Vodafone over charging on 084 numbers - access charge

[pacepowerskill]

I notice this months bill was higher than usual so i decided to break the bill down. I discovered Vodafone have been overcharging on all the confusing new 084 access charges. 

The cost of calling 084 numbers is made up of two parts, an access charge and a service charge. The access charge is set by your phone company (Vodafone 23p per min) and service charge by the number your calling. 

My phone call to esure (08456037872) for example, who charge a 5p per min service charge, along with Voda's access charge of 23p per min should cost a total of 28p per minute.

(source http://www.esure.com/contact_us/ )

However, a 23.47min call cost £11.89 which works out 50p per min. At the correct rate of 28p per min it should have cost £6.57

I have worked all the 08 calls out and they all average 50p per min. When i have checked the companies websites for service charge costs they all around 5-7p. Making a correct charge of 28-30p per min. 

When i raise the issue with any of the online advisors they just go offline! 

08442090102 - www.dhl.co.uk/en/contact_centre/contact_express.html

Check out my itemised bill below:

Date and time      Usage type         Number           Amount      Charge

09 Sep 15 - 10:58	Voice	08448472323	00:03:08	£1.63
08 Sep 15 - 12:59	MMS	(Removed by moderator)	1	£0.18
03 Sep 15 - 02:18	Purchase			£9.99
01 Sep 15 - 18:29	Voice	08456037872	00:23:47	£11.89
27 Aug 15 - 12:19	Voice	(Removed by moderator)	00:01:00	£0.45
20 Aug 15 - 18:39	Voice	08442090102	00:07:59	£4.15
20 Aug 15 - 18:38	Voice	08442090102	00:00:16	£0.47
18 Aug 15 - 16:37	INTLSMS	(Removed by moderator)	1	£0.35
18 Aug 15 - 15:02	INTLSMS	(Removed by moderator)	1	£0.35

[GojuSuzi · Accepted solution]

Vodafone changed their out of bundle pricing over the summer to simplify it, so their portion of the charge is 45p per minute. So the charges are correct based off current costs (see www.Vodafone.co.uk/pmcharges for them, but they're pretty much all 45p per minute/message/whatever).

[pacepowerskill]

Unfortunantly the 'old' website links detaling the out of date charges are not down or 404'd.

These only came into force on July 1st 2015. How can they change them so quickly and without my permission? Surely they are breaking the terms of the contract?

These are totally unfair, to double the cost of calling the most popular customer service numbers is daylight robbery. Why should i buy another bundled? This is very bad practice. 

In 1 week i have racked up £20 of call charges to these numbers. 

First google result when you search for Vodafone access charge 

www.vodafone.co.uk/campaigns/calling-service-numbers/calling-service-numbers-1/index.htm

084, 087, 09 and 118 numbers

Numbers beginning 084 and 087 are general service numbers for contacting organisations.

Those beginning 09 are 'premium rate' service numbers, while those beginning 118 are directory enquiry numbers.

From 1 July 2015, the cost of calling these numbers will be split into two parts:

• The access charge
  This is the cost of connecting your call to our network and will be charged at 23p a minute.

[kids]

For any 08 numbers it is worth looking at http://www.saynoto0870.com/ before you call There are many alternative national numbers that you can use for major companies / organisations.

[kids]

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@pacepowerskill wrote:

These only came into force on July 1st 2015. How can they change them so quickly and without my permission? Surely they are breaking the terms of the contract?

---

From the PAYG T&C's:

7. Variations
a.
We may change our charges or introduce new charges. If we increase our charges, we will give you at least 14 days notice in a way which we consider is reasonable, for example by sending messages using the services. If we believe any change in our charges will not disadvantage
you, we may include it without telling you

Vodafone published the changes in their website and I also received a sms link to the changes.

[Ian016]

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@pacepowerskill wrote:

These are totally unfair, to double the cost of calling the most popular customer service numbers is daylight robbery. Why should I buy another bundle? This is very bad practice.

---

Numbers starting 084, 087 and 09 are premium rate numbers and should NOT be used for customer service lines.

Published by BIS on 13 December 2013, Regulation 41 of the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 requires retailers, traders and passenger transport companies to use 01, 02, 03 or 080 numbers for post sales helplines. The new rules came into force on 13 June 2014. Where an organisation hasn't complied, Regulation 41(2) gives the right to a refund of all call costs over and above whatever an equivalent call to an 01, 02 or 03 number would have cost.

The FCA has recently published similar regulation for the financial sector. From 26 October 2015 banks and insurance companies must provide numbers starting 01, 02, 03 or 080 for customer contact. This spells the end of usage of expensive 084, 087 and 09 numbers. Most banks have already changed their 0845 lines over to 0345 numbers.

The Cabinet Office published guidance for central government departments, their agencies and other bodies across the wider public sector landscape on 26 December 2013. This suggested they stop using 084 and 087 numbers and instead use 01, 02, 03 or 080 numbers. Most departments have complied by switching to 0300 or 0345 numbers. This includes HMRC, DWP and most local authorities.

Ofcom published regulations on 12 December 2013 requiring all users of 084, 087 and 09 numbers to declare the Service Charge everywhere their number is advertised. The new rules came into force on 1 July 2015. Those who cannot justify the Service Charge must change their number to stop imposing it. Ofcom made matching 034 and 037 numbers available in 2007 for users of 084 and 087 numbers to migrate. Many are now taking that option. This mainly affects sales and enquiry lines.

Although many organisations have changed their numbers it is going to take years for third party websites to amend the details they publish. As such, always check the official website of the organisation you are about to call for their latest number. Don't rely on what may be published on a third-party website. Wherever you see an 084 or 087 number quoted, always try calling the matching 034 or 037 number first. If it works it will be a cheaper call. If it doesn't there will be no charge.

[kids]

As you say the higher rate numbers should not be used for customer service lines, but, that is the choice of the companies concerned and not the responsibly of Vodafone.

Which is why I suggest saynoto080 website, I have only once not been able to find an alternative national number to call that comes out of my allowance

It is also worth checking if the organisation has a number to call from abroad, many now have such a number, if there is an overseas calling number you can drop the +44 digits and insert a zero in their place, this will then generally give you a national number.

i know for a fact that this works with banks and credit card companies.Example +44 2112345678 remove the +44 and insert a zero = 02112345678.

[acdeag]

Sometimes it works if you change 0845 to 0345.

03 numbers coming out of your allowance

[kids]

Good tip.

[Ian016]

Vodafone's Access Charge for calls to 084, 087, 09 and 118 numbers changed from 23p per minute to 45p per minute on 10 August 2015.

There was a notice on the Vodafone website for at least a month beforehand.

Vodafone seems to have reorganised the website in the last few days and those page URLs listed in Google each now lead to a 404 error.