Being cheated by Vodafone

Misenka4387

Hi all.
I'm hoping to find someone with similar experience and get some advice. My 24 months contract with Vodafone finished on the 2nd October however my service has been barred prior to this date due to outstanding balance on the account (to which I understand).When I called Vodafone to resolve the issue I've been asked to pay 150 eur out of 180 owed to have my service restored and was informed that I will not receive any further bills . Unfortunately I did not have 150 at the time and was advised to call back when I'm ready to pay it. However I've received ANOTHER bill even though my contract was finished! ! So I rang them ready to pay 150 and to my surprise they want me to pay 180 now to be able make calls!!
Basically what I was told is that unless I come up with the arrears (which is 65 eur more than before facing the fact I did not use my phone in the past 3 weeks!!) Vodafone will continue to send me bills, can't switch to pay as you go and can't unlock my phone with my service still being barred! ! Is there any way out of this vicious circle apart from paying the additional bill (which is paying for NOTHING)???
I'm so angry and disgusted as I've been blackmailed to pay for something I did not use! !

stefanovich

You are paying for something, the phone. That's why they are massively discounted when you sign up for a 2 year contract and why they are still billing you even though they blocked your service. They need to make the money back. Yeah it's crap. You are way better off with a sim only or pay as you go setup and pay for your phone up front.

Time

stefanovich wrote: »

You are paying for something, the phone. That's why they are massively discounted when you sign up for a 2 year contract and why they are still billing you even though they blocked your service. They need to make the money back. Yeah it's crap. You are way better off with a sim only or pay as you go setup and pay for your phone up front.

Completely irrelevant, the contract end date was October 2nd. Vodafone will have recouped the cost within the contract period, as they aren't guaranteed any revenue after this period.

OP, what are the requirements for cancellation under your T&C's? and have you followed those requirements. You may be required to provide a notice period. It's worth noting that if your account has been barred and Vodafone are not actually providing any service (and are willing to admit this), then you cannot be charged VAT which would knock the bill down a bit.

davo10

Read the t&cs you agreed to when you got the phone, your contract rolls on unless you cancel giving the required notice. The service is still being provided but you are unable to use it because you haven't paid your bill. You will continue to be charged a service charge until you cancel it but you are not being charged for calls/text/data.

They are not cheating you, you have used their service and failed to pay for it.

stefanovich

Time wrote: »

Completely irrelevant, the contract end date was October 2nd. Vodafone will have recouped the cost within the contract period, as they aren't guaranteed any revenue after this period.

OP, what are the requirements for cancellation under your T&C's? and have you followed those requirements. You may be required to provide a notice period. It's worth noting that if your account has been barred and Vodafone are not actually providing any service (and are willing to admit this), then you cannot be charged VAT which would knock the bill down a bit.

Oh right didn't read the original post carefully enough, my bad.

Whatever you do I'd think about getting out of that contract. Unless your circumstances have changed you obviously can't afford it. I'd keep your phone and switch to pay as you go or switch to a sim free contract which will be cheaper...

Even if you give the notice now they will probably send you another bill. Might be worth asking to talk to a supervisor and see if they can help you... Tell them you want an unlock code because you are moving to another network due to them being *****.

I'd try to pay them soon as you can. That way at least you can use the phone in the meantime. Also you want to avoid doing any damage to your credit rating.

Penny Tration

If you're contract date has passed, they won't just stop billing you. you have to give them 30 days notice that you want to cease their service.

So do that, they'll send a final bill in thirty days with everything you owe, pay it off and it's all over and then they'll unlock the phone

Misenka4387

Thanks so much for the replies. Was not aware of 30 day notice, I'll do that.

RacoonQueen

Have never had to give notice after the end of my contract? I moved from O2 to VF nearly two years ago, all I did was sign up with VF and port my number. They do all the cancelling by putting through the port request.

Confirmed here.

http://community.vodafone.ie/t5/Packages-Plans/Cancelling-my-account/td-p/182106

delahuntv

Misenka4387 wrote: »

Thanks so much for the replies. Was not aware of 30 day notice, I'll do that.

Virtually every service has at least a 30 day notice period. Remember contracts are not fixed periods, they are minimum periods.

Electricity, phone, gas, fitness memberships etc etc etc, all operate the same.

Triangle

I would have thought that a service provider couldn't charge if they don't provide a service.
It's just plain common sense. I'm talking about the increase in the bill after the op was disconnected.

davo10

Triangle wrote: »

I would have thought that a service provider couldn't charge if they don't provide a service.
It's just plain common sense. I'm talking about the increase in the bill after the op was disconnected.

The service is still being provided but op cannot make calls because he has not paid his bill.

Penny Tration

RacoonQueen wrote: »

Have never had to give notice after the end of my contract? I moved from O2 to VF nearly two years ago, all I did was sign up with VF and port my number. They do all the cancelling by putting through the port request.

Confirmed here.

http://community.vodafone.ie/t5/Packages-Plans/Cancelling-my-account/td-p/182106

yeah if you port, it ends the contract.

If you want to stay with vf on prepay, you have to give notice.

Or in OP's case she'll need to give notice because they probably won't allow a port as she owes them money

davo10

RacoonQueen wrote: »

Have never had to give notice after the end of my contract? I moved from O2 to VF nearly two years ago, all I did was sign up with VF and port my number. They do all the cancelling by putting through the port request.

Confirmed here.

http://community.vodafone.ie/t5/Packages-Plans/Cancelling-my-account/td-p/182106

Can you use this method of changing providers if you are in arrears? Also, is the new provider not giving the old provider notice on your behalf?

Penny Tration

Triangle wrote: »

I would have thought that a service provider couldn't charge if they don't provide a service.
It's just plain common sense. I'm talking about the increase in the bill after the op was disconnected.

They can because the service is still available but just suspended til the money is paid

RacoonQueen

Penny Tration wrote: »

yeah if you port, it ends the contract.

If you want to stay with vf on prepay, you have to give notice.

Or in OP's case she'll need to give notice because they probably won't allow a port as she owes them money

No idea, sorry, I got sidetracked with all the you need to cancel within 30 days stuff and forgot the content of first post.
Not sure what Vodafones policies are, they MAY allow the port and just issue the arrears as a final bill?

AngryLips

RacoonQueen wrote: »

Have never had to give notice after the end of my contract? I moved from O2 to VF nearly two years ago, all I did was sign up with VF and port my number. They do all the cancelling by putting through the port request.

Confirmed here.

http://community.vodafone.ie/t5/Packages-Plans/Cancelling-my-account/td-p/182106

You porting your number is taken as the required notice period. You'll find on your final bill from your previous provider that they would have billed you the one month period after you port.

clint_silver

I had to deal with an issue for a relative similar to this last year with VF.

If you're paid up and either on sim free or out of contract and port to another providor, this is you handing in you notice, and you'll obviously get the final bill from VF.

However, if you're in arrears on a bill pay, they will absolutely not cancel the contract until the arrears are settled, ie, it will continue to roll.

I was sent the T&Cs on this so unless its changed in the last year youll have to either pay the amount full or come to agreement with them on the final bill.

In my experience, mailing their customer care team got better rewards on an agreement than speaking to them on the phone on any settlement that may be forthcoming.

clint_silver

http://www.vodafone.ie/terms/paymonthly/

Customers wishing to port from the Vodafone network must contact the mobile operator to which they wish to port and will be responsible for complying with the porting requirements of that operator. Porting will be treated as a termination of this Contract. Customers are advised that that requests to port from the Vodafone network may be declined by Vodafone in the event that the Customer’s account is in arrears.

Kimbot

You are not been cheated by Vodafone, you are still in contract with them until you pay off your arrears and if your number is still active then you will still get billed, once your bill is cleared you are entitled to give 30 days notice to cancel your contract with them.

TheDoc

OP is a bit confusing, but it indicates that while the contract has now expired, the service was blocked sometime before due to missed payments.

So the contract is not in fact concluded, as you have outstanding payments to make to them. I don't know why you feel angry to be honest. Obviously depends on your tarrif, but looks like you missed 2-3 months payments. So inevitably they will be chasing you for that money owed, added to the fact you didn't advise them to cease the service once the contract expires?

mattaiuseire

If you port to another network (which means transferring your current number whether on bill pay or PAYG) then you may be blocked by your existing provider if you owe arrears on your account if bill pay.

This is different to if you start up a brand new contract with an alternative provider with a new number.

Note however that if you do this and you don't pay your arrears with your other provider, after time they will block your service, and eventually they will terminate the contract for non-payment. If this happens and the service was terminated before the contract end date, termination fees will be applied which equate to the monthly tariff price, i.e. €75, multiplied by the number of months the contract was terminated early. The 30 day notice period may additionally be billed in accordance with T's & C's.