Vodafone optional extras

[sshaw101]

Hi

I have 200 anytime mins and 500 free texts a month all for 30 quid. i registered to use vodafone online and whilst there saw a selection of optional extras. I added the 50 free texts pack.

now by me doing this it reset me original 500 text down to 50 due to only being allowed one extra pack at a time. this has happened for 2.5 months now and i have had some huge bills because of this.

have called in and was told taht in T&C's it explains only one extra pack allowed and by me selecting the 50 (which i thought would be an extra 50 on top of the 500 and seem to be sold to me in that way online) elimated the previous extras pack.

i have since called in and had it reset back to the 500 as agreed at time of renewing my contract, but they said would npot be able to refund the extra costs inccured by changing text package to 50 instead of 500!

is there anythign further i can do or is it just to learn from it and hope others can learn from this?

many thanks

[buzby]

Not legally - but I agree it is an easy mistake to make. Why not WRITE to them stating that you expected the 50 FREE text to be in addition to (not instead of) and that the either/or option wasn't adequately explained on the website, as in your case this was a downgrading of your account and clearly nobody would do this unless it was a mistake.

Your ultimate sanction is that you feel Vodafone are being unfair, and if they cannot see their way to reinstating the cost of the texts, you'll have no alternative but to give advance notice of termination (based on when your contract would normally have ended). They might just use the head and see sense that a happy customer stays!

[sshaw101]

Many thanks Buzby,

i have managed to get half of what i was charged back, but still out of pocket by about £75. I will send a letter stating that this half refund shows that it was a mistake and ask for a full refund.

Luckily they put me back on my deal. so i have learnt to never mess around with extras again!!!

[buzby]

As you say, at least you're half-way there... just a gentle push should do it. You could also add that if the system is so damn clever, why does it let cusotmers switch to a clearly disadvantageous tariff without the slightest warning?

[sshaw101]

That was my arguement all along and the guy on the other end of the phone did agree. His get out was the fact that the terms and conditions state only one optional extra blah blah blah.

A letter wont hurt anyway, the worst they can say is no. hopefully people will read this and make sure they dont do the same as I was told he would normally get a few calls a day about this!