Tips for dealing with Vodaphone

[Pugwash]

In the space of 8 days we have been landed with 2 letters from Vodaphone advising that we have an outstanding debt of over ?2000. Several months ago they took ?1400 out of our bank account, when we checked with bank and Voadaphone were advised that this was a mistake and the money was refunded. However it did highlight that the phone contracts for our 2 grandsons needed to be terminated early as they were going over their limit. We suspect that there was some money outstanding for these. Contracts cancelled and DD cancelled with Vodaphone promising to send detailed statements as to the amount which needed to be cleared. No communication from Vodaphone at all until last week.

Spend an hour on the phone trying to sort it out today - already had sent a letter recorded delivery stating that we had cancelled contracts and paid ?200 to cancel these- still waiting as to how this debt arose. Phone calls to 4 people in Vodaphone today - none of them can trace anything as do not recognise either of the boys mobile numbers.

We know there is some money to pay, we are not disputing that, but not the amount billed. Any tips please as everyone I spoke with about this company all have had problems with inaccurate billing.

Going to sigh up to 'Which Legal' as looks as though we will need them

[numbers]

poor you Pugwash, that sounds utterly horrendous and in my experience Vodafone are extremely incompetent. I was with them for aaaages and then when I 'upgraded' my phone one year found I was being billed for things I hadn't requested such as TV on my phone (I didn't even know I could get TV on my phone at the time).

Similarly I found it difficult to resolve the problem with them as I was pushed from pillar to post and given conflicting and incorrect information each time. I lost my patience and will to live, finally cancelled my contract and moved to a different supplier and haven't looked back since. I think they are utter bastards and I would not recommend them to anyone.

Have you made an official complaint directly to Vodafone yet? Document everything as you have outlined in your post. If you don't get a satisfactory response within a certain amount of time then you should take it up with Ofcom and make a complaint about them. Hopefully the regulator will be able to investigate it for you. Vodafone are utterly useless, you have my sympathy. I'd rather go without a phone if they were the only provider left. Good luck!

[Pugwash]

Just spent another 30 minutes on the phone to them and got nowhere, they kept saying they will write to us and a letter is on the way. So guess I will need to wait a couple of days for this. Have gone through the bank statements and noticed since the boys have been stopped from using the phones the DD are very much lower with just the line rental cost until we cancelled.

[goosey-goosey]

Numbers is right. Document every contact with VF but don't expect any sense from them. As early as possible, also contact the ombudsman. They will give you a generic complaints dept email address at VF that will spew auto-generated responses but never answer any of your specific questions. Prepare for more incompetence from VF at every turn, and a long battle.

Sorry to sound so gloomy but I've just concluded a case with VF (a technical issue with their service not a billing issue), and I can safely say I've never encountered such a nasty, inefficient, and plain idiotic company. The ombudsman, on the other hand, I cannot speak more highly of. Thanks to their intervention, I eventually received some compensation but only after about five months of emails, phone calls, and complaints (aimed at VF).

Stick with it and good luck.

[Lee_Vodafone]

Hi Pugwash,

If you still need help with this, email me with your details via the Contact us form here: http://www.vodafone.co.uk/contact-form/index.htm.

To access the form, you'll need to enter the code WRT135.

Once sent, you'll receive an automated reply with a reference number. Post back with this and I?ll check I've received it.

Kind regards,

Lee

Social Media Comms

Vodafone UK

[phobic3000]

Lee,

We also have a problem with Vodafone. Somebody fraudulently set up a contract with my girlfriends details. Probably went through our bin for name and address and every time she phones Vodafone they say someone will phone the next day to sort it. Nobody ever phones back and we are getting debt collector letters now! It's really frustrating and annoying to get angry debt collector letters. Not sure what to do about it...

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[Jah Lush]

I tried to change my direct debit payment date on Vodafone recently. They must be the only company that won't let you pay on the 1st of the month when most people get paid. The two dates nearest they offered were the 27th and the 7th. Not good enough. Seriously thinking of switching to another company.

[numbers]

Jah - this is handy for checking to see which new contract/provider is best for you, however, you can set it to rule out certain ones if you have had it up to here with them and know you won't return (I did and thankfully Vodafone did not come up in my results). Developed by mathematicians from Oxford Uni, it is brilliant.

http://www.billmonitor.com

[PeckhamRose]

How come we suddenly have a Lee_Vodafone? It's his/her first post.

Interesting.

I too hate VodaPHone and plan to go to BT Mobile when my contract runs out.

[DaveR]

If you look at the bottom of his post, Lee works for Vodafone in "Social Media Comms". I guess Vodafone have a system for picking up when they are getting dissed in forum/blog/twitter world. Depending on how you look at it, it's either creepy online stalking or sensible modern customer relations; I tend to the latter view.

[Pugwash]

Finally got a 3 page letter from VF but no breakdown of costs said to be following in 3 - 5 days. Unfortunately we have discovered another scam, My husband left most of the negotiating with VF to his daughter and her friend (allegedly a Probation Officer) as he was not well and all the contracts were in Harlow where the grandsons (17 & 20 live - the eldest has moderate learning disabilities) Daughter and friend say they have emails sent to VF but have refused to give us copies as have not got printers. VF state that they ceased their email contacts some time ago as people prefer to phone. Daughter and Friend advised that VF had informed them that since we cancelled our DD payments the only way to pay the ?200 cancelled contract and ?700 outstanding costs, was through internet banking. Husband sent daughter money to do this but VF state that they have never received money.

I was furious as I had offered to deal with the situation in the first place but daughter kept 'forgetting' to give contracts over to him when he visited.

I have now got 'Which Legal' involved and my husband, who has mental health problems, has been referred by our GP who was equally horrified by the situation, to CMHT for support as being a pensioner with limited income is worried as to how he can pay the debts.

[Lee_Vodafone]

Hi phobic3000,

If you still need help,email me via the contact details posted last week.

Pugwash - You if you'd like me to take a closer look at things, let me know.

Kind regards,

Lee

Social Media Comms

Vodafone UK

[Pugwash]

Have sent a checking email to VF to verify or not whether their so called email service has ceased ( as their letter suggests) No email has bounced back which suggests that VF still using the email listed on their contracts.

[KalamityKel]

Don't know what the email address is but according to Twitter there is certainly a lot of talk about "emailing" them to sort problems...

[Pugwash]

just sent another letter to a Mr. Bhatia who wrote to us on 26th April saying that a statement and details of the outstanding amount would be sent within 3=5 working days. Still not arrived - we have been trying to get this since January 2015.

Does VF accept payment via Internet Banking as we were informed this was they way to pay any money as the DD was cancelled. Has anyone done this and could they give me details of account/sort code etc ( this may need to be pm)