Faulty 5 day old mobile

Seller named in Post#6

For what it’s worth, the reviews seem ok

As you say, I’m not sure how much faith I put in Trust Pilot. Often the reviews are skewed by fake 5* reviews or because only the minority that have encountered problems post - look at John Lewis with their 2.0/5.0 score.

Having a quick scan through the reviews for Affordable Mobiles they don’t quite sit right with me. There are a lot of very short meaningless 5* reviews like “Best Company“ and “Nice”. Many of the longer 5* reviews seem to be based on a formula, all saying pretty much the same thing and calling out an employee by the first name. And then the 1* go into a lot of detail describing an experience that isn’t very good. And then not much in between.

Perhaps I’m bing unfair, but my guess is that many of the 5* reviews are fake.

Cheers,

Nigel
 
I have just emailed then telling them that I am refusing the phone as it is not satisfactory (nor is there customer service)
Now the phone is part of a contract so not sure how to go about cancelling that?
Would it be the retailers responsibility?

It does say what to do on their website - suggests that they cancel the contract.


Whether I would trust them to do that, I’m not sure.

Cheers,

Nigel
 
I bought my Mate 20 Pro from Affordable Mobiles two years ago and it all went fine - as always though you learn how good a retailer really is when you have an issue!

You should have 14 days to cancel both the contract and return the phone. As long as you’ve not transferred your number to the new contract (unless you’re happy to lose it), that’s how I would deal with it if the retailer aren’t taking any responsibility
 
Update.
I sent an email yesterday morning officially refusing the phone.
A nice chap phoned me, said they would arrange collection of the phone and once received would send out a new one (which seems fair)
He did say he would email me the details with the label for the courier. This has not come through yet however. I'll give it to end of play tomorrow before I speak with them.
If nothing the phone will be boxed and awaiting collection. I will also request a PAC code from EE and will likely have to deal with them attempting an early termination charge.
 
Why do you need a PAC code? If they’re sending you a new phone doesn’t that mean you’re continuing with the contract? You’re just swapping handsets aren’t you?
 
Why do you need a PAC code? If they’re sending you a new phone doesn’t that mean you’re continuing with the contract? You’re just swapping handsets aren’t you?

Agree, assuming the seller is being honest then I don’t see the need to get a PAC code.

Cheers,

Nigel
 
Why do you need a PAC code? If they’re sending you a new phone doesn’t that mean you’re continuing with the contract? You’re just swapping handsets aren’t you?
Because as of yet I not received any further correspondence. Nothing about replacement being sent out or how to send this one back to them
 
Yes, my first email went to them fine, and subsequent emails from my other Gmail and hotmail account also went through.
I sent 3 emails all with the same text, and that one bounced back, the other 2 didn't
That is why it is blocked then ;) Multiple emails from different addresses all with the same text. That is dodgy behaviour :D :lesson:
 
Affordable mobiles have been around donkeys years and definately genuine. Had various phones off them in the past.

You seem quite highly strung about this situation, follow the instructions and you'll get a replacement.

Trying to cancel the contract now will only lead to additional hassle and you'll be back here reporting your SIM card doesn't work or you've had a massive bill taken and don't know why.

As mentioned previously, speak to them on the phone for quicker more concise help. Follow it up with an email if you insist, but direct human contact will give you a easier ride.
 
Update: affordable mobiles took the phone back. It was returned to them on the 6th July.
They have, however not cancelled my EE contract. I had a direct debit taken this morning. The sim card has not been used in 2 weeks. EE are saying tough crap basically and it is up to affordable mobiles to cancel. Affordable mobiles have yet to answer any emails.
If I cancel my direct debit, obviously they'll come after me for the remainder of the contract? Legally where do I stand? The contract is between myself and EE, with affordable mobiles being the middle man. Surely 16 days is sufficient time to cancel a contract?
 
Affordable mobiles have been around donkeys years and definately genuine. Had various phones off them in the past.

You seem quite highly strung about this situation, follow the instructions and you'll get a replacement.

Trying to cancel the contract now will only lead to additional hassle and you'll be back here reporting your SIM card doesn't work or you've had a massive bill taken and don't know why.

As mentioned previously, speak to them on the phone for quicker more concise help. Follow it up with an email if you insist, but direct human contact will give you a easier ride.
Affordable mobiles customer service is shocking. The phone was faulty I have every right to send it back and the contract to be cancelled.
 
Affordable mobiles customer service is shocking. The phone was faulty I have every right to send it back and the contract to be cancelled.
Have you asked for a replacement handset or a refund of the handset?
 
Update.
I sent an email yesterday morning officially refusing the phone.
A nice chap phoned me, said they would arrange collection of the phone and once received would send out a new one (which seems fair)
He did say he would email me the details with the label for the courier. This has not come through yet however. I'll give it to end of play tomorrow before I speak with them.
If nothing the phone will be boxed and awaiting collection. I will also request a PAC code from EE and will likely have to deal with them attempting an early termination charge.
Update: affordable mobiles took the phone back. It was returned to them on the 6th July.
They have, however not cancelled my EE contract. I had a direct debit taken this morning. The sim card has not been used in 2 weeks. EE are saying tough crap basically and it is up to affordable mobiles to cancel. Affordable mobiles have yet to answer any emails.
If I cancel my direct debit, obviously they'll come after me for the remainder of the contract? Legally where do I stand? The contract is between myself and EE, with affordable mobiles being the middle man. Surely 16 days is sufficient time to cancel a contract?

The initial update suggests to me that the contract would continue as you're getting a replacement handset, so I would suggest chasing Affordable Mobiles for an update for either the whereabouts of the handset or the cancellation of the contract.
 
Have you asked for a replacement handset or a refund of the handset?
Return the handset. I didn't pay anything upfront and also was within the first 14 days.
 
Return the handset. I didn't pay anything upfront and also was within the first 14 days.
And were you absolutely clear to them that you wanted to cancel everything & not wanting a replacement phone? You’ve given us some mixed messages, so I’m not entirely sure they would know exactly what you want them to do either...

Update.
I sent an email yesterday morning officially refusing the phone.
A nice chap phoned me, said they would arrange collection of the phone and once received would send out a new one (which seems fair)
 
Agree with hippo above it seems as though you accepted a replacement handset rather than a return and refund of the faulty one
 
Agree with hippo above it seems as though you accepted a replacement handset rather than a return and refund of the faulty one
They originally were supposed to be arranging the phone to be collected which never materialised.
After a few days I spoke to then again telling them I was retuning the phone and cancelling the contract (I also emailed them this).

Anyway just got off the phone to EE. They have had no cancellation request from affordable mobiles. Affordable mobiles told me they sent a request on the 7th July but as I transferred my number some of the details were incorrect. As it is now past the 30 day period I may not be able to cancel according to EE. Going to speak to my home insurance legal team tomorrow and see what they advise.
 
Why not just get a new phone off them and carry on?
Why would I do that when the customer service has been abysmal from day 1?
 
Still awaiting a PAC code. EE are telling me it is affordable mobiles fault, affordable mobiles telling me it is EE fault. Not sure where to go.
Anyone have any consumer law advice in relation?
 
I can't give legal advice, and my knowledge of the industry is out of date.

However, on an anecdotal level;
Depending on the agreement the broker had with EE, they would have tried hard to not to have to cancel the new contract, as they would lose their broker fee.

If AM agreed to cancel within the cooling off period, they should have notified EE. (I am assuming here it was a completely new connection, and not an EE upgrade).
If they failed to within that time, there is a high chance EE will want the entirety of the contract paying off to cancel (and they may fight even harder).

Did you port your existing number in as part of the initial transation? Or are you just requesting the PAC as a confirmation of cancellation?
 
I can't give legal advice, and my knowledge of the industry is out of date.

However, on an anecdotal level;
Depending on the agreement the broker had with EE, they would have tried hard to not to have to cancel the new contract, as they would lose their broker fee.

If AM agreed to cancel within the cooling off period, they should have notified EE. (I am assuming here it was a completely new connection, and not an EE upgrade).
If they failed to within that time, there is a high chance EE will want the entirety of the contract paying off to cancel (and they may fight even harder).

Did you port your existing number in as part of the initial transation? Or are you just requesting the PAC as a confirmation of cancellation?
I think you maybe right. EE have confirmed they have had zero contact from AM within the 30 days. I did port my number in with the initial transaction
 
Porting the number in the initial transaction makes things difficult.
Again, anecdotal...but I seem to remember that a cooling-off cancellation would either lose the number, or require full contract termination (and all dues paid to release the number). Because while the network are obliged to offer distance selling cancellation, they can use the ported number as a hostage.
Whether AM communicated this is another matter.

Again, dredging the memory banks, so this may not be correct.

Apologies for the slow response, been a busy week!
 

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