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[carpbud]

Hi all

Im very unhappy and feel very let down by vodafone, after being with you guys since I was allowed a contract phone at 18 (Im now 31!)

Last year I took out a new contract with you for a HTC Desire in May. I went in to upgrade 2 months early as I always did. I could not upgrade and take my phone straight away due to the Ash Cloud so was told I could do all the paperwork there and then to save time and collect my phone once stock had come in (as it happened, it arrived on 8 May, my birthday!).

When asked if I wanted an 18 or 24 month package, I told him 18. The advisor tried persuade me to go with 24, offering me more minutes and lower tariff, but I distinctly told him, no, 18 months, and explained I like to upgrade my phone as soon as I can as like to have the best I can. I remember this so well as I used to be this way and usually had 12 month until stopped it, and had to say a few times (he really wanted me to have 24 months)

He passed it over for signing which I did.

I then went back and collected my lovely HTC!

So you imagine my horror when I went to my local store on the off chance,  looking at available phones last month and the adviser said that I could upgrade my phone now, as if on 18 months as you can upgrade sooner now....and then he told me, the system said I was on 24 months!

I NEVER asked for 24 months and told the advisor this and that there is a mistake. I requested 18 months. (my first words were actually "you what?")

I now cannot find the paperwork, and only wish I had checked this all sooner, but when you say "I want 18 months" you expect it to be honored!!

Can someone advise on this, as I believe this has either been added to the system on my account incorrectly, or, which I don't want to believe but is ONLY other option, it was marked as 24 months and not 18 months by choice..... and not mine.

As you can tell, Im VERY unhappy at this and had always praised Vodafone. I say had...

[Martin · Accepted solution]

Hi carpbud

I am sorry to see that you have mentioned you are on a 24 month contract and not an 18 month one as requested.

I do know when an upgrade is completed the contract details are sent out letting you know what the price plan is and how long the contract is for, it even lets you know the amount of days that you had remaining from the previous commitment.

We can take a look at your account for you and then see what options are available. I have therefore just sent you an email, if you can reply back to that with the relevant information we can then see what we can do.

Thanks

Martin

eForum Team

[captnkangru]

Hello,

Just thought I would reply to this as it has happened to me too.

Upgraded early (as have done for the past 7 years with Voda) to the iPhone 3GS 16Gb, over the phone and was told I was on an 18 month contract (I was even shocked at having to take 18 over the regular 12).

So imagine my shock when I phoned up recently to be told I was on a 24 month contract.

Funnily also, back about 2 months before I thought my contract was due to expire I got multiple calls from the Vodafone number (0808 060 0832) looking to upgrade me, but how could this be if I was on a 24 month contract, why try and upgrade me 8 months before my contract was allegedly due to expire.

The whole thing sticks to me, if it isn't fraud it is certainly incompetence.

I hope the sort out your issue as they do with mine.

Best of luck

Stephen

[AnnS]

Hi captnkangru

If you upgraded six months early on your contract, any remaining period would have been added onto your new contract.  You have to honour the entire length of the previous contract and upgrading early does not mean you dont pay the remaining months of your previous agreement.

You are always able to upgrade six months before the end of your contract but the maximum length for a contract is 24 months.

[garynapier]

Hi they are doing it to me 24 months when i took it out over 18 months they have had about £1000 and still want that extra.never take a deal over the phone cause they lie just to get the deal. They offered me 2 phones once when asked for other phone they said they do not do deals like that and more or less said i was lying. were would i get that from other than there reps who constantly hound you to take other deals.

[Martin]

Hi garynapier

I am sure that we can help you with this and would like to look at your account, I have therefore just sent you an email, if you can reply back to that with the relevant information we can then investigate this further.

With the email, can you please give us more information what has happened as it is not clear what sort of upgrade you have done within your post.

Thanks

Martin

eForum Team

[garynapier]

Hello thanks for reply

you contact me on ###### alt ###### anytime sooner the better

security

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######

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cheers

[Matt]

Hi garynapier 

I have made a note of the information above and hash tagged it out due to security.

Please bare in mind that we are a public forum and all information posted is available for everyone to view.

Thanks

Matt

Moderator

[satchef1]

I had this problem last year. it really ticked me off, but a quick call to Vodafone CS and it was sorted within minutes. Personally I can't fault Vodafone's customer service, it's the sales team that are a bunch of cowboys (I've had far too many incidents of them mis-selling products for me to believe it's pure accident). Either they are badly trained or they are prepared to say anything in order to get you to buy the product.

[Martin]

Hi garynapier

Thanks for your time on the phone it was good to have a chat.

I am glad that we got this covered on the phone, and if you have any further questions please let me know

Thanks

Martin

eForum Team

P.S if you can complete a quick survey about the service that you received from me, I would fully appreciate it

[carpbud]

Wow! Had to log in to find out about all these replies and help I keep getting notified of!

Thanks Martin for your original post to be offering help. I actually called the helpdesk that night, and they helped me out straight away! Ive clicked kudos for you though as you did help! Thankq!

[Feebi1]

Hi All, 

I just found this thread and thought i would reply as i also have suffered this exact same problem at the same time as carpbud did!!!! I was also upgrading to a desire which was delayed by the ash cloud and also specifically refused a 24month contract, but like carpbud only discovered my request had been ignored when it when it came to upgrade time.

I contacted Vodafone and basically they say its my fault as its on my bill (thanks John for being sooooo unhelpful & soooo rude), well actually i don't believe that it was back then, it certainly isn't on the last bill before i upgraded so why would i go looking on my bill for something that's not normally there!!!! Im aware it is now on the bill now, well i assume that's what the 24 in amongst the jumble of letters and numbers in brackets means!!!  

They also say it was on the paperwork which came with the phone - wrong again!!!! Apparently they also send some form of confirmation, which i have no memory off and can't find, rather odd since i have my paper bills since 2004, plus all the phone paperwork, welcome letters since then!!!!

But yes ofcourse it must be the loyal customer who suddenly manages to be confused!!!!!!

I think ofcom and perhaps Watchdog need to investigate Vodafone as this type of thing needs to stop!!! 

Rant over but i am so annoyed! 

[Michelle]

Hi Feebi1

I am sorry to see that you have been put on a contract different to what you requested.

I am confident that we can look into this and see what options we have available to you.

So we can do this, I have sent you an email I would like you to reply back to. Please include all the relevant information and we will see what we can do.

Thanks

Michelle

[Ksworrub]

Hello all.

I appear to have a similar problem.

I signed up for my desire HD in Nov 2010. I'm almost certain it was for 18 months so when I look at possibly upgrading early in the store I was told I was on an 24 month contract. One reason I'm almost certain is because the 24 Months contract was £30 a month and the 18 month was £35, which is what I'm paying. So essentially I'm being screwed at both ends. Im paying the price for an 18 month contract for 24 months.

This is the first time I have been with vodafone after several years with O2 and I think the in store service is terrible. I was just told unless I find my contract then there is nothing that can be done. Then I read this and apparently someone can find out.

I don't believe I agreed to 24 months even if the contract says that (busy shop looking for a sale as fast as possible) I will take some responsibility. I shouldn't have been such a push over and actually read it, and I shouldn't have misplaced it either.

This sounds like a threat but I think there are 2 options. One, do nothing and make me see out the 24 months. I'll leave and never use vodafone again. Give me what I agreed too and I'll probably stick around, changing my PUK was pretty annoying last time and I really can't be bothered doing it again. 

[Dave]

Hi Ksworrub,

We'll be happy to see what we can find out for you and take it from there.

I'm popping you a PM - just follow the instructions included in there so we can look into this.

Dave

[debpod7]

I've just discovered today that my contract has been changed to 24 months instead of the 18 months that I definitely agreed to. Its not right!  Vodafone should be ashamed of themselves for such dishonesty!  I am considering looking elsewhere and also contacting trading standards. I am very unhappy and feel very let down.

[DaveCD]

Hi debpod7

Thank you for your post and a very warm welcome to the eForum from myself and the team. 

I am sorry you feel this way and I would love to take a look at this for you, so to get the ball rolling I have sent you a Private Message for you to follow.

You can find your PM inbox here.

Many Thanks

DaveCD

eForum Team

[Melwell]

Exactly the same thing happened to me (THIS IS OBVIUOUSLY A SCAM BY YOUR UNSCRUPULOUS reps), I have a mobile since 1993, and feel I'm pretty savvy with mobile contracts.  I would never in a million years sign up for a 24 moth contract, phones simply don't last that long (especially the batterys).  I feel immensly let down by Vodafone, when I phoned up and asked when I could start the haggling process (which I do every 18months) for a new phone, they told me May 2013!!!!!  Couldn't believe it!

I a very unhappy customer and serioulsy, seriously doubt I will be a vodafone customer after this contract, and if I go so do all the phones in my house!  Orange here we come!!

[James]

Hi Melwell,

I’m sorry that your account doesn’t look to have been setup as you requested after your last upgrade.

So that we can look at this for you I have sent you a quick PM, please follow the instructions on the PM and one of the team will be able to follow this up for us.

You can find your PM inbox here.

James

[Melwell]

Hi

I'm still waiting for a call,  I received one this afternoon, but unfortunately missed the call, the message left said they would call back in 30mins taht was 2hrs ago. 

I duely responded to the below email.

Still not very happy!

Hello Melwell,

To assist you further with your query, we need to access your account. Please go to www.vodafone.co.uk/contactus and enter the information requested there.

Please enter the code “WRT135” in the subject field to ensure your query reaches the team, and include your forum username and a link to your post within the main text box to help us find your query quickly.

If you’re unable to access the Contact Us form, please email a number we can call you on to customer.care@help.vodafone.co.uk, also including the WRT135 code, your forum username and a link to your post. Please don’t include any other information if you contact us in this way, we’ll need to confirm security information and handle your query over the phone.

Please don’t reply to this PM; the team are focused on answering questions on the forum and by secure email or phone call, and will be unable to respond directly to any private messages.

James

[Melwell]

Hello Melwell,

To assist you further with your query, we need to access your account. Please go to www.vodafone.co.uk/contactus and enter the information requested there.

Please enter the code “WRT135” in the subject field to ensure your query reaches the team, and include your forum username and a link to your post within the main text box to help us find your query quickly.

If you’re unable to access the Contact Us form, please email a number we can call you on to customer.care@help.vodafone.co.uk, also including the WRT135 code, your forum username and a link to your post. Please don’t include any other information if you contact us in this way, we’ll need to confirm security information and handle your query over the phone.

Please don’t reply to this PM; the team are focused on answering questions on the forum and by secure email or phone call, and will be unable to respond directly to any private messages.

James