I'm reasonably bright and techy but it took me some time to get my head around "apps" simply because they were new to me and I didn't know what was actually being talked about particularly when I made the leap from a stupid to a smart phone.  Most companies have some sort of "vulnerable customer" team that would see the sense of correcting the salesperson's overly optimistic patter and ensure there's no bad publicity about how granny has been been financially disadvantaged by corporate greed.  
    I’m a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on Debt Free Wannabe and Old Style Money Saving boards.  If you need any help on these boards, do let me know. Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any posts you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button, or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com. All views are my own and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.

    "Never retract, never explain, never apologise; get things done and let them howl.”  Nellie McClung
  • Slinky
    Slinky Posts: 10,796 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    In my experience, mobile companies will recommend you almost anything extra to part with more money. 

    My 2 year contract with O2 has just expired, it had a 100mb data allowance which I got on a discounted deal when I signed up.  Checking their website for new deals, it said my average monthly usage is 2.7mb, but they recommended I pay £87ish a month for unlimited data!  Yet elsewhere on the site I was able to 'upgrade' to a 30mb deal for £12.99 a month. This wasn't 'recommended', I had to dig about a bit to find it.

    Hope you get things sorted for your relative (for which I do hate the word 'elderly'.)
    Make £2025 in 2025
    Prolific £102.99, Octopoints £3.20, Tesco Clubcard challenges £60, Misc Sales £321
    Total £487.19/£2025 24%

    Make £2024 in 2024
    Prolific £907.37, Chase Interest £59.97, Chase roundup interest £3.55, Chase CB £122.88, Roadkill £1.30, Octopus referral reward £50, Octopoints £70.46, Topcashback £112.03, Shopmium referral £3, Iceland bonus £4, Ipsos survey £20, Misc Sales £55.44
    Total £1410/£2024  70%

    Make £2023 in 2023  Total: £2606.33/£2023  128.8%



  • EnPointe
    EnPointe Posts: 665 Forumite
    500 Posts First Anniversary Name Dropper
    edited 26 November 2023 at 8:00PM
    Even though they were relying on an expert in their field to guide them and make recommendations?
      Network shop staff are neither independent or expert...

    I see you've started throwing the term ' vulnerable adult ' about in regard to your relative, you do realise that this term has a specific  meaning in law ?
  • d123
    d123 Posts: 8,718 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Even though they were relying on an expert in their field to guide them and make recommendations?
    As others have already said, no phone shops employ “experts in their field” in their retail shops, just like DFS doesn’t employ expert sofa makers in their shops.

    They employ sales staff to sell their product to customers.
    ====
  • zagfles
    zagfles Posts: 21,332 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Chutzpah Haggler
    Brie said:
    In contradiction of the others (who may be correct in what they are saying) I would suggest a complaint being logged on behalf of the elderly individual to point out that it was a case of taking advantage of an elderly and vulnerable individual. 

    Now your elderly granny (or whomever) might be completely on the ball for most things - politics, finances, the lineage in Wagnerian opera - but technology is a different game all together.  I'm reasonably bright and techy but it took me some time to get my head around "apps" simply because they were new to me and I didn't know what was actually being talked about particularly when I made the leap from a stupid to a smart phone.  Most companies have some sort of "vulnerable customer" team that would see the sense of correcting the salesperson's overly optimistic patter and ensure there's no bad publicity about how granny has been been financially disadvantaged by corporate greed.  
    Agreed. This is worse than PPI misselling, at least most people can understand the concept of PPI, probably better than understanding how much data they need on their mobile.
    I'd suggest putting in a complaint, maybe in person in the shop, preferably when there's other people in they're trying to sell to. If that doesn't work, most major newspapers have a financial/consumer advice section where they answer readers' questions and often take up issues, funny how companies often back down when a financial journalist shames them into it, regardless of the legalities. Virtually nobody needs 164GB, it's a ridiculous amount. Most normal users shouldn't need more than 1 or 2 GB a month!

Meet your Ambassadors

🚀 Getting Started

Hi new member!

Our Getting Started Guide will help you get the most out of the Forum

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 348.8K Banking & Borrowing
  • 252.3K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 452.6K Spending & Discounts
  • 241.6K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 618.2K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 175.9K Life & Family
  • 254.7K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 16.1K Discuss & Feedback
  • 15.1K Coronavirus Support Boards

Is this how you want to be seen?

We see you are using a default avatar. It takes only a few seconds to pick a picture.