To understand the background, after a very frustrating 5 hours on the phone to Vodafone to sort out the ending of our contracts, my other half with red face, and scarcely controlled temper had decided that enough was enough and tried for the second time to finish the current contracts that were actually ending.
Apparently, with Vodafone, we have to phone to cancel the contract a month before the contract ends, or they charge you another month of payments. We called on the 20th February to make sure we had done everything right to end the contracts when they were finished on the 6th March. We were advised that we had paid up to the end of the contract and could cancel the direct debit, so we did. We were also told that the unlock codes for our IPhones would be with us in a few days.
We had asked about transferring our contract to a sim only deal, as we were on a high IPhone tariff which included a premium for the handset when we first took the contract, but apparently they can’t move us to a new sim only deal when this one ended as it would be cheaper than the rate we were on, and our only options with Vodafone would be to upgrade or stay on the inflated rate once our contract was actually finished. I was speechless. Nobody would listen to the fact that we had paid 2 years of the contract, FINISHED it, and should then be put on a new deal which didn’t include the extra price for the phone.
A few days later, messages began to appear about unpaid charges.
Calling Vodafone – NOBODY – would talk to us about the issues, unless we paid the charges first. FIVE hours trying to sort it out was mind-blowing and nobody would put us through to supervisor to discuss the charges they now said we were due.
We eventually paid them to get to speak to someone who would talk to us, and suddenly the unlock codes would now come to us after apparently not being ordered in the first telephone call. Then after we pay those, they now want to sting us for another month, as they said there was no record of the phone call on the 20th to cancel – that is despite several Vodafone reps saying they could see notes on the system, but that it just hadn’t been done.
Apparently this is all in the small print, but what a pity we don’t have an IPhone contract then? They never sent us one, but we were supposed to know that the terms and conditions from an old contract would apply here too. The calls were passed from department to department, some told us they system was down and others told us it was fine. Very generously a UK rep finally agreed to backdate the contract termination to the 20th, so the message from me is to phone well in advance of your contract ending if you plan on moving, AND put it in writing with recorded delivery.
We were hung up on several times when being transferred and each department told us it was another departments problem. Take note, the staff have a lovely habit of listening to one line of a statement, and then saying something like, oh that’s disconnections, then not waiting and just hitting transfer button, and disconnections would then just say, oh that’s customer service and bang, you’re on hold again. It’s a nice trick to pass people round and round and round and round.
A ranty message on Twitter and a Vodafone rep asked if they could be of any help, but the only topics they will discuss are the unlock and pac codes and they conveniently ignore the question of the EXTRA MONTH AND A HALF OF CHARGES they have stung us for. Nobody would talk about the fact we were told there were no more charges on the 20th February and to be honest, no matter where we move now, I will never, ever go back to Vodafone. They’ve had nearly 20 years of service from us, and this is a poor way to end it all.
So it’s goodbye to Vodafone and I am also moving my son and my mother away too, so they have now lost 4 phones, not that they actually care of course as we are probably just a drop of pee in the chanty pot to them.
AND HELLO TO GIFF GAFF NETWORK
ps – the Giff Gaff link does open to an affiliate page – what can I say, if anyone signs up, we both get a free fiver and I really have to tell you about them later this week.
Tell me about it! Been with them for 5 years but have switched to 3Mobile for All You Can Eat Data. Tried to end my contract with Vodafone (already one month over the end of the contract) at their store – sorry, can’t do that sir.
How about I ring Customer Services? – Sorry, can’t do that sir.
You MUST either write a letter or send an email.
Funny how I didn’t have to do any of that when taking out five years worth of contracts with them. The only reason they do this is to screw an extra few days of money out of you whilst you wait for the 3 working day confirmation correspondence back.
Even then, they will likely delay or say they never received the email or letter.
Stay clear of Vodafone – and O2 (who did the same thing to me, charging an extra 3 months – £105 – because nobody ever dealt with my letter). Crappy data limits and terrible money grabbing tactics designed to frustrate you.
Loving 3Mobile (used to hate them) – massively improved masts and the Indian call centre (I know) operator I spoke to yesterday was surprisingly brilliant at her job.
Bye Vodafone – almost.
thanks for shearing this article….it get my attention….
i was considering vodafone and now..i’m sticking with giffgaff too, its cheaper to buy a phone and stay on my lovely tenner a months giff gaff tarrif.
I don’t have personal experience of Giff Gaff, but several friends use them and can’t speak highly enough. Can’t believe how shockingly poor Vodafone have been!
I am surprised how good Giff Gaff is but is O2 network and cheaper.
Report them to Offcom
Is really annoying whatever. I am glad that we now have the Giff Gaff tho, will save a fortune in the next few months.