Refund

[Alvize]

Hello.
Last wedsnday (15th of march 2017 )i 've been promised by vodafone customer service A refund of 760£ (Vodafone withdrawn that money via direct debit ). They told me it would have happened within 5 working days.
Today is 22nd of march and still no money in my bank account ( which is in overdraft thanks to vodafone withdraw).
I called customer service several times and they keep sayin to wait another day... but nothing really happends.

I'm really scared to never get my money back cause this is the second time vodafone promises me a refund and then they don't pay it.
Any advice? Shall i contact my bank (hsbc) and claim a non authorized transaction from vodafone? I'm paying overdraft interests since 7 days thanks to a vodafone mistake.
I spent so much time at the phone with vodafone customer service i'm exaustes!!
Thanks in advance for your help.

Alvisr

[AnnS]

Hi @Alvize

Don't wait for Vodafone.  That is a lot of money.

Contact your bank and invoke the direct debit guarantee, with it being the banks own guarantee they are obliged to honour it.  You will have the money back in your account within 24 hours, plus bank charges.

The one thing you will need to be careful about is if you owed the money, Vodafone are very quick to report against a credit file.

[Alvize]

Thankyou @AnnS for your reply.
When i spoke to vodafone customer service last wednsday they told me they would have refund me within
5 working days. Isn'it a confirmation that i do own the refund?

To be honest, based on my experience with Vodafone i must say customer service lies quite often,
Just to make you hang up the phone with a silly smile on your face.
So, now i feel worried that they did the same to me.
They told me yes, we refund you in 5 days but they will actually never do....
Is there a way to contact the "refund team" and check if they are actually going to process my refund?

Thanks again for your advice.

Alvise

[AnnS]

@Alvize

There has been a mistake with the direct debit and that gives you every right to get your money back within the same week using the banks direct debit guarantee.  That's the reason banks have the guarantee.

This is £760, plus overdraft fees and bank charges and has caused you financial problems, not a small amount Vodafone would give as a credit on your bill.

If you give the Team here time to get to the thread, they will be able to find out what has happened.  This will at least reassure you that you are free to claim through your bank without any repurcussions.

[Alvize]

Thanks again for your reply.
I've just called Vodafone again right now and i've been told they will process the refund today and they will give me a call back for confirmation before 5pm.

I've the feeling i will not receive that call......

Alvise

[Alvize]

Little Update.
I've just  received a call from vodafone.
they basically confirmed that they will refound me the full amount of 766£, guess when...?

In 5 working days! 

It will make my bank account 15 days overdraft.

Now what should i do, trust them and wait these 5 working days or should i just go to my bank and ask for the Direct Debit Guarantee?

Thank you

Alvise Avati

[AnnS]

Hi @Alvize

If I was in your position, I would want my money back immediately.  Stop tolerating this nonsense from Vodafone, you have already been promised this large amount of money will be refunded within 5 working days.

With your account being 15 days in overdraft with further overdraft charges to follow, you are going to be considerably out of pocket.

Invoke the guarantee and get your money returned now, plus these excessive overdraft and bank charges.  The bank should return everything, make sure they do.

[Jenny]

@Alvize - As @AnnS has advised above, you can contact your bank and request an indemnity claim to get the money back in your account quickly.

Please note that the balance then goes back to being owed on your Vodafone account.

I’ve sent you a private message with instructions on how to get in touch so we can look into this further.

[Anonymous]

@Alvize,

As the others have said, make the indemnity claim and get the money back from your bank. Do not trust Vodafone Customer Service's "five working days", that's the standard twaddle they tell everyone.  

If Vodafone have made a mistake they will rectify it eventually, but not as quickly as CS claim.  If ever you have to deal with this sort of thing again ( I hope not )  just remember that nobody you will be able to speak to on the phone has any authority whatsoever to process or even promise a refund - all they can do is to raise a request, which the back office will process or not as they see fit.  Always go via your bank !     It does not matter whether they have misappropriated £10 or £1000, all refunds will be treated with the same (lack of) urgency regardless of the effect that the loss of that amount is having on the customer - as these forums repeatedly attest.

[Alvize]

Thanks @Tsathoggua,

what i really don't understand is how is it possible that Vodafone customer service is instructed to openly lie to their customers?

Since this sad story started ( it started in  november 2016, when i had the bad idea to ask to swap from montly contract to payG ) i've been told on my face so many lies, so many that it's unbeleviable.

They lied to me in store, at the phone and via chat! 😄

I whish i could terminate my monthly contract  today!