Phone mistakenly disconnected by network and I've lost £1k worth of work. GAH!

[BigSpaceStarting]

So my mobile network have mistakenly disconnected my phone. They were supposed to take another action on my behalf (change my number) but cut it off entirely instead.

I was without network for 24 hours during which time a client was trying to confirm a job. When they couldn't, they gave it to someone else.

Although the network have admitted their mistake, they assert that I cannot make a claim for lost earnings as I do not have a business mobile account, just a regular personal one.

Are they right or do I have a claim?

TIA

I don't think you have a claim for any sort of work lost due to 24 hours without a phone connection. Which number was the client trying to call you on anyway? Tbh if I was waiting for an important call after asking the network to change my number I'd have provided the client with an alternative method of communication.

Check the t&cs of your contract but I'd say it was doubtful for any sort of compo at all, whatever the amount/circs. concerned.

They are right, I believe.

I have a personal and a business phone. The business phone has a contract section on missed opportunities/compensation etc which I believe I could claim from had I been involved in your situation. Interestingly, the previous version of our contract did not...its something I negotiated in on renewal.

My personal contract mentions nothing of the sort. I suppose that's fair enough.

What does surprise me is that the phone network haven't told you that you need a business phone, as quite often you break the T&Cs by using a private line for business work. It might be worth getting one if you don't have a mobile etc to contact clients on.

It's also worth mentioning that you do have to show that you mitigated your losses to claim, and I'm not sure that you will have done if you didn't try to contact the client, or if the client had no additional way to contact you. Do they have your email address/website address/mobile number?

thanks both for replying.

I know I'm probably grasping at straws / being unreasonable, but losing a grand is really squeezing my cheese :(

RE number - it's a long story but I only have one mobile number, I've just changed networks and they were switching it over. Any outage was supposed to be minimal and with voicemail cover.

RE clients - they have my email but it was a bit of a cock-up by a more junior staff member that they didn't try and contact me on this. Another reason why they're feeling bad and want to back me up for any claim.

interesting about the contracts, Caja, I'm only newly freelancing so I might have to chalk this up as a newbie gaff. Bit gutting when it was someone else's mistake.

I didn't know that you had to have a different line if you use your phone for business calls. Is that a strict rule, does it mean you need to pay for a second number an what are the consequences if you don't.

My boss has my mobile number and calls me on it quite regularly as we often aren't in the same place at the same time and vice versa - does that count?

Interesting question marquesas. I've only been at this a year but have claimed my phone with HMRC as a business expense.

Meh - its a phone provider scam rule. I suppose they could disconnect your service if they felt you were flouting their rules re business use, but really there is no reason at all why a small business trader couldn't use and claim tax relief for a personal conract.

Its not the same thing, as say, car insurance for business use, in which a failure to insure properly could have serious repercussions iyswim?

I also suppose that your situaion OP may be a reason to have a business contract if you can get cover for loss of earnings etc for any downtime, but I've never bought a specific business contract so I really don't know , I do know that I pay significantly less than I would on a business contract though
Have you tried pleading discussing with the client. Seems a litle harsh that you lose out purely because they couldn't contact you due to cock-ups out of your control, and for such a small length of time too