Bizarre Vodafone Pricing and Support

[davidpriddle]

Took out a new SIM only contract with Vodafone on 8th May 2017 at a rate of £10.50 per-month. Not incredible value for money, but not bad and I was relatively happy with Vodafone at the time. 

On 15th May 2017 received a text telling me my monthly rate was going up by £2 per-month in June.

I phoned Vodafone's support to query this. After wrestling my way past the automated voice system that couldn't understand what I was asking I finally reached an agent. 

The agent told me it was due to an RPI increase for the year up to April. I unfortunately was unable to get the agent to understand that this made no sense, as I'd only had the contract for one week. (And of course RPI in the UK is running at roughly 2.7% rather than the near 20% that a £2 increase implied.) 

Unfortunately the managers were all at lunch. Someone was due to phone me back yesterday afternoon, but so far no news. 

[BandOfBrothers]

Hi @davidpriddle

Does this link help explain. 

> https://www.vodafone.co.uk/explore/costs/rpi/

[davidpriddle]

Unfortunately no. That's where their billing team tried to send me. That provides a number of 3.2% as the RPI figure which bears no relationship to the £2 increase on a £15 (before discount). And it clearly makes no sense to apply an increase to take into account inflation over the previous year for a contract that started one week ago. 

[wwhyte92]

Hi davidpriddle,

As you are still within the first 30 days of your contract you should be able to cancel the policy if Vodafone don't back down on the cost. However I would strongly suspect that if you get through to the complaints department you should be able to (pretty easily) argue your case that this shouldn't apply as you upgraded after the April price increases were implemented.

I'd recommend trying to get hold of complaints on the phone rather than billing departments as in my recent experience with a similar issue, complaints have been the only ones who actually listen and make some changes.

[davidpriddle]

Thanks for the suggestion to try their complaints department. I'll give that a go if they don't get back to me and if not cancel the contract.

[Alex]

@davidpriddle So we're able to look into this further for you, please contact us via the steps in the private message I've sent. 

[davidpriddle]

Hi Alex. 

The link in the Private Message doesn't work unfortunately. Can you please try sending it again?

Thanks,
Dave

[Alex]

@davidpriddle Apologies! I've sent you a new private message. 

Please let me know if you need any further help. :smileyhappy:

[romster]

• Been with Vodafone for over 15 years and not impressed that they have  suddenlly started  increasing my bills by stealth. Ive signed a contract at a set montly  charge  and imo they are breaking it by  suddenly deciding to  add  retail price increases (RPI)  to  our bills Highly dubuious  practise  especially without notifying customers in WRITING  that they are  gong to increas our bills. I expected better from  a reputable and large company

 having read  other customers comments the increase was  meant to be  for 2.7% which on my  tarrif should represent a  0.5184 increase and not a 61p one which is what ive been   charged  am seriously considering  looking at other providers now :smileysad:

[jeffkinn]

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@romster wrote:

• Been with Vodafone for over 15 years and not impressed that they have  suddenlly started  increasing my bills by stealth. Ive signed a contract at a set montly  charge  and imo they are breaking it by  suddenly deciding to  add  retail price increases (RPI)  to  our bills Highly dubuious  practise  especially without notifying customers in WRITING  that they are  gong to increas our bills. I expected better from  a reputable and large company

While I most certainly do not agree or like the extra charges, there is nothing stealthy or devious about it. Mobile phone contracts have never been for a set amount. They've nearly always been a minimum price. The Terms and Conditions of the contract you and I have signed up to makes it clear that an increase will take place every year. All mobile phone companies are now doing the same thing.