Additional data charges – DON’T PAY! (if you didn’t get notification)

[mktbishop]

Vodafone Mobile Broadband Additional data charges – DON’T PAY! (if you didn’t get notification)

Dear All,

Twice Vodafone have added additional data charges to my bill.  Once for approx. £125, once for approx. £84.

(I have a 10GB Mobile Wi-Fi monthly contract with Vodafone).

Both times I received NO notification from Vodafone.

Both times Vodafone later fully cancelled the additional charges after I complained, and said I would take my complaint further to the Ombudsmen.

IT IS IN VODAFONE’S OWN TERMS AND CONDITIONS THAT THEY MUST NOTIFY YOU “WHEN YOU APPROACH AND REACH THE END OF YOUR DATA ALLOWANCE”. (Full quote and link later in message)

On both occasions I telephoned Vodafone customer services and explained I had received no notification.  They refused to refund the charges. They even advised me I should have monitored usage more carefully, or that I missed the notification.  NOT TRUE!

You will need to make a complaint – follow the link on Vodafone’s website

https://www.vodafone.co.uk/vodafone-uk/complaints/

(A copy of my email complaint is below – you can fill in your own details and use this pro-forma to save time)

You will then be contacted by a “specialist” to resolve your complaint.

On both occasions they offered me a £20 reduction, then a 50% reduction.  Again they advised me I should have monitored usage more carefully, or that I missed the notification.  INCORRECT!

It was only when I REFUSED both of these offers, and clearly stated that I would take my complaint to the Ombudsmen that the additional data charges were SCRAPPED ENTIRELY.

Ombudsmen details found at this link: https://www.vodafone.co.uk/vodafone-uk/complaints/

STICK TO YOUR GUNS.  It is in Vodafone’s own terms and conditions that they should notify you when you are approaching the end of your data allowance.  If they fail to do this then they have not met THEIR OWN terms and conditions and you NEED NOT PAY.

A copy of my complaint:

Dear Vodafone,

I am writing to complain re the additional charges of £**:** on my mobile broadband account for billing date **/**/2017.

The following are quotes from the Vodafone website, under “Data usage notifications in the UK and when travelling”:

https://www.vodafone.co.uk/terms-and-conditions/consumer/mobile/calling-and-travelling-abroad/intern...

1. Data usage notifications, and how to manage your data spend in the UK and when travelling - Pay monthly, Pay as you go and business customers.

You’ll receive notifications when you use data (both in the UK and abroad) to let you know when you approach and reach the end of your data allowance. If you’re abroad, the notifications usually arrive just before midnight in the UK.

If you’re using a phone, we’ll send you notifications by text. If you’re using a tablet, Mobile Wi-Fi device or a computer with a data dongle, you’ll get a flash pop-up on the dashboard.

Please note that you can't opt in or out of these notifications, as they are designed to keep you updated on your data usage and spend.

I can confirm that I DID NOT receive any such notification from Vodafone that I was approaching the end of my data allowance, neither by text message nor flash pop-up on the dashboard.

If I had received notification that I was approaching the end of my data allowance I WOULD NOT have continued to use Vodafone mobile data.  My usual monthly bill is approximately £16.  I cannot afford to run up additional charges on this account.

Given that I received NO NOTIFICATION via “flash pop-up on the dashboard” Vodafone has failed to meet the terms and conditions of our contract.  Therefore I ask that the additional charges be removed from the bill of **Billing date**.

If you are unable to resolve my complaint, and cancel 100% of the additional charges, then I can confirm that I will take my complaint further and contact the Ombudsman re this breach of your terms and conditions.

Yours sincerely,

**Your name**

**Your Tel No **

[barryd999]

I would like to reserect this thread as I am having a similar issue with Vodafone on our new mobile broadband sim and Vodafone are pretty much telling me its tough as you have to have their data cap enabled in order to recieve a warning that you are nearing your limit.  I started this thread here.  https://forum.vodafone.co.uk/t5/Mobile-Broadband/No-notification-for-excess-data-use-and-charges-on-...

This seems grossly unfair to me.  We were 10gb over our 15gb limit for which Vodafone have slapped us with £195 of extra charges which when they are offering 15gb for which I think we pay about £12 per month is daylight robbery.  Totally taking advantage of loyal clients (We have 12 phones for many years and a data sim) who were unaware there was no cap on the data or the additional charges.  We received no notification whatsoever that we had exceeded our limit.  Really the default setting should be the limit being capped unless you specifiy otherwise as it was with roaming charges before they were levelled.

On Friday I was promissed a call back within half an hour from a manager at Vodafone.  Im still waiting.  Shocking customer service.

Can anyone suggest what I do next as I really feel that we have been treated unfairly.

[mktbishop]

Hi Barry,

Per my earlier post, follow these steps:

Complain in writing via Vodafone's webpage "complaints" link.

If you are not happy with their telephone reply - they will likely make you several offers of reduction - tell them calmly and clearly you will to take your complaint to the ombudsman.

Follow up with the ombudsman - link found online.  (You probably won't need to do this as when Vodafone know you are serious about complaining their response will likely change!)

Good luck.

Mark.

[barryd999]

Ok thanks Mark.  Will follow that process.  

[mktbishop]

Hi Barry,

Yes, try not to get drawn into arguments with the telephone Customers Service advisors, it's a total waste of time! The Customer Service advisors are not in a position to waive the charges.  You need to progress your complaint further along the chain.

Simply repeat that unless they fully refund you (or make you an offer you are happy with) you will take your complaint to the ombudsman.

Keep repeating this is your position and it'll save you a lot of time and frustration.

The charges are OUTRAGEOUS. Stick to your guns.

Please let me know how you get on.

Regards,

Mark.

[Mark]

I'm sorry to hear your unhappy with the charges incurred @barryd999. As we advised in your other post, we'll need access to your account to look into these charges. Please get in touch via the link in Alex's private message, we'll be in touch.

[barryd999]

I responded with account details via your PM system yesterday.

[Mark]

That's great, thanks for the update @barryd999. We work our emails in the order the were received. One of our team will be in touch as soon as possible 

[munkai]

Hi,

So the same issue happened to me, where i took out a pay monthly mobile wi-fi dongle 15gb back in March. The aim was to use this for 7days until my new Internet Provider had installed a line and i had internet in my new house.

Having cancelled this contract and device back on 26th March, i was recently hit with a £145.45 direct debit from Vodafone to which i had no idea what it was in reference to, bu after literally half a day of speaking to different people from Vodafone they narrowed it down to me apparently consuming 5-6gb of data above the 15gb limit.

I never once received any notifications and this is the complaint i have written into Vodafone and then repeated for the last hour on the phone with someone from their complaint department. The best and final offer was to reimburse me £15 and that because the £145.45 was direct debit they can't refund me...

The final exchange was that i once again confirmed that i would take this to the Ombudsman to which he replied he would issue my Deadlock Letter.  My concern is do i now have to wait the 8wks for this to come through and having read lots of other people state they never receicved their Deadlock Letter thus not being able to progress this with the Ombudsman?

Thanks,

J

[Josh]

@munkai Which department was the representative from that had promised your Deadlock letter? I'm sorry to hear that it's got to this stage in the first place following your experience.

Typically you should receive a Deadlock letter between 7-14 days after the request is submitted to our back office team. When was the Deadlock proposed?