Vodafone 4.1% price rise

Bobby4puddings · 15 February 2018 at 12:25PM

Looks like Vodafone are increasing there monthly prices by 4.1% in April/May. If you are an existing customer and you took up your contract between April 2014 and 5 May 2016, you are still covered by there Fixed Price Promise and there will be no change to your monthly contract.

Together with the wife we have been a Vodafone customers for many years and always upgraded over the phone when the contract ended.

I can't recall signing any agreement with them and if I did it was 10+ years ago. The upgrades have always been over the phone so nothings been signed. I can't recall them telling me over the phone either that I may be liable for any mid term price rises.

Do you think I'm liable for these rises?
Do you think I am within my rights to ask to see what evidence they have that I agreed to such conditions?

boatman · 15 February 2018 at 2:40PM

They can't give a rate yet, as they have said they will use the Feb RPI published in March, so will have to wait,but it will be about 4%.

20aday · 15 February 2018 at 2:44PM

Good afternoon,

Unfortunately you'd appear liable for the mid-term increase:

For new and upgrading customers yes, but we’ll continue to honour our Fixed Price Promise to customers who purchased a Pay monthly plan before 5 May 2016 until the end of their contract.

That's taken from the Vodafone website; even though you've 'upgraded' over the phone it'd be deemed as a verbal contract.

Should you have been told about any possible price changes? Absolutely.

If you wish to complain have a look at this forum topic:

http://www.forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=5393903&page=61

Stretlow · 16 February 2018 at 9:23AM

This is an absolute monopoly.

I'm 2 months into a 24 month contract and im being forced an increase with no option to return the phone or get out of the contract.

What an absolute disgrace Ofcom are letting them, do this with no option for customers.

I've never been so angry

PHK · 16 February 2018 at 10:41AM

Stretlow wrote: »

This is an absolute monopoly.

I'm 2 months into a 24 month contract and im being forced an increase with no option to return the phone or get out of the contract.

What an absolute disgrace Ofcom are letting them, do this with no option for customers.

I've never been so angry

Putting aside that it is in your contract, you really should have expected this. It's been like this for a while now and every year there are news articles, blogs and forum posts.

It's not like Vodafone are alone in doing this - most providers do. Before Ofcom got involved the situation was worse. The situation is similar with other products and services with minimum term contracts. Sky put up prices during the contract as do power and utility.

Of course what providers need to do is show their customers why the increase is justified. Vodafone et al should be transparent about how their costs have changed. Otherwise customers rightly can't help but feel they are just increasing by the maximum they can.

Bobby4puddings · 16 February 2018 at 11:59AM

I had a winge on Vodafone's forum which is I believe moderated by Vodafone themselves.
I was told by one basically "tough pay up like everybody else" and "Vodafones terms and conditions include that they can change them at any time to whatever they want"
How can this be allowed? Whats the point in having T&C's?
When my contract finishes I'm ditching them and getting a PAYG such as Giff Gaff.

I'm sick to death with these multi national companies trying to squeeze every last penny out of you!

d123 · 16 February 2018 at 12:07PM

Bobby4puddings wrote: »

How can this be allowed? Whats the point in having T&C's?

Strange comment. This is actually in the T&C’s you’re asking what the point of is...

These RPI increases have been around for many years on most networks.

overpricedcoffee · 16 February 2018 at 12:13PM

I really cannot understand why people get so angry about RPI it's common knowledge it happens everywhere from BT, Sky, Virginmedia, EE, Vodafone, Three, O2 and the list goes on.

If you know what you're signing means you have to pay RPI don't sign it, don't get a 24 month contract and stick to something else which does not have it i.e PAYG etc.

Stretlow · 16 February 2018 at 12:27PM

PHK wrote: »

Putting aside that it is in your contract, you really should have expected this. It's been like this for a while now and every year there are news articles, blogs and forum posts.

It's not like Vodafone are alone in doing this - most providers do. Before Ofcom got involved the situation was worse. The situation is similar with other products and services with minimum term contracts. Sky put up prices during the contract as do power and utility.

Of course what providers need to do is show their customers why the increase is justified. Vodafone et al should be transparent about how their costs have changed. Otherwise customers rightly can't help but feel they are just increasing by the maximum they can.

its not always that simple is it, when you say " I should have expected this"

I've come from a sim only deal that I've been on since 2013. i took the contract because i got a pretty good deal on the handset I was looking at (which i'm regretting leaving now)

I'm sorry but whichever way you want to butter it up, a price increase 2 months into a 24 month deal with no get out options is an absolute bumming.

mobilejunkie · 16 February 2018 at 12:38PM

Stretlow wrote: »

I'm 2 months into a 24 month contract and im being forced an increase with no option to return the phone or get out of the contract.
I've never been so angry

You can't "get out of" the contract you agreed to without paying for it anyway. The phone has nothing to do with anything.

Frozen_up_north · 16 February 2018 at 12:57PM

Another reason, if one was needed, to read the small print before agreeing to a contract. It’s not just annual RPI increases, check over spend caps, etc.

Martin himself, and many on this forum, have been banging the drum about going SIM only for ages... still, “I’m due an upgrade”, and “for only £x deposit I got this posh new phone” seems to catch a lot of customers...

Vodafone 4.1% price rise

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