Phoneboxdirect (merged threads)

oliverf_2

Hi everyone,

My first post. Sorry I'm sure this query has been answered before but couldn't find it. Anyway I would be very grateful if anyone could advise me. I am on a 12 month contract with phonebox direct. I received the first installment (several months late) and received a letter saying that the tariff had not been sent, and that the claim had arrived late. This would close my account which could not be reopened (and hence all future repayments would be void). They also said my claim arrived late (I have a recorded delivery receipt to prove it was sent 11 days before the deadline). I sent the original copy of the bill with my name, address and mobile number (however not the page with the tariff).

Is there anything I can do about this? I suppose I did stupidly sign a contract agreeing to what seem like unreasonable terms and conditions.

Many thanks

Oliver

mobilejunkie

Sorry - the most stupid thing you did was to not READ the t&c which states quite clearly the tariff information must be sent. Otherwise you might have had a case. I'm not sure you have now because of that! Apart from that you have now lost all the remaining claims. People really MUSt read the t&c on ANY deal individuallly AND copy them at the time of purchase. It's hard enough when all the dealers are now being very underhand and deceitfuly. Why didn't you track the recorded delivery on the Royal Mail website to see when it ARRIVED? The t&c have been changed again. If you could still get them the missing page - and prove it - within 60 days of the bill date I would be more optimistic, since they are attempting to hold people to the varied t&c when it suits them. i.e. what's good for the goose...

Neillgb

Oliverf,

If you have the appropriate missing documents to hand forward them, recorded of course, ask them to reconsider your claim as you feel it is 'unfair' that your claim be voided. Be polite and reasonable and be seen to be polite and reasonable. It will cost you £1 for postage. How much do you stand to lose?

Would strongly advise people NOT to discuss specific details of their claim on this forum if there is any chance they PBD/CNM might identify them. Do it via private message if you have to.

Neill

mobilejunkie

That's good advice (not discussing too much detail on here!!)

insurgente

sorry to dive in here with a massive post as my 1st....but thought it'd be more welcome than starting a new thread

regarding phonebox direct.....

my cheques always took ages to arrive, fair enough, but atleast they arrived...now they're refusing to pay me at all!
So here's what happened. For my 4th cashback installment I sent everything off very promptly, all correct or so i thought. They waited until the day before the deadline to send me a letter saying that I had not filled in my order reference number correctly (yet they wrote it on top of my letter, hmmmm). I was freaking out, but decided to give them the benefit of the doubt just this once and ran into town to get another one posted recorded delivery (all filled in correctly may i add) so it would arrive on the deadline day

I eventually find out that they have my letter, so they're not going to screw me over by saying it's late...but a couple of days ago I receive a letter saying the order reference was wrong again. so i'd be getting no more money. This is ridiculous.....i'm smart enough to write 6 digits, and I have a photographic image in my mind of the form all filled in before I sent it off.
Essentially I feel they're robbing me of xxx quid by going back on our agreement.......

When I eventually managed to get through to them on the phone, they were sort of helpful (i.e. they picked up). The first time I supposedly messed up my form, the kind girl over the phone said they could post me my original form as proof that i'd made a mistake....obviously the deadline was the next day so i took their word for it and didnt bother. However when I rang up today I asked them to send me the form (or both) and they suddenly give me the old "out T & Cs state that we dont post out documents....blah blah blah" and why should they bother spending money on that. As their company is so hard up that they cant find 30p of the xxx quid of mine they're keeping, i even offered to send them a stamp.... I was put on hold, and eventually someone else picked up and said really my only chance of getting something would be to post to their complaints address, which was somewhere at Stafford Technology Parl (thought they were based in nottingham)..... and that they'd aim to reply within 30 days. As it takes them 3 months to get a cheque out, i have my doubts.

so i'm looking for advice. anyone know what to do? . as it would take them a month atleast to get back to me, I think my 5th cashback claim form may have to be abandoned but maybe I can still get the 4th. I'm only on this stupid tariff because it came with cashback.... my contract is up in 2 weeks and i'm switching to virgin. but i'm even thinking of switching now to save a bit of cash. If i switch early, i'm guaranteed not to get the last installment...and i worry there may be something in the T & Cs about a huge charge if you cancel early.

i saw this moneyclaim online site that someone posted...looks great! thought about that but not sure if it's the best option for me. should i send off this letter (And stamp) asking for proof that I'm a complete idiot and wait for a response, or make a claim? contact the citizens advice bureau? ofcom? trading standards

any help would be massively appreciated

mobilejunkie

I never understand why people don't photocopy everything, from day one (t&c) to the last payment. There has been a lot of information on here for months about this. If you haven't got a copy it would be hard to prove that you DID fill in the form correctly; then it's down to the judge to decide whether you did or not and how important it is. However, if I were a judge (and also not familiar with these pages and pages of threads) I wouldn't be too impressed with zero physical evidence.

As for E2Save; before you go rushing over to them I really think you need to do a more reading on here FIRST this time. They are becoming extremely dishonest in other ways than this and there is highly likely to be an army of angry punters soon. One more thing - I wouldn't rush around for another another high street name i.e. Phones4u; I suspect they may prove worse still. Sorry, but it's a game and the other side is quite ruthless now. I think in your case more expert legal advice may be needed to evaluate your chances - although it doesn't cost a fortune to make a claim. I'm finally not sure why your 5th claim has to be abandoned if you THINK there IS a chance for your fourth!

insurgente

cheers for the reply mate

i spose i should've photocopied the form...but would that stand up? what's to stop these jokers saying "well you've just written another form...the one you sent before was wrong"?

and if i get them to post this form that was supposedly wrongly filled in (which i wasn't) won't that prove my point anyway?

was he e2save thing directed at me? apologies if not...i have no intention of going to them; or any other cashback contract ever again!

as for the 5th claim....true.... i'm just so desperate to start on virgin and get away. it could be worth waiting a few more days. just that it'd take PBD so long to get back to me, that it may be too late to make the 5th claim anyway.

Ross_L_2

I want to go on a T-mobile tariff and after i join port my number and add "web'n'walk".

I know i can port my number without voiding the cashback. But what about the "web'n'walk".

Phoneboxdirect offer bundles when you are buying the phone/contract - but do not offer web'n'walk as a bundle.

Has ANYONE ever added a bundle and had it effect their cashback?

Thanks

andy_12_2

I sent in my 1st claim on a 12mnth/free contract recorded delivery, and I've just walked in to see both envelopes on the floor returned to me. The tick is next to the "adressee has gone away" box. I'm worried now cos I know the forms have to be with them within a short period of time!

What should I do??

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Micky

mobilejunkie wrote: »

Sorry - the most stupid thing you did was to not READ the t&c which states quite clearly the tariff information must be sent. Otherwise you might have had a case. I'm not sure you have now because of that! Apart from that you have now lost all the remaining claims. People really MUSt read the t&c on ANY deal individuallly AND copy them at the time of purchase. It's hard enough when all the dealers are now being very underhand and deceitfuly. Why didn't you track the recorded delivery on the Royal Mail website to see when it ARRIVED? The t&c have been changed again. If you could still get them the missing page - and prove it - within 60 days of the bill date I would be more optimistic, since they are attempting to hold people to the varied t&c when it suits them. i.e. what's good for the goose...

A reasonable person would reasonably expect PBD to contact the punter and request a copy of the tariff sheet, so the claim could still be valid, but the punter might have to resort to legal action, which is the stumbling block as always.