Phones4U Cancellation Gap

funkyleprechaun

Hi

This is my first post but I am at the end of my tether, if anyone has any advice, I would be hugely grateful. I will definitely post up some useful advice soon but for now please see my predicament below....

I received a text message from Phones 4 U asking me to call them for a free upgrade before Feb 9th which I did. I was told that they would raise a cheque to pay off my O2 contract (only 2 months left) and send this to me so that I could call O2 for a "pack code". This would cancel my account and I would start with the same number on Orange. If I didn't like the phone or service I could cancel within 14 days. I received the phone on Friday 9th February and no information about what to do next. I called the number again on the 11th to let them know that I didn't understand the process and none of the information that was supposed to have been provided had been provided, they said I would receive it by the end of the week. In the meantime I was left with a new phone which I couldn't use until I had the pack code from O2 which they couldn't give to me until I paid the cheque from Phones 4 U which was likely to appear within 14 - 35 days. So I thought I would leave it until the Friday (15th) to see if the relevant information had arrived in the post, which it hadn't, so I packed up the phone to call Phones4U today (Monday 18th). I sopoke to an operative called Bernard and unfortunately it got quite heated. Bernard told me not only would he not cancel the contract as it was outside of the 7 days period (not as before 14), he would also refuse to let me speak to his manager. His reasoning was "because the information I am giving you is correct". I am ashamed to say that I actually ended up crying with frustration at the lack of customer service and common sense. Is there anyone else who has this problem? Please let me know what steps I should take.

A :-(

vietpup

Hi there,

It sounds like you've been offered a buy out as you are effectively cancelling your contract 2 months early (which phones 4u are paying for) in order to get a new phone & contract.

The new phone you have received from phones 4u with Orange should have a sim card with it and also a 'new' number. This new number will be replaced by your existing number if you obtain a PAC (port authorisation code) from O2 and give it to Orange to transfer your number over.

As you are still in contract, O2 want you to pay off your contract before they will release the PAC to transfer your existing number. If you want everything to run smoothly you will need to pay this amount yourself and the cheque from phones 4u (which will usually arrive after 28 days) should cover it.

Once requested, O2 will notify you of the PAC via text message with 48 hours and via letter in 5-7 working days. It takes a total of 5 working days to transfer your existing number over to the new network once you have supplied them with your PAC.

ALTERNATIVELY

If you still want to cancel the new contract, I suggest you call up phones 4u customer services again and explain to them that you are still within 14 days of taking out the phone and you wish to return it (which you are still entitled to do so). Make sure you take the name and extension number of the person you talk to along with the 'call reference number'. If you do wish to speak to a manager, then the representative MUST put you through to the manager if they are available. If they won't put you through to the manager tell them that you know your rights and you will be writing a letter of complaint against them to phones 4u Head Office.

Stand your ground, they are trying to bully you so they don't lose a sale. You are well within your rights to cancel the contract within 14 days provided the phone is returned in as sold condition i.e. not damaged and with all original accessories.

Hope that helps.

Quentin

vietpup wrote: »

You are well within your rights to cancel the contract within 14 days provided the phone is returned in as sold condition i.e. not damaged and with all original accessories.

No. You only get 7 days to cancel the contract.

(After notifying them you wish to cancel, you then get a further 7 days to get the phone back to them)

funkyleprechaun

Hi

Many thanks to you both for your help - I called back once I had calmed down and it appears that contrary to what I was told when I ordered the phone (14 days) and contrary to what the pleb told me this morning (7 days) I have now been told that it was 7 working days and I am still within the cancellation agreement. I guess sometimes it's a good idea to hang up and start again!

The guy this morning was a new starter it seems.

Anyway thanks again! I have now decided to ride out my contract with O2 and avoid Phones 4 U despite the Customer Service Manager trying his level best to hang on to me. - Nevermind!

Cheers all
A
:-)

vietpup

Taken from Phones 4u website:

'In the unlikely event that you would like to return your purchase you have a limited amount of time in which to do so. Phones 4u offer you 7 days to notify us of your intention to return from the date of delivery (Inclusive of the day of delivery), and a further 7 days to return the handset to us.

If, for any reason you need to return a product for a refund or an exchange, we can arrange for the item to be returned using a pre-paid Royal Mail bag. You will need to obtain returns authorisation from the Phones 4u Direct Support Team. The handset must reach our warehouse within 14 days of connection otherwise the return will not be processed, and the handset will be returned to yourself.

Please note that you cannot return phones which were purchased from the website or over the phone to a Phones 4u high street store.'

http://www.phones4u.co.uk/help/faq-returns-and-exchanges.asp

gsmmad

mate get the number for customer relations and complain your head off ....and they will do something about it ...complain about bernard by letter as well ....if bernard is as bad as he was to you then he may get a few more....

If he gets 3 then he will be investigated and maybe retrained ....sounds like he needs it

funkyleprechaun

Thanks a million, Yeah apparently the guy (Bernard) was a new starter so I asked the Customer Relations Manager how come he hadn't come across like he had just been on a training course?? "You would think wouldn't you?" was the reply.

He also said that Phones 4 U had put x miliion into Customer Service this year and I wished them good luck and left them to it. He did try to offer me a lot of different stuff but I declined. I just hope they get the envelope to me soon otherwise I'll be in another mess with them saying, "well you didn't get it back to us on time"!!!

We'll See!

Thanks again to all who were a great help in calming a hysterical chick down! :-)

gsmmad

hehehehe im glad to hear that its sorted

CRM2008

Did you get your prepaid pre addressed envelope?