Three - obstructive complaints and SAR methods

Mutton_Geoff

I took out a one year pay monthly simo Three contract in March 2020. I never renewed or agreed to any contract extension but when I wanted to terminate the contract, Three told me I had agreed to a new two year contract in Nov 2022 for two years and there would be a cancellation fee.

I tried the online chat and requested proof of contract signing/renewal for Nov 2022 but they didn't supply me with this information. I wrote in August 2024 to request this in writing but never got a reply and so on 1st Sept 24, I made a SAR (subject access request) specifically asking for proof of signing or otherwise acknowledging the contract renewal. I also cancelled my direct debit and got a PAC number and transferred my number over to another provider.

On 16th Sept, Three warned me that if I didn't pay the outstanding bill (cancellation charge), I would be referred to a debt collection agency. I wrote again and reminded them this amount was in dispute and I was still waiting for the SAR information.

They wrote to me on 26th Sept telling me I must present my SAR on their prescribed form accessible from the following link:

http://www.three.co.uk/termspdf/SAR_V2_GDPR.pdf

The link was dead and searches for "SAR", "GDPR" etc on their site produced no returns. I then received an email saying my account was overdue and so I paid the outstanding amount "under protest" to avoid it being passed to a debt collector. I wrote again to the complaints department and reminded them the bill was subject to dispute but they went ahead and reported my late payment to Transunion so for the first time in 25 years, I have a late payment mark on my record.

Today I received an email from the "DPA Officer" - DPA.Officer@three.co.uk asking me to specifically outline my request and the information I needed and to provide them with DOB, address and a copy of photo ID "To also ensure that we don’t release information to a third party by accident". This is despite them now having 3 letters from me containing this request.

I have responded and reminded them they are now out of time regarding the ICO rules for responding to SAR requests. My requests for information are now more than two months old and still they play games.

Just a warning that Three must be organised to be as disruptive as possible to customer complaints and legitimate requests for data and confirmation of contract they claimed their customer signed.

Posting this as a warning that they are one of the worst companies to deal with.

born_again

Mutton_Geoff said:

I took out a one year pay monthly simo Three contract in March 2020. I never renewed or agreed to any contract extension but when I wanted to terminate the contract, Three told me I had agreed to a new two year contract in Nov 2022 for two years and there would be a cancellation fee.

I tried the online chat and requested proof of contract signing/renewal for Nov 2022 but they didn't supply me with this information. I wrote in August 2024 to request this in writing but never got a reply and so on 1st Sept 24, I made a SAR (subject access request) specifically asking for proof of signing or otherwise acknowledging the contract renewal. I also cancelled my direct debit and got a PAC number and transferred my number over to another provider.

On 16th Sept, Three warned me that if I didn't pay the outstanding bill (cancellation charge), I would be referred to a debt collection agency. I wrote again and reminded them this amount was in dispute and I was still waiting for the SAR information.

They wrote to me on 26th Sept telling me I must present my SAR on their prescribed form accessible from the following link:

http://www.three.co.uk/termspdf/SAR_V2_GDPR.pdf

The link was dead and searches for "SAR", "GDPR" etc on their site produced no returns. I then received an email saying my account was overdue and so I paid the outstanding amount "under protest" to avoid it being passed to a debt collector. I wrote again to the complaints department and reminded them the bill was subject to dispute but they went ahead and reported my late payment to Transunion so for the first time in 25 years, I have a late payment mark on my record.

Today I received an email from the "DPA Officer" - DPA.Officer@three.co.uk asking me to specifically outline my request and the information I needed and to provide them with DOB, address and a copy of photo ID "To also ensure that we don’t release information to a third party by accident". This is despite them now having 3 letters from me containing this request.

I have responded and reminded them they are now out of time regarding the ICO rules for responding to SAR requests. My requests for information are now more than two months old and still they play games.

Just a warning that Three must be organised to be as disruptive as possible to customer complaints and legitimate requests for data and confirmation of contract they claimed their customer signed.

Posting this as a warning that they are one of the worst companies to deal with.

It was not a fixed term contract. These automatically become a rolling monthly contract. So you will still have been paying monthly for this.
Have you checked your bank account to confirm this?

As to why it then became a 2 year contract after 8 months is a strange one. Any emails from them that might have indicated this?
Again have you checked your bank account for any change in the amount taken?

Reporting the payment late is a fact, which is what the reports are about.

Have you changed email address or any other details since the original purchase in march 2020? Which may be why they are requiring further proof that you are the account holder.

Have you actually lodged a complaint with them over this?

SAR form link is on this page

https://www.three.co.uk/privacy-safety/right-of-access

To make a request, the easiest thing to do is download the Request for Access to Personal Information form, complete it, and send it to us at DPA.Officer@three.co.uk, along with a copy of your photo ID. It’s important that we validate your ID before releasing information, so that we don’t disclose information to a third party in error. 

Mutton_Geoff

born_again said:

It was not a fixed term contract. These automatically become a rolling monthly contract. So you will still have been paying monthly for this.
Have you checked your bank account to confirm this?

As to why it then became a 2 year contract after 8 months is a strange one. Any emails from them that might have indicated this?
Again have you checked your bank account for any change in the amount taken?

Reporting the payment late is a fact, which is what the reports are about.

Have you changed email address or any other details since the original purchase in march 2020? Which may be why they are requiring further proof that you are the account holder.

Have you actually lodged a complaint with them over this?

SAR form link is on this page

https://www.three.co.uk/privacy-safety/right-of-access

To make a request, the easiest thing to do is download the Request for Access to Personal Information form, complete it, and send it to us at DPA.Officer@three.co.uk, along with a copy of your photo ID. It’s important that we validate your ID before releasing information, so that we don’t disclose information to a third party in error. 

Thank you for your comments.

I am fully aware that it became a rolling monthly contract but with more competitive deals available, I first approached Three via online chat in Jan this year to terminate my contract. They stated I was still within contract period and a penalty would apply. I couldn't remember the original terms and so it was only when I found the original contract in my paperwork that I approached them again to ask them to confirm how/when this contract was renewed. They told me it had been renewed in Nov 2022 but I have no emails relating to this. I gave them one months notice by online chat in August this year after I found the original paperwork showing a one year agreement from March 2020 as I believed they had made a mistake.

The direct debits changed slightly due to increases permitted in the contract and any additional charges on the account but I had no email or letter confirming the renewal in Nov 2022. I asked via online chat for them to provide proof of the renewal but this was not provided. I wrote a letter of complaint and submitted it with my SAR on 1st Sept.

I addressed my original SAR in the format suggested on the ICO website. The response by Three on 26th September contained a link that does not exist (anymore?) and does not refer to the link you've provided. Since my searches for SAR etc on the Three website don't provide any returns and they provided the wrong address, I followed the process recommended by the ICO.

I wrote to them on 16th September telling them that I considered the amount owed in dispute and they were not to pass it to debt collectors until I had time to review the information (SAR) I was waiting for. They ignored this request. In my opinion, the amount they claimed was owed should have been marked as pending subject to a review, not proceeding straight to their overdue list with consequential harm to my credit score.

There have been no changes of email/address etc since taking out the contract.

I am still waiting for them to provide some proof of my agreeing to renew a contract (that had already rolled into a monthly one) some 20 months after being on a monthly notice period. I have no recollection, no email nor paper trail.

There have been plenty of opportunities for them to provide the information I need but I feel they are being deliberately obstructive with their cumbersome chat facility (it takes 30 minutes to get even simple responses) and they have basically ignored several written attempts to obtain the information I need.

I wholly expect that since I've now settled the outstanding balance inc "early" termination penalty, that their responses will dry up in which case, I'll complain to Ofcom & the ICO about their sharp practise.