AIBU?
To be pissed off with Vodafone?
D0oinMeCleanin · 05/06/2013 09:37
My phone is broke again, it's been broken for about 6 months now. I sent it off for repair about 3 months ago, but they actually made it worse, so I really don't want to give them it again.
I've been trying to cope with it as it is but it becoming increasingly unreliable and I need my phone to be working.
I am loathe to hand it over to Vodafone again as if they make it worse again then it will be unusable, the curtsey phone they give me is not fit for what I use my phone for. If I wanted a cheap no frills handset, I would be paying for one instead of paying for the one I have.
I pay them £6 a month insurance. I tried to claim for a new phone on my insurance but apparently the excess on this handset is double their normal excess, something I was not told when they sold me the insurance. If I knew that I would have insured my phone elsewhere.
So now I have to hand over £50 to Vodafone or trust them with my phone again and spend the next 3 - 5 working days trying to do college work and run a rescue page with a phone with no net access, which obviously is impossible, so basically for the next 3 - 5 working days I cannot use my phone for the reasons I pay for it but I still have to pay for it 
After the 3 - 5 days my phone may or may not be working.
Anyone know of any decent phone insurance companies or ways to make Vodafone either supply me with a curtsey phone equal to the one I pay for or to reduce the excess back to normal levels? I don't even want a 'new' new handset, a refurbished one that works would be fine.
BadztMaru · 05/06/2013 10:24
Sorry I can't help but want to join in with the Vodafone hatred. My phone charger broke, I called up to see if I could get a new one as I only got the thing a few months ago. Man on the phone very friendly and helpful says just pop into a shop and get it replaced. Got to the shop , snotty assistant sneers and says she doesn't know why I was told that as chargers aren't covered. That is the latest in a string of episodes of shite service
WeAreEternal · 05/06/2013 10:36
I had this problem with another network last year, in the end I canceled my direct debit and told them that I would not be paying for a service I could not use when they supplied me with a phone that was not fit for use (the original phone broke after two months of use and they gave me a refurbished handset as a replacement that couldn't hold a signal, 3G/2G/wifi for more than a few minutes at at time)
They gave me another refurb phone that was also dodgy and covered in scratches. (Bearing in mind I paid £400 for the phone it was not free with the contract)
They made a fuss and refused to give me a new phone unless I paid the insurance excess, and threatened me with all sorts if I didn't pay my bill, but eventually they gave in and gave me a brand new phone.
D0oinMeCleanin · 05/06/2013 10:37
We've normally gotten along fine with them, although DH rants about them a lot wrt dealing with his phone/handset issues, I put in a lot of research before upgrading handsets so never have any issues I have had to sort out with them, up until now.
We'll not be renewing our contract with them, or I won't be anyway, Dh can do what he likes, I'd rather pay more per month and get a better service.
I've had to use the insurance once when the kids broke my last handset, which was of equal price to this one and the excess was only £25 for that one, so why is it now £50 and why did they not bother to tell me this?
It's going to have to wait until tomorrow now anyway. I am far too tired and far too irate to go down to the Vodafone shop and deal with it. I'll either end up crying or swearing or both the mood I am in today.
D0oinMeCleanin · 05/06/2013 10:58
We can't cancel the whole direct debit because it is a joint contract and DH's contract is sim only, his service is working fine.
I wonder if I would have better luck dealing with Samsung directly?
We didn't pay the phone as such, but nor was it free, we paid £30 up front and the contract is more per month to cover the cost of the phone.
I was pissed off as it was at the thought of having to pay £25 excess since I haven't actually broken the phone, it is a faulty handset. I had it a year when it suddenly stopped charging, started telling me it was charging when it wasn't plugged in and now since Vodafone got their hands on it the battery is only lasting a matter of hours once it does decide to charge and it often tells me it has not battery when I know it does and I have to repeatedly switch it on and off until it decides it is actually fully charged. Today it has decided it longer wants to charge up when I plug it in or switch on.
thepig · 05/06/2013 11:11
Firstly the phone belongs to you.
Secondly how old is it? It should have a two yr guarantee. E.g. Voda just fixed my nearly 2yr old phone free of charge and I don't have insurance.
Lastly if it's still in guarantee you can also send it direct to the manufacturer. Some people say they'll do a better repair job or just replace if seriously faulty.
Oh and chargers etc are never covered outside of the initial small period.
Also email customer services with a factual dated account of everything that's happened. When I've complained in the past they've been very good at giving me substantial bill credit.
Oh and post your experience (factual and dated with all relevant info) over on the money saving expert forum in the right section. Voda staff are active in the forum and they will respond and offer to contact you direct.
Hope that helps 
D0oinMeCleanin · 05/06/2013 11:17
That does help thepig, thank you, although they can't contact me directly because the phone won't bleeding well turn on this morning and it's my only phone, no LL. Which sucks because I am waiting on a call from a potential forever home for my foster dog and now I can't even contact him to tell him he can't contact me 
It is under warranty they 'repaired' i.e caused more damage, for free last time, but I am pissed off that I still have to pay the full bill when the loan phone they give me is unfit for what I use my phone for and what I pay for.
I'll join Money Saving Expert after work. I'd do it on my phone at work if it would turn because that is what I bloody well pay so much for
thepig · 05/06/2013 11:29
Sounds like a plan. Also personally I'd send it to samsung for repair now.
They should at least fix it properly.
Loan phones are always shite, that why I never bother with insurance. Next time if you really want insurance go with an outside provider like protectmybubble or similar.
RhondaJean · 05/06/2013 11:53
Have you tried emailing the CEO office? It's easily found on google - I had a bit of hassle with dds phone, emailed clearly and concisely stating problem and solution I wanted, someone from the CEO office called me and it was sorted in a couple of days.
I love vodafone, try dealing with orange if you want hassle!
wonderingsoul · 05/06/2013 12:07
protectmybubble is only good if you pay for the insurance upfront. other wise say you claim 4 months into the years contract you have to pay the remaining about upfront before they fix it.
i find vodaphone shocking, their coverage is nasty and actually offer a package for £5 extra a month to boost their coverage... (sure you should have good coverage with out having to pay for better?)
i would speack to samsung directly. its under the warrenty they should have just given you a new one.
also banks do mobile insurance. im with llyods and its £50 claim but you also get a 3 months extra wearrenty once theve sent the phone back. so if its still not right they will fix it for free or give you a new one.
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