Validity of Eircom Contract

The Governor

I just wondered what your opinions on this is. Our Eircom broadband is in my mothers name. Eircom called up offering a deal providing a 1 year contract renewal. It was my dad they got on the phone and he agreed to it. They now claim a new contract has been signed as he agreed on the phone.

I'm just curious if this contract can be considered valid as it was agreed on the phone and more importantly it wasn't agreed by the bill payer? Btw the agent also claimed that my consent would have been enough of my mothers behalf as she wasn't home when I answered the phone, just seems a bit dodgy to me?

cml387

The Governor wrote: »

I just wondered what your opinions on this is. Our Eircom broadband is in my mothers name. Eircom called up offering a deal providing a 1 year contract renewal. It was my dad they got on the phone and he agreed to it. They now claim a new contract has been signed as he agreed on the phone.

I'm just curious if this contract can be considered valid as it was agreed on the phone and more importantly it wasn't agreed by the bill payer? Btw the agent also claimed that my consent would have been enough of my mothers behalf as she wasn't home when I answered the phone, just seems a bit dodgy to me?

Hardly. If that were the case the babysitter could sign you up to a new contract.

Melendez

This post has been deleted.

Cabaal

If the account is in your mothers name they broke the data protection act because
- he is clearly not a women (your mother)
- they likely didn't ask him the security questions and even if they did he still wasn't the account holder.

End of the day the contract is invalid, look for a copy of the call recording and for them to backup any claim that the account holder allowed the change.

eircom don't have a leg to stand on if a non account holder agreed to a new contract

Oryx

In the past did your mother ever authorise your Dad to speak to eircom about the account? If she did, then he may have been okay to speak to them and authorise the contract.

Bepolite

Security can be set up to allow others to access the account and is not contrary to data protection. Contacts can be made with authorised contacts and normally ask the person if they have authorisation to make the change.

By all means chase down the call recording, but as has been mentioned above, if the contract has been affirmed, which it can be by the passage of time, you're stuck with it.

Agency law might also apply but I really can be arsed going through it again in enough detail to talk intelligently about it :pac:

sandin

Unfortunately Eircom seem to be using a lot of outside agents who frankly are dreadful. This is a recent trend and it co-incides with appalling customer service from Eircom who up to recently I would have regarded as quite good. - One agent even suggest I was lying about an order because I couldn't say what installation date was given!!

I'd rather pay more and get a professional service rather than this race to the bottom. Only problem I have is Vodafone are as bad on service.

RangeR

sandin wrote: »

Unfortunately Eircom seem to be using a lot of outside agents who frankly are dreadful. This is a recent trend and it co-incides with appalling customer service from Eircom who up to recently I would have regarded as quite good. - One agent even suggest I was lying about an order because I couldn't say what installation date was given!!

I'd rather pay more and get a professional service rather than this race to the bottom. Only problem I have is Vodafone are as bad on service.

Unfortunately, most consumers only want the race to the bottom.