Vodafone

[Shade]

Having real trouble with the arseholes for the best part of a year, where I had two numbers with them and cancelled one (mobile 4G for an iPad), but they cut off my mobile instead. Many phone calls to their useless overseas call centre ensued, where I was told it would be sorted in 24, 48, 72 hours but nothing happened. I did, at least, have the £50 early termination fee the cheeky f#!$ billed me removed from my account. Went into the shop on the High Street and, after 30 minutes of hanging around, was told there's nothing they can do in the shop, I have to ring them.

They never reconnected my mobile, cut off last September, and they are still charging me for the iPad, despite the 4G never being used. But here I am, still getting bills from them for it and I've been refused credit today, solely because of 6 payments that are "outstanding" to Vodafone, according to my credit report.

Anybody here ever had trouble with Vodafone and gotten it sorted out? My mum had similar problems a couple of years ago, even though she only had one number with them, but she ended up just paying the bill to get them off her back. I'll be f#!$ if I'm going to, though. I've let it slide for the last few months as I lost the will to live with it, but I've just searched out their complaints procedure, to be followed by a complaint to the Ombudsman if necessary, which I imagine it will. Anyone been down this route before?

[RegencyCheltenhamSpa]

Tweet at their customer services extensively, sometimes even including them in tweets to competitors asking if they will give you a better deal than Vodafone.

I am not with Vodafone, but this is the only way we can get answers from Virgin Media and other huge companies with awful customer services.

Guardian Money on a Saturday have a great Consumer Champions section with several stories like yours every week they try and sort out. Telecoms always up there alongside utilities, holiday, delivery and other such firms with no customer care. Write to them with a little more info on dates and content of your correspondences with Vodafone and I am sure they will get on the case!

[Shade]

Thanks, I'll look into that should their complaints procedure be as useless as their customer services.

[RegencyCheltenhamSpa]

Thanks, I'll look into that should their complaints procedure be as useless as their customer services.

Be interested in hearing if you get anywhere. I am doubtful.

[Malabus]

Not good enough. Frustrating. Hope you get it sorted.

[Shade]

I'll keep you updated! Cheers.

[RegencyCheltenhamSpa]

These companies have nothing but contmpt for existing companies. Unless it becomes a PR issue which could have a wider impact on the business they have no incentive to help you.

Cancelling the Direct Debit and taking them to the small claims court when they threaten bailiffs is the worst case scenario so let us hope you get a resolution before that point.

[RegencyCheltenhamSpa]

https://www.theguardian.com/money/serie ... -champions" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Shade]

Update: After two and a half hours this afternoon on a twice failed online chat where the first guy was 'having technical issues' and disconnected, the second guy had to "restart his system twice and then restart his machine" meaning he had to call me twice instead, and ending with a 36 minute call for which I was put on hold for around 27 of those minutes, I have finally had my mobile broadband number disconnected and my balance cleared to £0. Apparently the £58.79 termination fee I'd been told had been removed from my account hadn't been removed at all, but it has now. Unfortunately, I have to wait 30 days for my credit file to go back to being flawless... I say this all with some kind of probably misguided faith, as the guy is supposed to be emailing me through confirmation of everything he said on the phone. It turned out that my entire story was on their system, all the times I'd called and what I was calling about, but nobody in the tech team, or whatever they call it, actually took any notice. Obviously the Irish guy I spoke to in the billing dept. didn't do his job either, as the termination fee was still on. As I have a history of being told things on the phone by Vodafone only for them not to happen, I'm not holding my breath. But if I get the email through I will at least have something extremely simple to send to the Ombudsman, if it comes to it.

For some strange reason the Indian chap on the phone thought I would want the line reconnected, that was wrongly disconnected 10 months ago...

[RegencyCheltenhamSpa]

Must be running out of circles of hell to go around.

Progress of some sort!

[Shade]

Pleased to say that, 55 weeks after calling to cancel, I have received a letter today from Vodafone confirming I don't owe them anything and everything has been cancelled. In fact, it says they owe me £13.50, but I don't know if I'll see that.

Thanks for your help and support through my traumatic period, brothers