Vodacom help please if poss

[mkb]

Hi
I'll try to keep this brief but.....!

I had a rep from Vodacom come into shop to sell me their services. Basically they would supply & install a complete telecoms system, including 2nd line dedicated to fax/pdq machine. We agreed this & paid a deposit of £99.88

Eventually, after much to-ing & froing, this was finally installed in Dec. In the meantime, the financing co, 1pm Ltd, wanted a deposit of £696 from me. Vodacom paid this by giving me a cheque for the full amount & I signed an agreement to pay an additional £50 + VAT per month to repay this deposit.

In Jan, I got a cheque from 1pm Ltd, refunding the deposit but with no explanation so I banked it with glee

2 weeks later I get a call from someone saying they wanted 3 months worth of bank statements so that they could arrange the finance for my Vodacom equipment! Needless to say I refused to provide this to a stranger & contacted Vodacom. At this point, Vodacom didn't know anything about it!!!

Vodacom now want a cheque to the value of the refund which I understand, given that they provided the money in the 1st instance but..

I get bills which charge for things that should be free ie line rental etc etc etc & I now want to tell them to come & get their stuff & get out of my life! I don't have time to keep on chasing them up for the correct information & have told them that in my opinion, their communications are appalling for a communications company!
I am now getting daily calls from them to get their money back but they refuse to address my concerns.

I have written to the MD asking for a copy of every written communication as well as a transcript of every call made between us & advised that I have cancelled the DD whilst the dispute is ongoing.

Any advice would be most welcome & I look forward to words of wisdom from others who may have fallen foul of this company.

Thanks

 

[mkb]

Anyone with any ideas?

They rang again today & I repeated my request for copies of all agreements signed & made by phone before sending any money. The oik then accused me of holding them to ransom! I replied that if the info wasn't forthcoming, I would get my solicitor & accountant to check over the info I already have but, amazingly, he didn't seem too keen on that idea!

Any suggestions as to what to do next would be very welcome.

 

[My Owl 1]

Sorry guys that you have had such grieve. From what I have seen here your expriences have not bee great.
have a look at our services

www.savemoneywithus.co.uk

best wishes

Avril

affordable utliities or home and businesses

 

[andysolocarpets]

hi there

found your note after googling Vodacom to see who else they are scamming.

we were mis-sold a phone system back in Nov 2007, promising us caller ID . monitoring etc, cheap calls.......

they installed an Lg system capable of making and recieving calls in the start, enabling them to get a signature of delivery so they could get Siemens to start their finance agreement and pay them. However we starting getting complaints from our customers of "unanswered" calls, we investigated and found if 2 lines were in use, no engaged tone could be heard, it rang out and out and out!

We compalined and after 3 Bt engineers visits , which they charged us for, they unwired the system to give us a working line, avoiding the Lg system. Vodacom were not interested that it was not working as were Siemens who continue to chase for the payments agreed and maintain "it was signed for".

The invoices started at £12.50 month going to £356 a month for one for engineers visits! I stopped paying so they cut the line and left my business without a phone. Bt installed me another line and number but the 12000 customers i had didn't know it!

Ofcom lodge the complaints and yet Vodacom are still regulating themselves as seems do the rest of the phone industry! its a disgrace.

Has anybody else had any dealing with this company as I think they have to be stopped!

 

[mkb]

OMG!!! How bad are these guys??

I paid the bills for my telephone usage but deducted the charges for the equipment hire cos I got the agreement checked with my file of correspondence from Vodacom & my accountant found a clause which basically said that if Vodacom changed the terms & the customer wasn't happy to accept the terms then the agreement would be cancelled without any further liabilty to the customer.

I am now stringing it out before sending them back the refund cheque
and strangely enough, the daily calls have stopped!

I have written my rejection letter but the clause found only relates to the equipment hire so I guess I'll have to stay with them for the line rental, calls & broadband or pay an obscene amount to release me from the entire agreement

 

[andysolocarpets]

Vodacom are ripping people off and something needs to be done!

i am going through the process of complaining to Ofcom and Otello and I am waiting for the final judgement, but how I enforce it with these people will remain to be seen.

they now want £2312.51 out of me for early termination to release my line, which I am told is illegal as its holding you ransom whilst a dispute is going on.

These phone companies are a law to themselves..............

andy.

 

[Janner]

Something must be done!!!!
Had the same visit to install and set up phone system by Vodacom rep back in Nov 2007. Informed that they would pay early payment charges from BT for £2000 still have not received this amount over 15 months later. Contract was set up by the rep in a false company name to pass the credit checks now tied into a 5 year deal with a £18,000 garrentee against my name if our company fails to pay.
Was told by the rep all above board standard procedure when our company failed the credit terms. Have complained to Ofcom and Otelo who dont seem to want to get involved.
Stopped paying the monthly telephone bills last year for 5 months until they sorted the problem out but they cut our lines off until we paid.
MD of Vodacom is backing the Rep from his company and still refuses to pay our £2,000.
Think maybe its time BBC Watchdog found out about these cases!!!

OMG!!! How bad are these guys??

I paid the bills for my telephone usage but deducted the charges for the equipment hire cos I got the agreement checked with my file of correspondence from Vodacom & my accountant found a clause which basically said that if Vodacom changed the terms & the customer wasn't happy to accept the terms then the agreement would be cancelled without any further liabilty to the customer.

I am now stringing it out before sending them back the refund cheque
and strangely enough, the daily calls have stopped!

I have written my rejection letter but the clause found only relates to the equipment hire so I guess I'll have to stay with them for the line rental, calls & broadband or pay an obscene amount to release me from the entire agreement

 

[andysolocarpets]

hi there

sounds like you have been conned as well, you are the 7th company who has come back to me! I have already filled in the on-line form at Watchdog and am awaiting a reply!

check out my website if you want to talk about it? i am waiting for the ombudsman at Otelo to give me his final decision , but whether its worth anything i dont know , as all these phone company's seem to legislate themselves

andy.

 

[cjd]

Telephone companies are obliged to be a member of an independent disputes resolution scheme - usually (but not always) Otelo or CISAS; that should be your first step. Find out who's theirs is and lodge your complaint.

That is if Vodacom IS a telco. Is Vodacom the company that Vodafone has 'merged' with? Do you have a URL? They seem to be an African company.

 

[nass]

Bah - Being newly in telecoms myself I hate it when I see bad stuff like this. No wonder telecoms has such a bad rep

 

[cjd]

Bah - Being newly in telecoms myself I hate it when I see bad stuff like this. No wonder telecoms has such a bad rep

The telecoms industry being made up of hundreds of tiny re-sellers of BT's network is an enormous pile of dog sh1te. I've been in it all my working life an it really bloody annoys me.

 

[andysolocarpets]

hi there

vodacom are trading off the voodafone name , but are actually some little offices in Sittingbourne , kent.
they are vodacomltd.com.
they are part of the daisy group and the appeal process through Otelo is hard work to say the least!!
7 different company's/ businesses have contacted me know with similar stories of , in one case , fraudulent changing of the signed agreement for the term being 1 year changed to 7 years.
there are quite a few unhappy people out there!
i will await a final desicion from the ombudsman and then start court proceedings.

 

[Stonelaughter]

Just to point out, as far as I know (I could be wrong) in most cases the Ombudsman's decisions in are binding; a Court challenge to an Ombudsman's decision might have to be heard in the Court of Appeal - i.e. it'll be expensive.

 

[andysolocarpets]

i was thinking of enforcing the ombudsman's desicion by court action, as I think he has no legal powers to do so. the evidence/ reports i have furnished him with only enhances our position but Vodacom don't seem bothered!
nearly all of the people i have spoken to on a legal stance say court action is the only way to bring them to bay, if they don't go bump on you first!

 

[jww]

w w w vodacomltd dot com is there link,

 

[mkb]

Hi all

A quick update & more questions I'm afraid.....

Today received my latest bill & I'm still being charged the equipment rental - gosh, huge surprise not!!

Should I refer them back to my letter of 16/03/09 in which I said:

Regarding the ongoing equipment hire, I am not prepared to accept the revised terms of the agreement i.e. Vodacom providing the finance instead of 1pm therefore, I am rejecting the equipment agreement under clause 7.4.


Please will you arrange for a representative to remove the equipment, namely:

• 1 x master controller
• 1 x LG telephone
• 1 x Panasonic cordless telephone
• 1 x faulty router
• 1 x Brother Fax machine

I will store the items for a period of 30 days thereby allowing plenty of time for the collection.

I am willing to keep to the agreement for the rental of two telephone lines and will pay the monthly line rental & cost of calls & broadband by monthly invoice. I will pay £85 for the use of the telephone system for the period ending 31/03/09 in accordance with the invoices already issued. To that end, I enclose a further cheque to the value of £114.40, being payment of Invoice 4368 with deductions of £25.98 + VAT for free line rentals whilst under the Vodaplan Telephone System.


Clearly they are ignoring my letter - another huge surprise LOL.

Any ideas or advice much appreciated guys.

 

[jww]

yep, throw it them back, it should of costed you £11.50 line rental, 1.6p a min local and national call, with no connection fee or minium charge, inter from 1.6p to most euro counties, mobiles 10p no line contract, leave if you can find better !!!

equipment rental £40 a month over 5 years or out right £1900 installed trianed.

 

[jww]

on the other hand they should never of got it installed until it passed finance, look at eurotel.com, google there T&C, its the same, could be the same company unless they ripped them off as well.

 

[mkb]

As far as I was aware, the funding was in place around the time of installation. A DD was set up but I cancelled this as I didn't know who 1pm were at that time. Next thing we know is the appearance of the refund cheque.

So what should I do? I need to pay the bill after making the necessary deductions but I cannot afford to have the lines disconnected as that would leave me with no card terminal in the shop & unable to accept telephone orders.
I have already stated said that I am not prepared to accept the revised terms & in addition to this, I am unwilling to accept the original terms & as I understand it, once a new offer has been made & rejected then any original offer would constitute a further offer the terms of which I can also reject, exactly what I am trying to do. Am I right in thinking this?

 

[wally]

hi there

sounds like you have been conned as well, you are the 7th company who has come back to me! I have already filled in the on-line form at Watchdog and am awaiting a reply!

check out my website if you want to talk about it? i am waiting for the ombudsman at Otelo to give me his final decision , but whether its worth anything i dont know , as all these phone company's seem to legislate themselves

andy.

I would like to talk to you about Vodacom I thought I was the only one
who was conned and trying to prove it.This has been going on since last May 08 when I realized that the contract I had signed for 12months had
now 7 years added after I signed. The equipment for my husbands shop
was to be placed in reception as promised but put in a office downstairs which is rarely used and so equipment could not be used. After telephoning Vodacom within 3 days of install and asked for it to be removed was told to kept it its FREE. Then after numerous calls realized that they were waiting to be paid by the leasing company ,after they were paid all they came back with was check your contract.Sorry this is the short version but I have had contact with Otello and this is still going on as the version Vodacom have given them shows I have not helped them what so ever for them to install lines. But this is not the case.I knew
they did not have a system that could be placed behind the reception but
they dont care as they have there moniies from leasing company.I now find myself being in a debt of nearly £6000.00 as I stopped payments to leasing company when I found that this company was conning me .The leasing company were the people who told me to contact Otello but as I said before I have found it very hard to prove that this contract should be void. Surely it is illegy to change a legal contract once you have signed it.
I have a lot more to say but I would like to speak to you about Watchdog and Otello.

 

[andysolocarpets]

hi there, sorry to hear about your troubles, my website is solocarpets.com where all my contact details are.

andy

 

[mkb]

Hi Andy
Will call you next week, probably Thurs for a chat & maybe we can come up with a plan?

Any others want to join in?

Maybe we should contact each other red robin style & exchange contact details.

Kathy

 

[CableGuys]

Our company has also been the victim of mis-selling by Vodacom. Pretty much the same story as everyone else that we're aware of - £84 a month and even though 7 years is never mentioned it somehow appears in the contract as 84 months. The first we realised of this is when we had a call from the leasing company to check that everything had been correctly installed, were we happy with the 7 year contract etc. At which point alarm bells starting and we looked back at the contract to find a barely legible scribble of 84 in the relevant box.

Initially we thought we were alone in being conned and were trying to get our solicitors to take them to court. After an appalling level of service from our solicitors (who we have now dispensed with) we were resigned to defeat. However, now that we have seen the number of people who are in exactly the same situation (no hold music, no queue facility etc) we are determined to try and prevent Vodacon from doing this to anyone else.

One other thing that we subsequently found out about the telephone lines and the queuing facility. We had an existing line with broadband on and Vodacon were going to supply us with another line. One of Vodacon's offers was free broadband for a year but as we didn't need this we negotiated a free laptop instead. When the engineer came to fit the telephone system we were told that the queue system couldn't work on a line with broadband on it and we would have to have a third line (at a cost of £120 to install plus £10 per month) if we wanted the queue system to work. Naturally we were extremely put out by this as they knew that we had broadband on this line and that we wanted a queuing system.

The more people we can get together the better. If we all hit OFCOM, Otelo, CISIS and Wathcdog and also get some legal action of the go we can hopefully hit them where it hurts - their bank balance.

Leo

 

[Paul Kelly ICHYB]

Avril,

can you please explain how your services compare to a telecoms system (pbx)?

 

[mkb]

Still no response from Vodacom to my letter - just another bill LOL!

As of today though, my phone lines & broadband are with XLN telecom at the fab cost of £35pm so I'm very happy with that.

Regarding Vodacom, I will simply ignore them as they have done to me

 

[stugster]

Or... every time they send you a bad bill, send them one back for administration costs of processing the bill.

Better yet, i've found if you send your letter of complaint to their registered office address (but "forget" to put a stamp on it) after about the 300th unstamped envelope, they soon get the picture.

 

[harrysautos]

Not sure if your on about the same Vodacom Ltd I am on about because I am with Vodacom Ltd and there is one bill, low prices and that's guaranteed due to such a simple pricing structure.

The company are very helpful and told me all the costing and assured me I would save money and I did..I've never had a problem with customer services neither they have always answered within 15 seconds and always solve any queries I have.

I would say it's the best move I have ever made regarding my telephone communications, I would recommend them as I plan to stay with them for life!

Cheers Vodacom!!

 

[mkb]

Not sure if your on about the same Vodacom Ltd I am on about because I am with Vodacom Ltd and there is one bill, low prices and that's guaranteed due to such a simple pricing structure.

The company are very helpful and told me all the costing and assured me I would save money and I did..I've never had a problem with customer services neither they have always answered within 15 seconds and always solve any queries I have.

I would say it's the best move I have ever made regarding my telephone communications, I would recommend them as I plan to stay with them for life!

Cheers Vodacom!!

Harry - congratulations but you are in such a minority, you must either be extremely lucky or maybe even a Vodacom employee?!

 

[harrysautos]

Harry - congratulations but you are in such a minority, you must either be extremely lucky or maybe even a Vodacom employee?!

So your telling me Vodacom only had 8 sets of customers, the 7 who are moaning and me who isn't? I'm sure there is hundreds if not thousands of customers who are happy with Vodacom Ltd, you just don't hear about them because well they have more important things to do like run their business

 

[stugster]

One-Post Wonder


Never to be seen again.

 

[CableGuys]

So your telling me Vodacom only had 8 sets of customers, the 7 who are moaning and me who isn't? I'm sure there is hundreds if not thousands of customers who are happy with Vodacom Ltd, you just don't hear about them because well they have more important things to do like run their business

If my company had only 1 in 8 satisfied customers I would be pretty disappointed. If we have 1 in a 100 unsatisfied customers I am pretty disappointed. Its obvious that this may not be an entirely proportional representation of the real feeling of Vodacom customers as youre more likely to receive a complaint than praise but the groundswell of opinion against this company is pretty hard to ignore.

I would love to do more important things like running my business but when I am locked into a 7 year contract paying over the odds for a system that doesnt work then you would be pretty cheesed off too.

Its good to see a counter-opinion and that not everybody has had a bad experience of Vodacom, I just wish I was one of those people (either that or that I had never heard of Vodacom).

 

[harrysautos]

If my company had only 1 in 8 satisfied customers I would be pretty disappointed. If we have 1 in a 100 unsatisfied customers I am pretty disappointed. Its obvious that this may not be an entirely proportional representation of the real feeling of Vodacom customers as youre more likely to receive a complaint than praise but the groundswell of opinion against this company is pretty hard to ignore.

I would love to do more important things like running my business but when I am locked into a 7 year contract paying over the odds for a system that doesnt work then you would be pretty cheesed off too.

Its good to see a counter-opinion and that not everybody has had a bad experience of Vodacom, I just wish I was one of those people (either that or that I had never heard of Vodacom).

I totally understand where you are coming from but I can't see how you are having so many problems where I haven't had many what so ever if any...my contract is for 5 years which I feel is fair enough as I have got a great phone system which makes my business run so much smoother, I can't believe that they are ignorant (customer service that is) and if you did have any problems surely they would sort them...

 

[J Jefferies]

I totally understand where you are coming from but I can't see how you are having so many problems where I haven't had many what so ever if any...my contract is for 5 years which I feel is fair enough as I have got a great phone system which makes my business run so much smoother, I can't believe that they are ignorant (customer service that is) and if you did have any problems surely they would sort them...

You wont have any problems with service as your company is fictitious. Strange that the text you posted is almost word for word what was written on touchmedway.com by a J Bailey. Surely not John Bailey ? Vodacom employee ?.
And as for the not hearing about happy Vodacom customers, there arent any....at all ...lol.

Maybe if you spent more time solving your own customers problems rather than trying to deflect the issue by posting replies from imaginary customers this thread may not be necessary

 

[Stonelaughter]

I struggle to see how the post by harrysautos would have been helpful anyway; just because ONE customer has good service doesn't mean others do too... I bet there are even a few BT Broadband customers or Virgin Media customers who are happy. It doesn't change the overwhelming perception of these companies as unmitigated disasters, customer service-wise.

 

[Geoff T]

I'd be interested to know the current "Status" with regard to outstanding bills, collection action the sufferers on this thread are at?

Regards
Geoff

 

[mkb]

I AM ABSOLUTELY BL**DY FURIOUS

As part of the deal with the outfit Vodacom, they should have settled my BT early termination fees for both my voice & broadband lines.
As Vodacom took it all over in Dec, I stupidly expected this to have been done but I get a bill from BT today for over £1000 for early termination fees!!!!

Turns out the fees were never paid for either line & broadband was never even taken over by Vodacom despite being charged for it by them - TOTALLY UNREAL.

VODACOM ARE NOTHING MORE THAN A CHEATING LOAD OF SHYSTERS THAT I WISH I HAD NEVER HEARD OF.

No communication from VodacoN about unpaid bills - I WANT THEM TO TRY TAKING ME TO COURT JUST SO I CAN LEGALLY RIP INTO THEM.

AARRRRGH - my teeth hurt cos they are being grit so blooming hard.....

Sorry for the rant but needed to get this off my chest & then appeal for help & advice from anyone???

Thanks

 

[Geoff T]

MKB - "shysters" are fun in court - that's where you get the payback!

Cancel DD's or any other payments to Vodacom...they've breached their contract - you have a copy detailing all this re BT I assume?!?

advise BT they're part of a current legal action as 3rd party (they should back off - might even help albeit unknowingly!)

bottom line - not ONE MORE PENNY to the shysters!!!

regards
Geoff

 

[My Owl 1]

MKB - "shysters" are fun in court - that's where you get the payback!

Cancel DD's or any other payments to Vodacom...they've breached their contract - you have a copy detailing all this re BT I assume?!?

advise BT they're part of a current legal action as 3rd party (they should back off - might even help albeit unknowingly!)

bottom line - not ONE MORE PENNY to the shysters!!!

regards
Geoff

Couldn't agree more.
What a load of beep beeps

Avril

 

[johnjames]

Sorry guys that you have had such grieve. From what I have seen here your expriences have not bee great.
have a look at our services

(website)

best wishes

Avril

affordable utliities or home and businesses

This person is an ID for this company and should state it, its in their terms and conditions. They are in no means the best deal out there. I ended up using Virgin for my mobile, 22.00 for 10 Hours of talk time, unlimited texts (3,000) fair use. 1GB data as well.)
The company is again a re-seller, and they state "we use the buying power of our customers and get them the best deal."

Many businesses I know have gone back to BT and even thought they charge more and do mess up, at least they admit it and compensate you.

(best bet with REPS by visit or telephone call is "whats your comp's invocing details? When they ask why say well I am invocing you for my time! works a treat!)

Rule of thumb check out the company what they do and who they belong to. Indepedant Reps especialy.

Knowing I will get slated for my comments by the person who posted, the proof of how good a company is, is when things go wrong what they do to put it right.

 

[My Owl 1]

This person is an ID for this company and should state it, its in their terms and conditions. They are in no means the best deal out there. I ended up using Virgin for my mobile, 22.00 for 10 Hours of talk time, unlimited texts (3,000) fair use. 1GB data as well.)
The company is again a re-seller, and they state "we use the buying power of our customers and get them the best deal."

Many businesses I know have gone back to BT and even thought they charge more and do mess up, at least they admit it and compensate you.

(best bet with REPS by visit or telephone call is "whats your comp's invocing details? When they ask why say well I am invocing you for my time! works a treat!)

Rule of thumb check out the company what they do and who they belong to. Indepedant Reps especialy.

Knowing I will get slated for my comments by the person who posted, the proof of how good a company is, is when things go wrong what they do to put it right.

Hi John please explain what you mean by this person is an id for this company. If you mean Vodacom, I most certainly am not. I am a distributor with utility Warehouse as is clearly stated on my logo and my website.

I have done some clear comparisons and in most cases we are good value for money. As you have stated some do pay more for their services because that is what they feel comfortable with. After all I am not stating that we "ARE DEFINITELY" the best, who is!! No company has 100% perfect track record. However, I do feel that I can sympathise and offer an alternative. I do hope that free choice is still OK.

Avril