Editor's Blog7 mins ago
Mobile Phone Bill
22 Answers
Hi, please could someone help with the following. I currently have a sim only monthly contract for 2 phone numbers, one for each of my teenage sons as they are not old enough to have their own contract. I pay £20 a month for each number. On the odd occasion in the past, one or the other son has gone over their £20 "allowance". (Highest ever was this December at £131.33 inc VAT) I have asked Vodaphone in the past if they could put a "block" on the number when this happens to prevent them using it until the next months £20. They informed me that they used to be able to do that but not anymore. Yesterday both sons told me they could not make calls or send texts but they could recieve them. When I rang Vodaphone to ask why, they told me one of my sons had - from the 1st January to the 31st January run up a bill of £909.46 inc VAT !!! in one month! I was so distraught as I don't have that kind of money, that I couldn't think straight. I'm not able to view the bill online til the end of Feb apparently and I'm not disputing that my son did make the calls, but surely Vodaphone should have some responsibility to prevent this happening? She said "that they had sent a text the day before (Monday) to the number to see if the phone had been stolen or was being used fraudulently, but got no reply" (Well thinking about it now, if it had been stolen, they wouldn't get a reply anyway!) Surely they should have suspended the phone at say £200, which is 10 times the monthly amount if they thought it was stolen. Why leave it till over 900 pounds? Can anyone please advise on what I should do next? Thank you
Answers
The Networks do not have a duty of care to the customer in relation to how much is spent. I have spent many hours trying to sort out repayment plans for young soldiers who have been on tour to places such as Afghan and Iraq. They use their phones as if they are in the UK and end up with bills in the thousands after a few months away.
Speak to the Network operator...
Speak to the Network operator...
09:50 Thu 03rd Feb 2011
I agree with Murrymints, make sure you go through the itemised bill when you get it!
I've just had the same problem with vodaphone and my angelic 13 year old....Although she did no where near £900....she would not be alive if she had.
I am tied into a contract with her phone until October and when I asked to have her phone 'capped' they couldn't/wouldn't do it, with a little messing about though I got her 300 extra minutes [I know it's kind of rewarding bad behaviour] for 70p. I now pay £17.90 for unlimited internet, Blackberry messaging, unlimited texts and 900 minutes. It's worth seeing if they will change the price plan if you have time left to run on the contracts.
Lisa x
I've just had the same problem with vodaphone and my angelic 13 year old....Although she did no where near £900....she would not be alive if she had.
I am tied into a contract with her phone until October and when I asked to have her phone 'capped' they couldn't/wouldn't do it, with a little messing about though I got her 300 extra minutes [I know it's kind of rewarding bad behaviour] for 70p. I now pay £17.90 for unlimited internet, Blackberry messaging, unlimited texts and 900 minutes. It's worth seeing if they will change the price plan if you have time left to run on the contracts.
Lisa x