Latest Complaint email recieved

Regarding unsolcited charges by Three. Customer is currently making his complaint with customer services.

My £15 per month contract with 3 had ended in August 2008 and I contacted 3 customer services to ask for a pay-as-you-go service in October 2008. Unfortunately customer services were not happy with allowing me to go to pay-as-you-go (PAYG); They tried to convince me that there were better services and phones available. 15 minutes of repeating my wishes to go PAYG later I was put on hold as I was transferred onto another customer services advisor to “confirm” my choice of going to PAYG. My wife Sarah was listening to the conversation and found it quite humorous that my simple request was being blatantly ignored.
I was then talking to a customer service advisor called LENE DASS: she was going to offer me a better phone at the same cost of £15 a month. I implicitly told her that I do not use a phone enough to justify £15 a month an that I was more than happy with the phone I had: a Sony Ericsson K800i. She continued to haggle with me that a better phone for £15 a month would be wiser than PAYG. I reiterated numerous times:
· I don’t use my mobile phone enough to justify £15 per month
· I mainly use it for emergencies and as a camera phone.
She then tried to convince me that another phone with less megapixels and a xenon flash would be a better camera phone than my k800i but I was not going to change my mind. Then Lene Dass offered me the Sony Ericsson C902 (as I was on the internet at the time I could bring up the phone and confirm that it was a true upgrade).
Beyond any shadow of a doubt I continued to reiterate I would not pay more than £15 pound a month and that’s all I would pay. Lene Dass had mentioned a video call package and I was adamant that this would be of no use to me and that I would not pay more than £15 a month. I had her implicit assurances that I would not be paying more than £15 a month. I made her assure me several times as there was something in her voice that raised my concerns that she was not telling me the truth: a wavering in her tone that made me concerned that she did not seem confident and clear with her assurances. I made her repeat her promises to me and I repeated my terms: NO MORE THAN £15 PER MONTH.
When I checked my bank statement online I noticed a large payment to 3:
· £105.64 on the 21st Nov 2008.
I checked my 3 statement online and realised that I had been charged £76.596 (ex vat) for a device upgrade charge.

I called back to 3 customer services (Sunday 14th Dec 08) and spoke to a man named Zoficar who assured me that I must have agreed to this charge. I find that insulting to anyone’s intelligence that they could miss such a large payment. He would arrange for Lene Dass to phone me within 24hs.
Lene Dass called me around 9am on Monday 15th December 08. The conversation was deeply upsetting and unpleasant. Lene Dass continually lied to me and told me that she had listened to the tape of our conversation and I had agreed to pay the £90 for the phone and that she had evidence. The idea is preposterous, I asked to speak with a supervisor and eventually I talked to a man who identified himself as Riveed. He assured me that he would listen to the tape and would contact me within 5 days.
Today is the 13th of January 2009 almost a full month has past since I spoke with Riveed: I have received no phone calls from 3. My mobile phone keeps a record of missed phone calls and there have been no phone calls from 3.

Quick Update

I have received a number of emails of complaint to Three which should have been directed to Three themselves so just as a reminder:

This is the Unofficial Three Complaints site and I do not deal with complaints myself I just assist by providing details on how to complain!

Another Recent email sent to me

Hi,

Thank you creating this website, I have been a 3 customer for around 5 years and had no problems until a year ago, I was miss sold an 18 month contract I requested 12 sold verbally on the phone- but stupidly didnt read through my terms and conditions when they arrived in the post, also problem with requesting a direct debit twice -causing me to go over drawn and 3 would not compensate me for my bank charges despite only wanting to be refunded £15 as a matter of principle as it was there fault they are more willing to loose my business aroung £1500 a year as soon as my mobile and internet contracts end.

..........but more recently my run in is with mobile broadband took it out a year ago and it is useless. Have complained repeatedly spent hours on the phone. Gave up today and asked to end my contract as I am not being provided with the service I paid for and told I cant unless I pay for the outstanding contract- I reminded them of the supply of goods and services act (1982). Seemed to stir them up and got a call back from a manager....but as expected no solution!

So I can hold them in breach of contract I have given them written notice of 14 days to fix the problem before I cancel the direct debit.

I have contacted the OFT and even watchdog!- was really annoyed. And will contact the other offices you suggested.

It did make me laugh this afternoon when trying to request an address to send my formal complaint to and after an hour on the phone discussing the lack of internet access was told by the advisor he couldnt provide me with an address, but could I look on the internet.....my reply was I would only my internet provider does not provide me with access to the internet ....I was then asked if I would like to take part in a customer satidfaction survey!

Many thanks for the website, and let me know if I can help- its an outrage they are getting away with bullyboy tactics and a sense they are above the law.

Unfortunatley for them it wont work with me.

Kind regards,

Sarah.

Recent email sent to me

Hi

Id just like to say thanks for making the time to create your web-site. I am currently in a major dispute with 3 and found site very helpful.

Too cut a long story short I purchased a pay monthly phone from a 3 Store only to find that I struggled 2 get a network in & around my home. I got one bar if I was lucky in one room of my house only.

When I brought the phone I got advised to take it away make some calls send some texts & see how I get on. I was then advised if I do struggle and get a bad network take it back within 14 days & they will cancel the agreement.

After 3 days I took the phone back & got told by a manager that they are unable arrange a cancellation. One of the factors was that I have used 30 mins of calls so proves to them that I am happy with the contract. I advised I am happy when I CAN use the phone, reception is fine when I am at work in the City Centre but rubbish when I am at home. They keep telling me that there technicians say network is GOOD.

I have said that I am not happy with there product as I cannot use it for its intended use. I believe I have been miss-sold there product as the sales assistant did not instruct me of any of these details whilst purchasing.

I believe I am within my rights to retun & cancel the phone as per the 14 day cool off, however the manager in shop argues otherwise. The 3 CARE Call Centre have been no help whatsover, stating on many occasions that they cannot help me any further today.

I am now going to write a complaint letter to 3 & copy in Consumer Direct & Trading Standards as I believe that this is unfair. If I knew what I was gettign myself into I would of NEVER gone with 3.

Absolute nightmare company which has caused great stress at this time of year.

If you have any guidance or suggestions please let me know.

Thank You & Kind Regards

Steven

Recent Article Found on Ecademy Website

In a letter to Hutchison 3G UK's Group Managing Director, 3's long-standing customer, Bill Warry wrote to 3's Group Managing Director, Canning Fox (as well as to Customer Services) to give seven days notice of intention to sue for breach of the Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977.

In his march 08 bill from 3, Bill Warry was charged for over 100 calls to 3 International Directory Enquiries at £1.915 a time although he had not made a single enquiry to them - ever. Customer Services explained that they had inserted 3 International Directory Enquiries as a default at the top of his contacts list and that the call button must have been pressed accidentally in he pocket, and that there was nothing they could do about the charge.

If 3 had not deliberately entered this 3 Premium number at the top of Bill's contact list the cost of 100 plus accidental calls would have been zero because they would have easilly fallen within the allowance of his price plan. Bill claims that 3's unsolicited action of inserting 3 International National Enquiries as a default at the top of his contact's list is "Unreasonable" as defined in the Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977.

Bill has notified OFCOM of 3's behaviour and is about to contact BBC's Watchdog and the Consumer Association. He is also preparing a press release on the matter for the mainstream media.

Here is the letter written:

Mr Canning Fox
Group Managing Director
Hutchison 3G UK
Hutchinson House
5 Hester Rd
Battersea
London SW11 4AN

Cc 3 Customer Services
Hutchison 3G UK Ltd Account No 9273342742
PO Box 333
Glasgow G2 9AG 4th April 2008



Dear Mr Fox,

Having subscribed to 3 for approximately two years on a low-cost tariff, I was shocked to receive my March 08 bill in the amount of £311.01 with over 100 calls (sometimes 4 within a minute) to 3 International National Directory Enquiries at £1.915 each.

I pointed out that I had not made a single enquiry to 3 International Directory Enquiries. 3 Customer Services said that they had made 3 International National Directory Enquiries my default in my contacts, that I must have repeatedly pressed the button accidentally while the phone was in my pocket and there was nothing they could do about the bill. I said they could apply some common sense and credit an obviously inappropriate billed amount. They said they were not prepared to do this.

I enclose two blogs that I have written on the subject. I have reported your behaviour to OFCOM and I am sending out Press Releases next week to "Watchdog", the "Consumer Association" and all the mainstream press.

I have never had such a problem before. Some companies strive for "a quick buck", some companies choose "long-term good customer relations". It is possible that Hutchison 3G UK Ltd is in the former category in which case making a 3 premium number a default, must be producing many quick bucks for the company.

However, I believe that introducing this unsolicited premium number as a default to your customers' contacts list is contrary to the Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977. I hereby give 7 days notice that if you do not promptly credit the charge of £233.84 plus VAT for unsolicited premium rate calls, I will be taking Hutchison 3G UK Ltd to court.

Yours sincerely,


W.N. Warry

Article links: http://www.ecademy.com/node.php?id=102006 & http://www.ecademy.com/node.php?id=102089