Broadband cancelled without consent

[Grinnypig]

Hello,

My broadband account appears to have been cancelled without my consent.

Someone has been trying to switch my broadband to a new provider over the past month and each time I've received an email notifying me of the switch I've phoned Vodafone to cancel it. I understand that someone had probably accidentally entered the wrong address and that there's nothing Vodafone can do to stop these requests and each time they have confirmed to me in writing that the switch has been cancelled. However, today I received a final bill including early exit charges and my account is now showing with no active plans.

I've contacted Vodafone who have admitted that this is their mistake and that they didn't cancel the switch properly but are saying there is nothing they can do and I need to take out a new 24 month contract. Surely this can't be right? I only have a few months left on my contract so do not want to take out another 24 month one. I also have no idea who my new provider is supposed to be! I'm not even sure if I'm a current Vodafone customer. None of my neighbours know anything about it and I haven't received a new router or anything in the post.

Is there any way I can resolve this because I don't want to be without broadband (strangely my internet still seems to be working for now) and don't see why I should have to pay Vodafone more to resolve their error? Ideally I just want my old contract to be reinstated.

Thanks

[Lucy_F]

Hi @Grinnypig sorry to hear this trouble you've faced. Our Broadband Support Team will do everything they can to help you in this situation. They're contactable via 03333040191 or Live Chat here. 

[HappyNomad]

Happened to me with EE.   No letters, no phone call, nothing.  Came home one day to find no internet or landline.  The company was adamant that it was nothing to with them - another supplier must have triggered the early cancellation but they had no idea which other supplier but if I wanted to stay with EE,  I could have a new contract and a new phone number.

Escalated to OFCOM who advised that no other company had initiated the 'switch' and that it was EE itself.  Upshot was a fairly meaningless amount of compensation, no early termination fee required and I have been here with Vodafone ever since.

Which reminds me that my contract is about to enter its last month before expiry.

[bagsybones]

Having same issues with Vfone myself ...renewed contract in October, then started getting texts and emails saying I would be disconnected in December. Sent copies in a complaint letter and Vfone 'investigated' and said resolved....sending me a letter to this effect too. Apparently some other provider had requested my disconnection 9 times.....given my complaint (I had not requested any disconnection) vfone had blocked the disconnections 9x but missed a 10th one so I was cut off on 13th December. Seems it's a major challenge to get me reconnected...and today told me they MAY be able to do so next week...they originally suggested 3rd Jan but my line speed would be 1/2 what it was. Alternatively I can exit my (new/renewed) contract without cost or commitment...at least in theory...I am fearful this would be the reality. Vfone just seem to want to offload me as a customer when until all I have largely been happy with their bband service. Baffling.

[bagsybones]

Vfone (rightly?) make us jump thru security hoops to speak to anyone...dob, pins & passwords galore... yet disconnect on the say so of another provider without checking the legitimacy of the request nor getting the consent of their customer. Sheer Madness

[Luke3000]

@Grinnypig Did you get anywhere with getting your old contract/service reinstated?

I've had similar problems with what I now understand to be called "slamming" - where someone tries to order a transfer to a new provider and your service ends up being disconnected despite your objection. 

I've had two upgrade orders cancelled after it eventually transpired Vodafone disconnected my service despite telling them not to. Currently without broadband but I have been sent a mobile wifi dongle to supply limited connection. 

I could end up having to take out a new vodafone contract but to be honest off the back of their appalling service I might just tell them to sling it.