@vodafoneuk Vodafone Warranty issue on HTC mini*Resolved by CEO's office*

[Jo Coyne]

Can anyone assist me?.

 

I have been a vodafone customer for 17 years and last November, I upgraded to a HTC mini. A few weeks ago, I noticed a fault on the phone with the lock/unlock button. I returned it to the Vodafone store and they sent it to their repairers. A few days later, I received a call from the repair team who advised that there was a crack on the inner screen and this invalidates the warranty.

 

They advised it was easily done and could have been caused by dropping the phone. I advised that I had never dropped the phone and this in any event could not be related to the fault itself and in fact the release form supplied by the store describes the condition as fair with a scratch to the screen. I was told that they would either return or I could pay £190.

 

As I was not happy with this, I contacted Vodafone via live chat. I reiterated that the phone had no damage, it was only 4 months old and therefore, if there was now a crack on the inner screen, they would need to prove this was not pre-existing and or was not done whilst in transit to the repair centre.

 

The person on live chat kept on saying that unless the store had dismantled the phone in front of me, they would not see the damage either. I asked 8 times how I could escalate this and what governing body regulates them. They refused to give me this but said they would send a picture to me of the crack.

 

Yesterday, I went into the Vodafone shop to inspect my phone. The sales girl agreed there was no damage but a scratch (caused by an earring) She also told me that the repair centre had tried to send a picture but it had not gone through. She said they could only act on what the repair centre had told them.

 

I called Vodaphone as I still had not seen the repair assessment and they went through this. The assessment said there was a hairline scratch on the front screen. They have advised this scrach (which is visible but cannot be felt to the touch) has damaged the inside of the phone.

I have several issues with this. Firstly, I have been told 3 different stories about the alleged damage.

 

I am now expected to believe that a scratch which cannot be felt and does not penetrate to the other side of the screen has somehow damaged the inside of the phone. If this was the case then every time the screen was pressed this would also damage the inside too?. Surely a scratch cannot cause such force and velocity to damage the inner workings of a phone? Secondly if this is to be believed, how could this cause the lock/unlock button to be damaged which is not behind the screen ?

 

I really want to escalate this as I believe the likely version to be that the lock/unlock button cannot be repaired and would need the phone replacing and as such, Vodafone are trying everything they can to void the warranty. I also firmly believe that these repair centres are target driven to void as many as possible.

 

Does anyone know who I can escalate this to. I cannot go to Ombudsman Communications Services as I need to go via Vodafone first but this could take months. I was considering contacting the CEO and writing/emailing but I am not sure what impact this would have.

 

Any advice would be gratefully received

[rebel11]

Hi Jo

 

Welcome to CAG

 

We have a Vodafone Rep on this site who can look into the matter for you. Lee from Vodafone.

 

We advise you to follow this method to alert them to your thread:

 

To get this looked into further could we please you ask you to email HERE with the details quoting the code WRT135 - CAG Forum in the subject line

 

Once sent you'll receive an automated reply with a reference number.

 

To ensure that it reaches Lee could you update the thread with this and He'll get back to you as

soon as he can.

[silverfox1961]

Hi and welcome to CAG

 

Unfortunately, you are not alone with this. I have seen many threads that say much the same as you. As I see it, this is a money making opportunity for Vodafone.

 

There is no way a surface scratch can transmit into an internal crack unless the phone was dropped or banged at the same time.

 

Let Lee have a go at resolving this but it may be that you will have to get an independent report. If the report shows that the phone is actually faulty and nothing to do with the glass, I would demand that VF refund you to report costs and if they refuse, sue them.

[fkofilee]

Hi Jo

 

Im a Vodafone customer and have had a few issues before with them. Lee is awesome and is normally pretty good to get this resolved

However also Vodafone's CS are useless...

 

Which repair centre detected a crack underneath the screen? Was it Vodafone or HTC's?

[Jo Coyne]

Hi I have registered a complaint using the link above but no reference as yet and I emailed Lee too. It was the Vodafone repair Centre. They have advised me to send it to HTC repairs at my expense but I think that is just a fob off. They initially told me it was a crack under the scren (I think they referred it as the second screen) but now they are advising it is a scratch on the front of the screen. So far they have told me 3 different things and even now, I don't know whether they have invalidated the warranty on the basis that the scratch has caused internal damage or that the scratch itself is classed as physical damage as opposed to wear and tear.

[Lee Vodafone Company Rep]

Hi Jo Coyne,

 

Thanks for making me aware of your concerns and for following the advice posted by rebel.

 

I've got your email and will get back to you as soon as possible.

 

Kind regards,

 

Lee

 

Social Media Comms

 

Vodafone UK

[rebel11]

Thanks Lee.

[Jo Coyne]

Thanks Lee.

Hi all, following my email to the CEO office, they called this morning to advise they are going to replace my phone. Thanks all for your help and advice on this matter

[Lee Vodafone Company Rep]

Hi Jo Coyne,

 

Thanks for updating your thread to confirm that this has been resolved for you.

 

Kind regards,

 

Lee

 

Social Media Comms

 

Vodafone UK

[silverfox1961]

Hi all, following my email to the CEO office, they called this morning to advise they are going to replace my phone. Thanks all for your help and advice on this matter

 

All I can say is well done for sticking this out. I will mark this thread resolved for you.

[locutus]

Surprised to hear this about a HTC One Mini. HTC announced that they will repair the 1st instance of damaged screen for free.

 

 

Read this :-

http://www.htc.com/us/go/cracked-screen-replacement/