Early Exit from Contract

[cw98x]

Hi, I am looking to see if there are any clauses to a Vodafone pay monthly contract where you can leave early without termination charges for any reasons?

I have had ongoing issues now for 2 weeks stemming from my phone being stolen. I have had to call most days as kept getting notifications that the stolen/blacklist bar wasn't on, was being removed, was applied onto the wrong phone etc. 

I finally got a new SIM card and for the last 5 days I have had no DATA service, I have called, been online, asked in this community on how to fix it and finally and hopefully a lady on the phone has raised an ticket and should get back to me by Tuesday (no data till then).

I have raised complaints and not heard back.

I have asked for my number to be changed twice now and still not been done.

I am at my wits end with this company, I have never had such issues with any provider and I have been with Vodafone for many many years.

I only agreed the contract in July 2020 therefore have until 2022 to go and I am being quoted £906 to cancel which should be illegal really. I feel the company have been no help to me at all in such a stressful situation this has caused even more stress. The only person who has won out of my phone being stolen is the thief, there is no help for people experiencing this issue!

Any help appreciated thanks!

[AnnS]

Hi @cw98x 

The first thing to do is to get all the issues resolved.  Speak to the Social Team here : Contact the Social Team they will be able to address all issues.

However, Vodafone were not responsible for the phone theft, and this won't be a valid reason to terminate early without early termination charges.

[cw98x]

Hi, 

Thank you for your response.

It is not the theft of the phone which I am raising as a point of cancelling my contract early, rather the ongoing and stressful issues I have faced with Vodafone which I have listed above.

I work with a telecoms provider and I am aware if an issue is not sorted in 30 days by the company then you can cancel without termination charges. I am asking if anything of this fair legality is also section of a Vodafone contract?

[BandOfBrothers]

This is the Vodafone Terms and Conditions @cw98x which is deemed by Vodafone that a person reads and understands when taking out a contract which is binding after the 14 day cooling off period.

Terms-and-conditions. 

It holds the information on cancelling.

It sounds like the bars applied by Vodafone to protect unauthorised usage may not have been fully removed or have failed to fully removed.

You can certainly raise a complaint and seek a goodwill gesture.

We are customers here like you so cannot really say which avenue Vodafone will take but it would be rare for Vodafone to quash a contract and take a phone back after the cooling off period for this reason you've encountered.

That said having a phone stolen is stressful enough.

I think most people understand things can and will go wrong but then it's really down to how this is put right that instills confidence back into the company and services.

I wish you all the best with this. 

[AnnS]

Yes @cw98x 

You are referring to forwarding the issue to the Communications Ombudsman after giving Vodafone 8 weeks to solve the issues with satisfaction to both parties.  However, any approach to the Ombudsman at this stage would be met with go back to Vodafone an try and sort out the issues, the Ombudsman is the last resort when all else fails.

You don't mention if you have already been through the Customer Relations route here: Complaints if they have already taken ownership the Team will be higher in authority than the Social Team and that is going to mean the Social Team being unable to intervene.  The Team here on the forum have a lot of success soving issues, if possible try them first, they will be able to go through everything and get this solved to your satisaction so you can continue to use the service you are paying for.