Phone Contracts???? It's a long one!!!!

[mandz]

Hi there guys!!
I'm after some help really, I took out a phone contract with a certain high street phone company back in December, I am very dis satisfied with the service I got, I had problem after problem.

They gave me a free phone with my contract, but on the day I took out the contract they connected my PAYG phone incorrectly so they asked me to come back the next day to collect it, which I did quite willingly, even though the shop is 15+ miles away from my home and parking charges are quite high, I thought, they are giving me this phone for free so I'll pop in to pick it up. So I went in the next day, the manager told me then that it still wasn't ready and could I go in the next day to which I replied I couldn't. I asked them to post it out to my home address, so they took my details and said yes that they'd do it the following day. 5 days later, I rang the store, I was told that they'd find out what's going on and ring me back, surprisingly they did, they told me that they will get it in the post today, I was told by the sales assistant that she'd personally make sure I got it within 5 days.

Another 5 days passes.....


Another phonecall, spoke to the duty manager, who said, they are struggling to get hold of the phones as they are giving them away with the contracts, but as soon as they had one in they'd post it to me.

Another week or so passes......

Another phonecall, spoke to the duty manager, who said, they have some in stock and there's one resserved for me.

Another week.....

Another phonecall, they are trying to get a batch and they will send me out as soon as they have them.

Went into the store on 22nd December to speak to the manager, got the duty manager who told me to come back in 20minutes so he could ring his manager, I went back after 20minutes and found the duty manager floating around the shop not having rang his manager in the time he said, so he rang the manager on his mobile in front of me. he said the manager of the store was sat with the post office reciept infront of him and the date of 18th December on the reciept ( coincidentally, the 18th is a Sunday - so not too sure bout that).

Left it over xmas,

Rang the head office for them to find out what had gone on, they spoke to the store and they came back with, the phone had been sent out, but it had waited in the post office sorting depo as it couldn't be delivered (coincidentally - my dad works from home so is always around, and there was no note through the door to tell us there was a parcel at the sorting office, and our postman is quite good, if no one's in he gets the neighbours to sign for it)

So I finally went into the shop 10days ago because my contract phone has a fault with it,

The manager decided to master reset the phone (re boot it), even after I'd been told be orange who checked on there system and there was a fault showing with the phone. So I had to go away with the chance that my phone is still faulty. Working full time I had to go in when I got my days off.

And guess what..... my phone is faultier than ever, it won't let me send message, recieve messages, it has to be on speaker phone to make a call, I can't hear anything and today it's just gone and deleted all my music and photo's!!!! GRRRRRR

I range the shop yesterday, asked for the manager, but he was "busy" so spoke with one of the sales advisors, who I explained the situation, she said the manager would ring me back, guess what..... he never did!!!



So after my very long rant, has anyone got any help, I'd like to get out of the contract, but not sure on the legal side. I'm thinking of writting a letter / email to their head office to see whether they have any better customer services - I hope so!!!!

Somebody please HELP!!!!!:cry::cry::cry:

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

[Zingara]

First thing you must do is contact their head office by phone and ask for a copy of their complaints procedure to be sent out to you.

It will probably read something like, (This is an example only - don't follow mine, get the actual one)

1/ attempt to resolve your complaint with the staff in your branch.

2/ Escalate he issue in writing to the branch manager.

3/ Contact customer liaison at Head Office

4/ If your complaint is unresolved, please contact OFCOM

OFCOM are the people that will ultimately sort this out for you but will only get involved if you have firstly followed the companies correct complaints procedure.

Good luck....having a mobile phone company nowadays seems to be a license to treat your customers badly Thank god we don't all run our businesses that way!

 

[sian1979]

hi,
sorry for all the probs you had....what a pain in the butt!!!!
i suggest rather than going into see people you put in down in writing.....that way then you have a hard copy of everything that you have done.......head offices and shops are more willing to sort things out if things are in writing.....just make sure that it is not too bolchy and you write anything exactly how you have above...and also say that they have a certain time to get back to you by and if you do not hear anything you will take things further.

good luck

 

[Redz24]

at the end of the day they are not forfilling there side of the contract. so they are very much in the wrong.

i understand the distance the shop is from home and the parking, but it may help for u to go into the shop at let off ur steam there.

its quite relaxing actually, but yeah maybe try that.

 

[tracey louise]

im really sorry that your having these problems.i hate things like this because the staff dont seem to care as its not happening to them.it makes me angry and its not even happening to me.
i would definately find out the correct way to go about complaining but i would write them a really stinking letter explaining the situation and that you want to be compensated for all your loses ie.petrol,parking,phone calls etc...
and tell them exactly what you want to happen next wit your contract.they need to know that your are discusted with the service youve been given.
i really hope that you get it sorted and soon because the longer you leave it the harder it will be for you to sort it out.
if you can make a copy of all the phone calls that you have made to them so that youve got proof of when it all first started as im sure they will try and tell you that you only get 14days to cancel your contract that being its too late.
please let us know how you get on and keep fighting.

 

[mandz]

Thank you so much for your advise everyone, you've given me some very useful advice, I'm going to sit down and write a letter with all my problems, I hope my problem will be solved.

I have red on the internet that when you get a fault with your phone, they send it away to their fault department and they quite often try and get you to accept that it was a fault of your own, such as you got water on it etc, and make you pay for the coureer charge of £20 back so you have to claim on your insurance which is also part of their company, so they make extra money!!!
GRRRRRR

Advise to you guys,
Make sure you look into where your getting your phone contract from, and remember, you get nothing for free these days, and if the deal sounds too good, question it, DO NOT sign on the dotted line untill your 100% sure.

I'll stop moaning now!!! lol :smack:

 

[tracey louise]

Thank you so much for your advise everyone, you've given me some very useful advice, I'm going to sit down and write a letter with all my problems, I hope my problem will be solved.

I have red on the internet that when you get a fault with your phone, they send it away to their fault department and they quite often try and get you to accept that it was a fault of your own, such as you got water on it etc, and make you pay for the coureer charge of £20 back so you have to claim on your insurance which is also part of their company, so they make extra money!!!
GRRRRRR

Advise to you guys,
Make sure you look into where your getting your phone contract from, and remember, you get nothing for free these days, and if the deal sounds too good, question it, DO NOT sign on the dotted line untill your 100% sure.

I'll stop moaning now!!! lol :smack:

how discusting that these companies can get away with doing these things.ive been on contract for 6yrs and i always just upgrade my phone with vodafone.al i do is phone them up and tell them what phone i want and negotiate my tariff and i usually get close to what minutes/txts i want and i always get the phone.but even once ive done that i still always feel abit nervous for a while afterwards,as im thinking what have i just done.
ive always found thats the best way to get a phone as if i couldnt get what i wanted i would just wait abit longer till i could.
everyone needs to have a little moan sometimes,i just really hope that you get it sorted.xx

 

[mandz]

Hey again!!!

I'm fuming, again!!!

I had a right old game with the phone company, they had to send my phone off to get it repaired, leaving me with no phone, my phone returned 10days after I sent it away and guess what, it's still got the same fault as it had before!!!! I can't make phone calls!!!

I've just spoken to one of the lads who works for phones 4 u, as there was no manager in store for me to speak to. He says I have to go back into the store and get the phone sent off to the repair centre again (2nd time) leaving me with no phone again!!!

I think this is appauling, you are not told any of this when you are taking the contract out, it's a joke!!!

People beware before taking a contract out with Phones 4 U to make sure you read the small print!!!

If the deal sounds too good, then ask yourself why???

I am in such a bad mood now, wish I never took the contract out!!

Anyone got any ideas of how I can cancel a phone contract??

Sorry for being a right moaner!!!!!!!

xxxxxxxxxx

 

[Rosey]

I am having problems with phones 4 u at the moment. My phone was 2 months old developed a serious fault and then wouldnt turn on at all. They sent it for repair over a month ago and nobody can get through to their repair centre to tell me where it is - not even phones 4 u! I have no courtesy phone and have borrowed an old nokia from a friend. The store is over half an hour away - i went in on monday and nobody gives a toss.

I have been told to wait until end next week to see if it turns up!!

 

[mandz]

I am having problems with phones 4 u at the moment. My phone was 2 months old developed a serious fault and then wouldnt turn on at all. They sent it for repair over a month ago and nobody can get through to their repair centre to tell me where it is - not even phones 4 u! I have no courtesy phone and have borrowed an old nokia from a friend. The store is over half an hour away - i went in on monday and nobody gives a toss.

I have been told to wait until end next week to see if it turns up!!

I know, tell me about it!
I'm guna see whether there is any way to get out of the contract.
Have you spoke to Phones 4 u's head office?
Their customer services is apauling, I can't believe how they can treat the public like they are doing.
I live about 15-20miles away from the nearest Phones 4 U store aswell, this must be the 7-8th time I've been into the store!!! I could kick myself for starting the contract in the 1st place!!! GRRRR, I'm so mad at myself!!!
xx

 

[Rosey]

i called their head office and was put through to customer liaison who said all they can do is transfer me to repair line, which plays a recorded message saying call volume too high - try later and cuts you off. Even when i get back through to customer liaison and tell them this they just transfer me again! - unbelievable.

I shouted quite a bit in the store on monday and made sure that people coming in to look at phones could hear, but sales staff werent really bothered! Try going to OFFCOM, office of fair trading and trading standards - they are all quite good and will advise you.

 

[sj1973]

Try going to OFFCOM, office of fair trading and trading standards - they are all quite good and will advise you.

Thats a good idea....also go to the shop and tell them that you will be contacting watchdog aswell , teling them how you have been treated and how long this has gone on for......these should give them kick up the b!m and get it sorted....x

 

[angelina221]

my god what a palavar! I can't believe the way you have been treated!
every time i have had bad customer service i demand to be giving the name and number of their managing director. i take the names of everyone involved. i write down everything. i generally find once you have asked for their names they suddenly become very helpful! if not then you need to phone or email their head office. they should be able to help. it's no good keep going into the shop- you need answers so you need to go straight to the top. i have resorted to threating to sue on a couple of occassions and have never had to! You should also write down how much you have spent on petrol, parking, phone calls etc and tell them you want to be re-imbursed. You have entered into a contract and they are not honouring their side of the contract so they are in the wrong. Don't lose your temper with them and rant and rave-just be assertive and know you are in the right. Good luck