Suspect Vodafone behavior...

[HippoSleek_J]

This is my first post, so I do hope I am writing in the correct place. I have a few financial problems in my life currently, due to me going back to university as a mature student.

So anyway, I will explain the story up to where I am now and see if anyone has any advice or has suffered the same.

I took out an 18month contract on the 11th September 2008. I was fully aware that this would need a months notice at the end of the contract to ensure service was not continued by them. Within 30 days of the end of the contract, I rang to inform them I did not want to continue service. This was when the problem started. I was informed that there would be an early cancellation charge of £500 This was a huge surprise as I knew the date my contract finished. I asked why it was so much when I was informing them of this within their specified time limit. I was then told that I had signed a new contract and there was still 12 months of this new contract left. I obviously contested this and asked for them to send a copy of the contract, which they wouldn't do. I was told to speak to customer service, which turned out to be in Malaysia, and was further told that I must pay the early cancellation fee. I refused to pay this and told them I would not be using the phone again, took the card out and cut it in half.

A month later I received a letter informing me my phone had been disconnected due to missing a bill payment and that I must ring them to make a payment. I once again rang to explain and was told that the bill was now £560... even though my monthly contract amount was £45. I once again refused, standing by the contract I had signed and was still in possession of. I then took my contract in to a Vodafone shop and explained to the manager. He was confused so looked on their system, only to find I had no contract on their.

Another 3 months passed with no word from them until I received a letter from FPC Debt Collection Services informing me they were acting on behalf of Vodafone. I rang them in the hope I would speak to some one in the UK that might actually understand what I was saying and be able to offer me advice... If only they were so civil!Apart from being spoken to in an incredibly patronizing and sarcastic way, the person I spoke to would not listen to what I was saying. This phone call did throw up some thing I find very disturbing. I was told that I had first signed a NEW contract then after explaining, for the 3rd time, was then told that the original contract I signed was a 26 month contract. This started the alarm bells ringing! I knew for a fact I hadn't, I had a copy of the contract in front of me! I asked for an address to which I could send a copy of the contract to and have since sent a copy to them, highlighting the length of the contract, my name and the price of the monthly plan.

I received a letter thanking me for my letter and was told that they would inform me of the outcome, as per my instruction. To which I am still waiting to hear form them.

I find it very troubling that if I did not have my original contract there would have been no way of proving I hadn't signed the term they were saying I had. This would of lead to me having to pay over £700 that I do not owe.

Does anyone have any guidance/information on where I stand regarding this? The stress this has brought me, not to mention that they have said there is now a marker on my credit recored which should not be there, should not be allowed or go unnoticed

Any advice on this would be greatly appreciated, so thank anyone in advance that has taken the time to read my rant.

[silverfox1961]

Hi and welcome to CAG.

 

I have to say that you are not alone with this issue. I have seen a couple of others in a similar vein however, There is a Vodafone presence on the forum that have helped many who have had problems.

 

If you follow the instructions in this thread FULLY you should get a response within a few days

 

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?213340-Vodafone-Webteam-for-Customers-With-Problems&p=2343770&viewfull=1#post2343770

 

Please make sure you put WRT 135 in the subject line. This helps your email get routed to the correct team. When you get an automated response email, it will have a reference number on it. post it on this thread so that the team can match your initial email with this thread.

 

DO NOT part with that contract. You have the proof. VF have to prove otherwise.

[HippoSleek_J]

Thanks for the reply silverfox1961. I have since received another letter from FPC saying that I MUST pay the full amount in 7days or I will be taken to court. I rang them back and was told it was Phones 4U that have upgraded my contract so as far as VF is concerned I still have to pay! They were happy to tell me that over the phone but would not put it in writing and when I said I would have the call I had recorded drafted by a solicitor they said I had to pay £10 for the call! They are saying I have to prove VF have not supplied me with a service... which is pretty much impossible really.

I will follow the link as you said and HOPE it gets resolved. I am very worried that this is going to end up in me being robbed. Oh and I will not be parting with this contract!

Thanks again.

[HippoSleek_J]

After following the instructions I received the code : WRT135 [#6124097]‏. Hope this is right!

Thanks again silverfox

[silverfox1961]

That's fine. Lee (or one of the team) will be able to pick this up for you.

 

Did you actually record the call? If so, make sure you keep it safe.

 

They are saying I have to prove VF have not supplied me with a service... which is pretty much impossible really.

 

You cannot prove a negative. You don't have to prove anything-they do. Ignore their ramblings.

 

FPC (Part of Fredericksons) seem to be the DCA of choice for VF. If you must contact them again, do it in writing but for now I would be wanting VF to contact Freds to suspend all collection activity while investigations are completed.

[HippoSleek_J]

Unfortunately, I didn't record it, just said so to see their reaction. Which, as expected, was un clear! I thought exactly that, I shouldn't have to prove anything. I will wait to see what the team says then decide what to do. Really appreciate your help, I will post the response. Thank you so much

[Lee Vodafone Company Rep]

Hi HippoSleek_J,

 

Firstly, thanks for following silverfoxes' advise and emailing us about this.

 

Although I'm not sure what's happened here I can confirm that I've received your email and so will do my best to get to the bottom of this and get back to you as soon as I can.

 

Thanks,

 

Lee

 

Web Relations Team

 

Vodafone UK

[HippoSleek_J]

Thanks Lee. So glad to finally have contact to someone that understands the situation and isn't just after money. Hope to hear from you soon.

[Lee Vodafone Company Rep]

You're welcome HippoSleek_J.

 

I can see that you anxious to get this sorted out and so you rest assured that I'll get back to you as quickly as possible.

 

Thanks,

 

Lee

 

Web Relations Team

 

Vodafone UK

[HippoSleek_J]

Any news on this yet Lee? I haven't herd from FPC for a while now which is only making me more nervous about what is going on.

Thanks again.

[Lee Vodafone Company Rep]

Hi HippoSleek_J,

 

Thanks for coming back to the thread.

 

I did reply to your email a couple of weeks ago. If it hasn't arrived in your inbox could you check your Spam/Junk folder to see if it's there and let me know either way?

 

Kind regards,

 

Lee

 

Web Relations Team

 

Vodafone UK

[HippoSleek_J]

Hi Lee. Sorry I hadn't checked and my junk deletes after 7 days! So sorry! Is there any way you could re-send it and I will check for it. Sorry again.

[Lee Vodafone Company Rep]

Hi HippoSleek_J,

 

Thanks for getting back to me.

 

I'll re-send the email later this morning and as soon as you've replied I'll take it from there.

 

Kind regards,

 

Lee

 

Web Relations Team

 

Vodafone UK

[HippoSleek_J]

That's great Lee, thank you. I will check every few hours.

[Lee Vodafone Company Rep]

You're welcome HippoSleek_J.

 

I can confirm that I've now received your reply and will be getting back to you as soon as I can.

 

Thanks,

 

Lee

 

Web Relations Team

 

Vodafone UK

[silverfox1961]

Hi

Any news as yet?