Onlymobile.co.uk disapeared & wont be honouring there cashback!!! Please Help...

[crk81]

Back in November i signed up through only mobile for a contract with three and the handset was a year & a half old (not used, I'm meaning how long since that handset was brought onto the market)

New year comes and only mobile disappears
no www.onlymobile.co.uk
no reply to:
0165648487 or 01656747560 (three provided me with these contact numbers)
or
08000511199 (sales)
08700244445 (cust serv)
not even the 08700244446 (fax)
also no emails back from
enquries@onlymobile.co.uk

Has anyone else traded with this company and having the same problem?

Anyone been through similar circumstances?

three are looking into it (take up to 28days) there going to see if they can get in touch with the dealer and ask them if they are going to honour it.

Three have told me there is nothing they can do and i am stuck under a 12month contract with them and they do not honour any cash back offers.

The Offer was as follows:

Sony Ericsson K608i on Three's Video & Talk & Text 700 Call Plan.
Three Mobile Phone Network Special Offer - Get a free Sony Ericsson K608i mobile phone handset on the Three network's Video & Talk & Text 700 call plan, and you will also benefit from Free Line Rental for the 12 Month Contract. With this offer you'll make a saving of £420! Terms & Conditions apply. Click here for more details.
Free Sony Ericsson K608i Phone, Free Line Rental for the 12 Month Contract.
Save £420!

* Video & Talk & Text 700 Call Plan.
* Double Minutes & Texts.
* 400 800 voice minutes every month.
* 250 500 text messages every month.
* 3 Months Free Insurance
* 30 Days Free VIP Support
* Free Next-Day Delivery
* £35.00 £0.00 per month.†

Add this item to your cart.
Offer Details...

We are giving away a brand new Sony Ericsson K608i mobile phone worth £329.99.

Contract period for this offer is 12 months.

800 minutes and 500 text messages are a part of a double minutes and text promotion. This promotion is for the first 3 months only. Also included with this offer are 25 video minutes and 25 picture messages every month.

The first 3 months line rental will be debited as £17.50/month and will be £35/month thereafter.

We offer you in total cash back £367.50 which is the remaining half-price rental (£17.50) for those first 3 months, the 3 Network only bills you for £17.50 a month. So we offer you 3 x £17.50 = £52.50

The remaining 9 months are charged to you at £35 per month. So we offer you 9 x £35 = £315

The total cash back is therefore £367.50

£367.50 is available as cash back by redemption in 2 stages, £183.75 after month 6 and £183.75 after month 12.

This is a very limited offer. Take it up while you can!! Add it to your cart now!!

All new handset connections benefit from 3 months free insurance & VIP

------------------------------------------------------------------

Really need some advice on this matter, I've just sent a on-line complaint to consumer direct/trading standards and three are looking into things, but i really don't want to me ripped off by this offer and i wouldn't be so bothered if i had a better offer & the latest handset, spoke to three on 6+ occasions including a manager and not able to get anywhere with them at all.


Please please anyone who can help with be greatly appreciated, its a limited company so they more than likely went bust or just took all the commission from three and gone so they don't have to pay back customers, anyone what i can do to get out of this contract or anything, three contract is separate apparently and there is nothing i can do.

Many Thanks in advance.

CK

[diabolical]

Originally Posted by crk81

Has anyone else traded with this company and having the same problem?

Anyone been through similar circumstances?

I haven't dealt with onlymobile.co.uk, but that domain is registered to MB Internet Marketing Limited. Doing a search on Google, I found information regarding that company:

Buyer Beware! (urgent warnings about products/services to avoid at all costs) - Review - A Brand New Mobile CONtract

[crk81]

Yeah thanks for looking into this for me, i done a search on the address and even got a contact number for mb internet marketing limited 01656744229 but no one ever answers the phone It looks like i am going to be stuck with this contract, ive got trading standards on the case & hope to hear from them soon and maybe they might be able to investigate the matter a little further than what i can do. Can't believe that company's like three are just willing to let any person sell there services for commission, i remember the documentary on watchdog about these scams just after i had signed up, and i was even like, that wouldn't happen to me. but oh boy has it not now and its going to cost me £35.00 per month

[buzby]

The short answer is no - you're stuffed. If the company ceases to trade and cannot honour the cashback deal, there is nothing you can do as this may have been a deciding factor in you deciding to place your business with them, but it does NOT override the binding contract you signed with 3UK. Basically the dealer were using the fees paid by 3UK in sales commissions to repay the cashback deals, and as many consumers have found out, every trick in the book is used to ensure they cannot claim the money due - the most final refusal being the firm goes bust.

Sadly, you'll just have to pay the price you agreed under contract, and avoid all such incentives in the future.

[diabolical]

Incidently, searching for MB Internet at the webcheck service on the Companies House website reveals that the company is active but there has been a proposal to strike off

[crk81]

yeah trading standards have just getting back to me also:

I have checked on the companies house website, an it shows N.M distribution limited, as still trading. I would advise you to ring Companies House on 0870 33 33 636, to check if they have any more up to date information. If they are still Trading, you would need to send a recorded delivery letter to the company, requesting they honour the cash back owed in a reasonable length of time. Please keep a copy of any correspondence sent.

Onlymobile are classed as an agent of Three, and as Three correctly say, they are not liable for onlymobile’s actions.

If the company isn’t still trading, please contact Consumer Direct on the number below, with details of the contract to hand, and we will go through further advice with you.


Al keep you guys posted, but yeah looking unlikely i'll get anywhere including some sort of deal with three like reduced line rental or something.

[crk81]

Just been in touch with companies house, they said the company is still active & they are filled up to date etc.. and the only have the contact address which is the one i have, i'm going to try and get a recorded delivery letter sent, i think if i try and sent court papers they will just default and it wont bother them so that would just be more of a waste of money

[crk81]

spoke to three & it looks like they are unable to provide me with a contract they say my contract is with the dealer - dealer doesn't exist so neither should my contract, three! beware here i come, i will get out of this contract if they are not prepared to come to some sort of compromise.

[buzby]

No you misunderstand their response. You remain liable for the contract, it does not have to exist in paper form. If it can be proved that they know the IMEI and number of the phone, along with your billing information and that you made calls from the device, you are legally obliged to complete the deal you entered into. As you say, your dealer was only an agent - and the cashback deal was their promotion, NOT 3UK.

I'm unsure why you think 3UK should reach a compromise with you - it was the dealer who came up with the scheme, and ultimately did not deliver. 3 would not be liable for anything they didn;t specifically endorse or agree to.

Also do remember, 3UK can and will report any problems to your credit file, and you may be doing yourself untold damage on a point of principle that could not be upheld in law.

[tootsie123]

I too was stupid enough to think i would get something for nothing - how annonying.

am now stuck paying through the nose for a three contract i would not have taken out.

if you do manage to get any joy please let me know. i will pop in to CAB this week and see if they have any advice and will post back findings.

[crk81]

Yeah i can see what your saying Raymond m8, but I'm not going to cancel any direct debit or anything, so i wont be affecting my credit rating, although i have told them i will cancel my direct debit, Three have said they don't have any contract with me its the dealer, i know it can just be a verbal/electronic agreement, and i know i am too persistent when it comes to getting my own way & i never like to give in, i blame three for partly for this also, three are not bothered who sells there contracts & they shouldn't just let anyone set up a limited company and sell on there behalf, three are being total a***holes about it as well,

tootsie123, that be a great, any info they can provide will help alot, this contract is totally unfair & mobile company's shouldn't allow company's to offer deals that they cant honour.

[buzby]

I think what three is getting at is that they don;t have an agreemeint with you regarding the promotion scheme... that would be between you and the dealer, who 'intorduced' you to 3UK and effectively got paid their coommission for doing so.

Three have actually terminated over 350 dealer accounts in the last year in an effort to weed out sharp practice, but it still goes on - I and other CAG members get weekly calls from Indian call centres, offering 'fantastic deals' on a mobile phone. A few pointed question and you find out their's selling 3UK contracts, but since the call is from India and they do not say who they are and there's no caller display number, it is impossible to complain specifically and get this stopped.

[rosiecotton]

I can only wholeheartedly agree with Buzby, please don't go breaching your airtime contract with 3, as you could end up being the party in the wrong here. You DO have a contract with them which still stands and is perfectly legal and binding, so you cannot threaten to cancel that contract without being legally in breach and in a position to be sued for damages (which would be the contract value plus costs).

You have two separate contracts here - your airtime with 3 and your phone/cashback with Onlymobile, which is nothing to do with 3.

Unfortunately if the company have gone belly up (I will see whether I can find anything on this on internal networked sites) then there isn't going to be much you can do on this front.

[Prateek]

hi, as I've just found out - I'm also afftected by the same scam. Bought the same Sony K608i 12 month 3Uk contract from www.onlymobile.co.uk in October and they no longher exist! If anyone does make any progress on this, please let me know! From what I can see in the replies posted here, there is little point in contacting 3. I can be contacted on email at pss32@cam.ac.uk. Its shocking that this can happen and people can actually get away with it!

[sonny2k]

Hi, I too am a victim of onlymobile scam. Regretting as to how I could fall for it. Same scenario - bought phone +12month free line rental as cashback with Three as service provider in october. Now cannot contact "onlymobile" for cashback. Fellow victims and friends, any action plan thought of yet??Will be checking this forum for updates.

[crk81]

Company houses is now showing that it is proposing to strike off n.m distribution ltd (only mobile) and also three have now concluded they are no longer trading with the company and there is nothing they can do to help, anyone stuck with this deal is now stuff! like myself, although i have spoke to three and they can change my plan to something on the same price which works out better, i can have like 1000texts per month or 700mins but have less of the other, so be stuck with it but chop and change to suit your needs, i do hope when my contact ends that three try to keep me as a customer cos i sure will give them a mouth full and tell them where to stick there service and there unhelpful call centre advisor's, as i believe this deal should be honoured and the network provider should be responsible for part of it at least as they let them sell there services.

[tootsie123]

spent over three hours at citizens advice beureau and got no where. apparently company still trading but accounts not due to be submitted until may. was advised to pay £1 for more detailed company search and appeal directly to director at home address - what good will that do they obviously had no intention of honouring agreement!!! our contract is with three and they no longer use this agent to sell their contracts. they take no responsibility for not vetting dealers first. sorry no better news