Out-of-plan charges for included services

[KirstenM]

I have a pay-monthly plan which includes unlimited UK calls and texts. Since a new "month" started last week, I have started getting charged for calls and texts to UK numbers showing as out-of-plan charges. I called 191 last week and was told it was due to a technical issue at Vodafone's end and would be resolved within 2 days, the charges would be cancelled and I should just continue to use my phone as normal. That was a week ago, the charges are still on my account to be billed later this month, and calls and texts are still being charged as out-of-plan charges.

Is anyone else having this problem, and what can I do about it? This is only my third month on this contract and already my second issue.

[AnnS]

Hi @KirstenM

You shouldn't have any problems with this.

When the charges are unbilled, you need to wait until the bill has been produced, this will also give you something to go on if the charges are incorrect when contacting Customer Services.

If the charges should be incorrect, you will probably find Vodafone will only take the correct amount by direct debit.  Should the incorrect amount be taken, this will be credited back on your following months bill.

[endeeuu]

I have also experienced this with calls only since 20 June and have called 191 and been on the online chat to them and nothing has been resolved.  

I have been told to wait until billing time and then give them a call, but I am unwilling to have these possible charges racking up.  If they are still on there after I have been billed I will cancel my direct debit before it is due as I cannot afford to have £150 extra go out of my account (in the first day I had an extra £5.49 of out of plan charges, this could possibly add up to £150 over the month).

[donnyguy]

I undestand your concern but look at it this way:

1. You have at least two weeks between your bill being produced and the money being taken from your account. The reason for this for exacty this kind of reason. To ensure customers have time to digest bills and query if there's a problem.

2. Vodafone need to see these charges appear on a bill before they can remove them. Before the bill is generated then they are working blind against an unbilled amount that might not make it onto the invoice, or might do but be higher/lower than it is now. Also them seeing it on the bill will mean they can flag / investigate how they came to be there to stop a repeat in the future.

[KirstenM]

Thanks to you, and also @AnnS for your replies and reassurance. I will wait until the bill is generated, call Customer Services and see what happens, although I am somewhat wary based on previous interactions with them.

I am finding this somewhat frustrating. I had been a PAYG customer with Vodafone for over 15 years with no problems whatsoever, decided in May to upgrade to a monthly contract, and as I mentioned in my first post, this is already my second problem in three months. The first one took a full month and a good dozen calls to Customer Services before it was resolved, as each person insisted they would definitely solve it and I wouldn't have any more bother, but many many times they did not. After that experience, a person learns not to trust Customer Services when they tell you the issue will be resolved and will not be a problem any more.

[Whiteknight33]

Hiya I do also have the same problem ringing up uk numbers and getting charged. They told me to wait for the bill and to be honest I don't wanna ring people at the moment cos I don't wanna ring up a massive bill 

[Rs101]

Be advised the two week window between bill production and payment collection is also to satisfy the direct debit guarantee requirements - there's a minimum notice period which they must give if taking a variable payment. 

Personally, I'd get the issue logged and ask them to raise a credit . That's what the social media team advised me to do.

[Turrell1993]

Same here and ive been with them for a long time now but I can not be ##~## to bring it up couse ive already been in and confronted them and they give me explain about ##~## witch im doing things or somthing i can not rember what they said hope it works out and you sort it 

[Colleen]

@Turrell1993 It's disappointing to hear you've had issues with this. 

If you'd like us to take a look into this for you, I've sent you a private message with details on how to get in touch.