Vodaphone - THEY Decide What They Repair...

[Belfin]

My 15-year-old son's phone stopped working a few weeks ago. He has always taken really good care of it, kept it in a case, and it was not dropped, scratched, or damaged in any way - it just stopped working.

We contacted Vodaphone via the online chat service on their website to explain the problem, gave the IMEI number and were told it was within the warranty. We were then sent a shipping packet to post it into their repairs department. This consisted of a box which we had to build ourselves, and a plastic bag to put it all in.

A few days after receiving the phone in for repair, Vodaphone contacted us to say that (despite good care and no damage) the phone had received 'excessive pressure' on the screen, and they would not be repairing it after all. We were also told that a repair would cost around £100.

 

We asked Vodaphone to keep hold of the phone while we discussed our options with them. However, the following day we had a message from them to say it was already on the way back to us – unrepaired. 

 

Now our son is left with his sim card is an old, borrowed phone, while his ‘pride and joy’ sits broken and useless in a cardboard box (he’s too upset to open the box to see what they’ve done to it).

 

We’re still paying the contract, but it appears the ‘mighty Vodaphone has spoken’, and will not accept that the alleged ‘excessive pressure’ could be a genuine fault, or occurred in transit in addition to the original fault, etc, etc.

 

Does anyone have any advice on maybe getting this solved?

Edited October 23, 2021 by dx100uk
added A few blank lines only..dx

[BankFodder]

When was the phone purchased?

[Belfin]

The contract began in August 2020. Vodaphone confirmed that it was within warranty, and I saved the full conversation I had with them.

[BankFodder]

Of course you have your statutory rights but in terms of the warranty, does it say anything about accidental damage?

I don't suppose you took photographs of the phone before it was sent to Vodafone but it will be interesting to see when it returns if you consider that it is in the same condition as it was when it was sent.

[Belfin]

I don't think there is anything about accidental damage, Vodaphone likes people to pay extra for the insurance.

 

Unfortunately, I didn't take any photos before it was sent off, but then I wouldn't have thought it necessary as they said it was going back under the valid warranty.  I didn't really foresee any problems.

 

I do know that the phone was in immaculate 'as-new' condition when I posted it off in the packaging they supplied.

Edited October 23, 2021 by Belfin

[dx100uk]

Please open the box then..

 

excessive pressure is fast taking over water damage as the goto excuse for avoiding repair.

 

 

[Belfin]

I shall get the box opened and report back tomorrow!

 

I had no idea about the excessive pressure excuse - cheers.

[dx100uk]

i will guess by saying stopped working you dont mean dead do you?

 

just that you cant make it do anything or its doing weird things on its own?

please expand...

 

[BankFodder]

Yes please I think we would like to know all about it.

Saying "I didn't foresee any problems so I didn't bother to…" As I say I didn't bother to look when I cross the road because I didn't think I would be run over

[Belfin]

@dx100uk Good morning. The phone refused to turn on - a completely blank screen and a brief 'vibrate', then nothing. It was also left on charge for a while to be sure it was not the battery.

 

@BankFodderGood morning. To be fair, how could a customer reasonably predict a problem in this case when help was initially being offered? When crossing the road, you know there is always potential for a problem!  Where do we draw the line when we start suspecting, doubting and taking photos of literally everything...

[BankFodder]

I'm afraid the line is very uncomfortable – it is defensive, defensive, defensive – survive, survive, survive.

Always record your calls. Always photograph everything.

I'm not saying it's great – it is awful and it's highly stressful – but I'm afraid that this is the way things are nowadays – especially when dealing with mobile phone companies, utilities companies Currys PC World, Hermes, used car dealers.

It's dreadful and it's very wearing

Is there any evidence of any damage to the screen? Is there any evidence that they attempted to open the phone when it was with the repairer?

[Belfin]

I'm getting the sense you may be right!

 

Finally opened the phone. It's packed in exactly the same type of box we sent it off in, except this time there is all sorts of fluff and 'bits' trapped beneath the clear cellophane and the phone's screen which holds it in place inside the box (photo taken in situ).

 

On removal from the packaging there are fingerprints on the back, so it has been 'looked at'. I had wiped it clear prior to packing to emphasis it's 'immaculate and undamaged' condition.

 

Unfortunately, two small but obvious scratches or cracks have now miraculously appeared near the edge of the screen.  These weren't declared when I sent it off because funnily enough, they weren't there! 

Edited October 24, 2021 by dx100uk
unnecessary previous post quote removed

[BankFodder]

Okay I think that you should write this up very carefully – a bullet pointed description of everything you have found supported by a photograph of each point of concern.
 

The next thing we have to do is we have to get a quote from some independent source for repair or replacement. Two independent quotes would be useful.

Some people might want a fee for this but on the other hand they are so hungry for sales, that they may well give you something in writing free of charge in the hope that you will come back to them.

After that I think that we will have to go for Vodafone that the telephone they returned was not in the condition it was when it was sent and that we believe that they have caused additional damage.
We shall then have to offer them options to replace it or to repair. Let's see how it goes.

Your son is 15 years old. Does he take an interest in this kind of thing because it could be a useful lifeskills lesson for him.

[dx100uk]

i would suggest those marks are to do with them opening the phone

[Belfin]

@BankFodderI live in the middle of nowhere in Cornwall, so nowhere to get the phone independently looked at for miles. May have to go straight back to Vodaphone and basically tell them that they have caused damage to the phone (?). My son is very interested in getting this phone fixed - he has taken such good care of it.

 

@dx100uk You may be right. It looks like they have caused the 'excessive pressure' themselves while opening the phone up, scratched or cracked the screen, then tried to blame my son. I have since noticed there also seems to be a series of scuff marks on the the phone body between the two side buttons and directly opposite the screen damage. Maybe more evidence of prying the thing open...

[BankFodder]

This is not the time to start writing to Vodafone. You can be hundred percent certain that they will be defensive and they will deny and they will say that this is the condition in which the telephone arrived. Because of the lack of photographs, it is your word against theirs.

The only time that they will start to take notice is when you start to get formal with them. We will get to that.

In the meantime, don't remove the cellophane or anything else will do anything to change the condition of the phone – don't clean it. And make sure it is thoroughly documented as I have suggested above.

[Belfin]

@BankFodder Righto, I'll ask about and see if someone can take a look at it.

[BankFodder]

Don't forget, that you don't want them to dismantle it, or disturb its present condition or to try to fix it.

All you want is someone or more than one person to give an opinion as to whether there is any evidence of pressure on the screen.

If anybody interferes with the phone then you weaken your case because you introduce another element which could be construed as breaking the chain of causation

[dx100uk]

might be worthy to sar vodafone too.

AFAIK VODA don't do repairs nor have a repairs dept?

i bet it was farmed out to a local business and they fruked it.

 

anyone with half a brain knows how to open phones without damaging them

i do it a lot , and TBH you wouldn't open a phone with the type of issue you had reported anyway.

not IMHO even bother to repair it.