Utility Warehouse, changing their mind!

[WOOD73]

Hi

4 months ago I switched my home phone and broadband to utility warehouse, at the same time I took out a new mobile contract with them.

I decided 2 months later to get a second mobile for my wife, but when I phoned them they said they would need £100 deposit or I could wait until after my third payment had cleared and then there would be no deposit so I decided to wait.

 

when I phoned nearer the time I mentioned it again and was told the same, but to leave it about a week after the direct debit went to ensure it had cleared.

When I called them to order it I was told I needed to pay a deposit I explained what I had been told, but was told they had changed their policy due to a dishonest executive or something.

I have put in a complaint and spoke to a chap who is putting my case to a director, but dosent hold out much hope, but he said one solution was I could cancel my existing mobile with no penalty for early termination.

 

I told him they were not honouring their initial offer and I would contact trading standards, but I have just got to wait for him to phone me back now with the directors decision.

this is briefly my problem, question is where else can I get a mobile contract from with a few defaults on my file?

or should I admit defeat and stay with my contract even though they lied to me.

[buzby]

After all that, I cannot believe you still want to be tied to a contract. Why? Defaults don't matter on PAYG, and with the levels of competition, the cost benefits are almost the same. Buy toyr phone unlocked and put a SIM in it.

 

It is also a bat idea to have all your comms accounts with the same supplier. If for whatever reason they go bust or your DD doesn;t clear - all your lines of communication are disabled. Common sense dictates that you don;t catty all your eggs in the same basket, and I'd suggest you diversify to save on possible problems later.

[WOOD73]

Problem is when I had a payg phone I never topped it up, and as I spend a lot of time on the road now as a driver, I dont want to get stuck, and the inclusive minutes are handy to phone the mrs when im away.

[buzby]

PAYG networks allow you to lodge a credit or debit card to permit manual OR automatic credits should the threshold for calls fall low. The inclusive calls may be useful, but they are NOT free, you pay for them as part of the montlhy rental - as the networks admit 80% of users fail to use their allocation every month, they make more money from this (non use) that when the remaining 20% utilise them to the full. Work out what you lose in NOT making the calls you've already paid for each month, to work out how less beneficial it is.

 

Your dealer not only gets a cash bonus for signing you up to a contract, they now get a revenue share of your monthly fees. That money is better in your pocket than theirs, and you prevent this by going PAYG, AND don;t have to worry about the unexpected causing your credit file to be fried for another 6 years (again!)