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AIBU?

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Original poster

To be absolutely LIVID with Vodafone?

57 replies

ElfOnTheBoozeShelf · 27/12/2015 21:35

Every single bloody month, they overcharge me. By ridiculous amounts. The first three months of the particular contract, they charged me over £100 each time, and it took weeks to get it sorted - turns out they'd been charging me for someone else's contract, but it took several people to work that out.

They've had to give me several refunds because they keep overcharging me, normally by £40-£60 EACH MONTH.

I was refunded in October for their error. Again. Last month, they overcharged me by £1.44, and I let it slide.

This month, having just checked my bank statement, they charged me over £78.

My contract is £15 - brought down from slightly higher as part of their apology for their repeated cock ups. I deliberately had to get a cheap contract because of my financial position, and got the cheapest phone I could get with the largest screen possible, because I am partially sighted.

I will be calling them tomorrow, again.

AIBU to think they could possibly get it right, just ONCE?

OP posts:
LondonStill83 · 27/12/2015 23:01

I hated, hated, HATED Vodafone and was overjoyed to finally be rid of them.

Sallyingforth · 27/12/2015 23:01

Ginny Other mobile companies have similar devices, e.g.
ee.co.uk/help/mobile-and-home-connections/checking-and-improving-your-network-coverage/signal-box/about-signal-box

Sallyingforth · 27/12/2015 23:05

If that link doesn't work, Google "EE Signal Box"

AlaskaWaves · 27/12/2015 23:19

We're currently in the process of leaving Vodafone. Very long story short, they are responsible for giving away my DHs bank details resulting in his bank accounts being emptied and tens of thousands of pounds of loans taken out in his name. (Our bank fraud squad sorted it all out thankfully)
More recently we've had a nightmare with them failing to take DDebit payments each month (their error not ours) and then them charging us late payment fees and cutting off service.
Apparently their systems changed in August resulting in errors of customer details.

We also have rubbish signal which is why we stayed with Vodafone. We have been looking at EE as a PP mentioned, also O2 have an app you download which is what we're going for.

ihatevirginmobile · 27/12/2015 23:20

I've been told off for going on about this this on another thread - but Virgin Mobile are no better...they have made my life hell for almost a year.

Been with them for years - fine - then I bought a new phone outright from them last January - which turned out to be faulty ...and which then took 9 months and two week+ long trips to their repair centre to actually finally repair.
I had several other minor problems with them...(eg added overseas data allowance to wrong phone etc)
Then the final straw - DD and I were on rolling sim only monthly contracts - I knew there was a £50 limit on DDs account - it was the minimum they would allow - the default is £150 Shock...
She ran up a huge bill - once you go over your data allowance they pile on the charges. So I increased her allowance but it apparently it took over a month to actually increase - cue her phone being barred cos she had gone over the £50 limit the next month.
She couldn't make calls or send texts - even though she had lots left in her allowance. One of the main reasons for her having a phone...she can get in touch if she needs help.
I couldn't get the phone unbarred without either increasing her limit -or pay some off -except they couldn't take my card payment because the one they had linked to my account had expired and an IT problem meant they couldn't change it...
I decided enough was enough and wanted to leave but even that was problematic ...
I have spent hours and hours on the phone to them in past year, almost daily toward the end of the last month.
I would urge caution with cancelling DDs though - I did that - (mainly because I couldn't trust them to actually cancel the contract) ...a week or so later they barred both phones -without informing me. The only way I knew was because I tried to send a text and I couldn't. I had to phone them up and haggle with them - and try to pay them in advance (couldn't because of the card problem!!) -they told me I would have reinstate the DDs - I refused, eventually they unbarred them anyway.
In the end after DDs phone was barred twice more! and they couldn't supply unlock codes etc and they still couldn't take card payment etc they (supposedly) wrote off everything I owed (£58) - then sent me an email telling me my next bill was x amount and it would be taken by DD on ...waiting for the debt collection letter now!
As someone else - I am now with giffgaff on both phones - DD has a goody bag on a rolling renew. Once she has gone over her data limit she will have no more but will still be able to send text/make calls. Early days but so far so good - and at least I am certain I am not going to get shock huge bills...

UptownFlunk · 28/12/2015 00:08

Vodafone are dreadful, I will never return to them and urge anyone considering taking out a contract with them to steer clear. They have a long-standing problem in my area due to a faulty mast. This means they just cannot supply a decent service. However, they continue to allow people to take out expensive contracts and keep them locked into them when they cannot actually use their phones. They also have very poor customer service.

ottothedog · 28/12/2015 00:13

Same with me. I havent even been refunded yet. Am thinking small claims court next.

NeedsAsockamnesty · 28/12/2015 00:38

I was with the, for as long as I can remember, all my family phones and ,y company phones.

Due to crap like this, the impossible data usage on devices that only used broadband, shockingly high false usage claims and other things I just switched to 3 who were just as bad so then brought all the handsets I needed to and switched them all out for tesco rolling wotsits.

So many people are having issues with mobile phone companys

Arsenicinthesugarbowl · 28/12/2015 07:29

YANBU when they massively overcharged me repeatedly it took months to sort out. Customer services were useless and I had to start again every time I phoned them. I used their online forum which meant it got sorted in the end that way but I won't be renewing my contract with them. The trouble is I'm not sure who is a better option!

JohnLuther · 28/12/2015 07:39

Last month Vodafone charged my wife exactly double what her usual bill should be, she contacted them when she received a text saying what her bill was and they said it was sorted. However it wasn't and they ended up taking exactly double out of her bank account, she was absolutely nuclear and after speaking to them again they admitted fault and they have credited her bank account after she told them to fuck off with their offer of credit.

She's leaving them when her contract is up for renewal early next year.

Starface · 28/12/2015 08:47

They gave me the same "systems change in August" rubbish. If they have treated everyone like this they will lose a lot of custom. Good. For a company already on the down in a saturated market I cheer. Their executives earn a fortune, and I get extremely angry when I think that this is based on theft from ordinary folk. They are a technology company FFS. If you can't get your own billing systems right you don't deserve to be in business.

ihatevirginmobile · 28/12/2015 08:55

All the mobile providers seem to have crap customer service.
I think you have to buy unlocked phones (or possibly locked if it is cheap and easy to get that model unlocked but that carries a risk) outright and then get a SIM only monthly contract - then if you get grief you can just moved to another provider easily. I know you can get a contract deal cheaper but the extra cost gives you the freedom to move.
And now you can get your pac code etc it is easy to keep your number. (IIRC not giving out PAC codes is one of the few things that OFCOM can do something about)
I felt tied to Virgin because I wanted my new phone repaired, then when it was, I needed it unlocked. Which was a battle because of the repair they had the wrong IMEI no for it and wouldn't give me the code until their records matched Confused and the first few places (shops etc) I asked couldn't do my model - in the end, in desperation I bought the unlock code from ebay for £2.30 -and it worked! Smile.
Like I said still early days but I like giffgaff cos you seem to have more control, you aren't tied to anything (eg over the holidays if you are going to use your phone more - or less - you can change the goodybag you have to reflect that). I can control the max DD can spend, she can use all her data but still use it for emergency calls/texts (Tesco Sim only do a similar cap thing).
I think if more people don't take out long contracts and can walk away easily from crap treatment the mobile phone companies will have to improved their service - at the moment they know they can piss you around and it is too expensive/difficult for you to just leave Angry.

AnchorDownDeepBreath · 28/12/2015 09:07

OP this is what the direct debit guarantee is for. You can safely recall it if they took more than they were supposed too. The bank will return the money to you and let Vodafone know the reason that it was recalled (that they took too much).

It will be much faster than trying to argue with Vodafone for a refund.

FairyFluffbum · 28/12/2015 10:17

I never understand vodafone.

My contract was supposed to be £22 a month.

Once my phone broke. No texts,no calls, no data used(never used the data anyway as we have unlimited wi-fi).....so how can they charge me £72?!

I cancelled my direct debit, threw away the SIM card and just for a new one with a different company.

I know not to bother contacting them as they are as useful as a chocolate teapot

Original poster
ElfOnTheBoozeShelf · 28/12/2015 11:53

They've been charging me for two other family members Angry

Speaking to a manager now, so far awful customer service and generally being treated like crap.

OP posts:
saraht84 · 28/12/2015 11:55

They repeatedly overcharge me too! My contract isn't the cheapest but it's got 12GB of mobile data which is more than enough. I work on the road a lot but I never get near to my allowance.

Except then they charge me a couple of hundred pounds for extra data. Which I haven't used. They always credit it back eventually but that's not the fucking point...

MsAdorabelleDearheartVonLipwig · 28/12/2015 12:01

Hey Ginny Grin

I switched to EE. Much better coverage in our area. They all do their own signal boosters though as others have said. You can go online and check the coverage in your area here first.

Original poster
ElfOnTheBoozeShelf · 28/12/2015 12:05

So they've been charging me for two other family members, and twice (?!) for my bill. Spoke to a manager - they really didn't want that to happen - and he's going to investigate further and get back to me.

ARGH.

OP posts:
Sallyingforth · 28/12/2015 12:44

he's going to investigate further and get back to me.

Don't hold your breath :(

RoosterCogburn · 28/12/2015 14:26

Hope you have better luck than me Elf - don't think I have dealt with a company more incompetent in my life.
They keep billing me for a closed account, then threatening to pursue when I don't pay. Thing is, one of their customer service reps actually removed the DD details because he said it wouldn't be good if they took the money by mistake - now they keep contacting me to request I reinstate the details and saying I owe money on an account that doesn't exist anymore

Ginny365 · 28/12/2015 22:36

Thanks adorabelle and sallyingforth I'm going to look into EE. I'm sure we can get a better deal than the fortune we are currently paying.

Joeperrysguitar · 28/12/2015 23:55

If you've tried the usual customer service route without success, email their ceo at [email protected] Worked for me after being messed around. Good luck.

ottothedog · 29/12/2015 15:24

Ive claimed it back via my bank as a directdebit indemnity. Lets see what happens next

Original poster
ElfOnTheBoozeShelf · 29/12/2015 15:32

Unsurprisingly I didn't hear back from them yesterday. I've given them until now to call me back today, still nothing. Twats

OP posts: