Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think this mobile phone company are crooks?

33 replies

chicaguapa · 15/12/2016 13:47

So the short story is that 1 year ago I called Crooked Communications Company to cancel my phone contract and was put through to retentions. I was paying £14.85 a month at that time and they offered me £16.20 a month to stay with them, saying that was the lowest they could go. I accepted as it was still better than I could get elsewhere.

Fast forward a couple of months and the bills were coming through at £24.30. On querying it I was told that apparently the notes didn't support what I was offered and instead say that I'd accepted £24.30 (a 10% discount). Hmm

But as I had been paying £14.85 the previous year (a 45% discount), they saw that it was reasonable that I'd have been offered £16.20 (a 40% discount) to renew. I was promised a credit for the difference for the whole year as they couldn't amend the monthly amount. This never materialised and still hasn't. It transpires that there are no notes for this conversation either. Hmm

I've raised a complaint with CCC and we have reached a deadlock as they won't give me the credit. This has been going on for months.

I have now been told (after 1hr on the phone they finally decided to mention it) that they have obtained a recording of last year's phone call in which I had upgraded and the transcript says I was offered a 10% discount and I accepted it. They are blatantly lying as I know that's not what happened. I told him that they should be ashamed to have sunk that low and tell me such a barefaced lie.

AIBU to think that the original retentions guy had a target to meet and offered me 40% but put through 10% as he might not have been supposed to give me 40%?

I think it's suspicious that there is no record of that conversation (though it does state that I called to cancel) or the one where I was offered a credit (even though my phone records show I had a 35 mins call to 191).

And they are now being completely underhand in pretending they have a phone recording that disproves what I'm saying, even though I know I am right. He even said he had read the transcript himself and they would make the recording available to the Ombudsman on request, as he dug himself deeper trying to maintain that he was telling the truth. Hmm

OP posts:
RobotLover68 · 15/12/2016 13:49

then I would contact the Ombudsman and get them to release the recording - I think it's the only option left

baconandeggies · 15/12/2016 14:01

Yes - call their bluff. Bastards. EE?

RealHouswifeofBury · 15/12/2016 14:07

This has to be EE

DailyFail1 · 15/12/2016 14:10

Demand the recording under the data protection act

lurkinghusband · 15/12/2016 14:35

You don't need the recording, as the presumption is the customer is telling the truth. If they aren't, it's up to the organisation to prove it (usually by releasing the recording).

lurkinghusband · 15/12/2016 14:36

I should have added - in a complaint to the Ombudsman.

Rainydayspending · 15/12/2016 14:38

Got to be EE. Still no unlock code here. Contract cancelled and paid off. Two months of run around. Decided to go phoneless and just stop panseri g to the fuckers.

Hellmouth · 15/12/2016 14:41

You have a right to listen to the recording yourself, I'm sure of it. If they refuse to release it to you, get the ombudsman involved

wasonthelist · 15/12/2016 14:44

It's Vodafone - you can tell from OPs reference to 191 :)

hellhasnofurylikeahungrywoman · 15/12/2016 14:46

My vote is for Vodafone too conning bastards.

Soubriquet · 15/12/2016 14:49

Vodafone are a nightmare

You never get anywhere with them

wasonthelist · 15/12/2016 14:51

BTW You can't go straight to the ombudsman, you need a letter of deadlock first -

www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/advice/how-to-complain-to-the-ombudsman-about-a-mobile-phone-provider

When I asked Vodafone for a letter of deadlock because they weren't backing down, they suddenly became more reasonable and offered me what I was asking for.

This has nothing at all to do with the fact that every time a case reaches the ombudsman, it costs the provider money. oh no.

Original poster
chicaguapa · 15/12/2016 15:47

Yes, it is Vodafone. Angry

I was promised a deadlock letter 2 weeks ago. And now apparently it's going to be another 10-15 working days to get the deadlock letter. Hmm But yes, I know I will need this before I can go to the Ombudsman.

I had another phone call last night where they tried AGAIN to get me to accept a £50 credit and a new contract at £20.20 a month which is still £4 more than I was supposed to be paying but in their eyes a £4 reduction on what they are charging me!

I'm asking for a £97 credit which is the difference between £16.20 and £24.30 x12 and have said this is what I will request from the Ombudsman.

I now have a PAC code anyway and will be moving to another provider. Please tell me O2 are ok>

OP posts:
Soubriquet · 15/12/2016 15:52

I haven't had a problem with O2

SoupDragon · 15/12/2016 15:52

I've not had any problems with O2 although I recently switched fromthem to GiffGaff (also use the O2 network) as they were considerably cheaper.

Tenshidarkangel · 15/12/2016 16:06

not an ex Vodafone employee

Go to the ombudsman. You will get much further if it turns out that Vodafone haven't actually recorded your call.... You'll be in a better position. Let's just say Vodafone could well be lying.

lurkinghusband · 15/12/2016 16:22

It's also worth bearing in mind that there is nothing preventing you from starting a small claim against Vodafone. (Although a court might want to ensure you had completed all possible steps first.)

wasonthelist · 15/12/2016 16:37

OP - did you ask for the deadlock letter in writing? I would if I was you (I did - by e-mail).

Original poster
chicaguapa · 15/12/2016 19:37

The thing is they are definitely lying and there is no recording, he's talking bollocks. If there was it would prove that I was offered a contract at a lower price than I am paying. Also they wouldn't be offering me a £50 credit yada yada and then later in the same call happen to mention the recording that apparently proved they'd put me on the right tariff anyway.

I request everything in writing and they keep ringing me in response. They try 3 times and if they don't speak to me, ie I won't answer the phone, they just give up and I don't get any response to my letter(s).

They are very infuriating. I just want a deadlock letter but they keep trying to speak to me instead when we have already agreed that we can't reach a resolution and they will send me a deadlock letter.

I've started up a case on Resolver and uploaded everything I've sent to Vodafone including a copy of the notes I made when I renewed (they are calling it upgraded now as a means of justifying why, instead of cancelling, I agreed to pay £10 more than before for a SIM only contract exactly the same!)

I think I'll also send another letter saying that I've been told they have retrieved the recording of the conversation last year and requesting a copy. I'll bet they just ignore it though. Hmm

OP posts:
RobotLover68 · 16/12/2016 08:05

I think I'll also send another letter saying that I've been told they have retrieved the recording of the conversation last year and requesting a copy. I'll bet they just ignore it though

they probably will, but you should still do it to add to the written evidence if it gets as far as the Ombudsman

NicknameUsed · 16/12/2016 08:12

I'm with Virgin who are a virtual provider for EE. The coverage is the same as EE, which in my experience is the best, but the customer service is miles better than EE's. I was with GiffGaff, who are cheap, but I didn't get as good a coverage as I do with Virgin.

strongswans · 16/12/2016 08:26

I moved to 02 last year after disgusting treatment from Vodafone. Your story doesn't shock me at all. My coverage completely dropped and Vodafone couldn't solve the issue. Agreed to let me out of contract early with no charge as it was their issue. Then surprise they charged me £180 for early cancellation. Apparently they never agreed to this and no evidence. Didn't respond to complaints. I've ended up with my credit score being affected. I managed to get the bill down to £90, but that took a year and I couldn't fight any longer as the stress was making me sick so paid that. I know numerous people who have left Vodafone due to customer service problems.

Original poster
chicaguapa · 17/12/2016 09:36

Ah! Virgin.... There's a whole other thread there! One about signing up to 3 services for £30 pm then VM deciding 2.5 months later they can only provide 2 services for £45 pm or it's £240 to cancel. Angry So Virgin mobile isn't an option.

Vodafone are still dicking about. Yesterday's fun was a restriction on my services as the unpaid bill (which will be paid by the credit I'm due) is 'no longer in dispute as we're in deadlock'. As I wasn't told this would be a consequence of reaching deadlock, they've lifted the restriction by my saying I'll pay the bill by Christmas. I'll be with O2 before then.

But yes, all part of my complaint to the Ombudsman.

OP posts:
Squeegle · 17/12/2016 09:40

I would consider Tesco mobile. They are 10000000000 times better than crooked Vodafone. I too have left Vodafone in disgust at their practices (would not cancel some dodgy £4.50 a week text that was somehow on my phone!). I will never go with the. Again.

TrashPanda · 17/12/2016 09:47

I got to the point with Vodafone where I refused to speak to them on the phone due to the lies they used to come out with. They used to call me to try and talk to me and I would tell them I was terminating the call and email them a 'further to your call' email. I was dealing directly with the director's office.