I recently entered into a two-year broadband agreement with Vodafone, paying £58 per month. The contract summary assured me that there would be no price increase for the duration of the 24 months. However, two months later, Vodafone informed me that the charge would now be £66.35 per month. I immediately raised my concern, but Vodafone had already deducted the additional amount from my account. I believe that I’m not the only customer affected by this issue, which means that Vodafone could be profiting from breaking its contractual terms.
It’s important to note that there is no ambiguity in my contract. The contract summary clearly states that the monthly cost will be £58, emphasized with a highlighted red box on the first page. The accompanying cover letter also emphasizes that these terms are binding upon signing. However, it appears that Vodafone does not feel obligated to honor the agreement. In response to my complaints, the company attributed the issue to a contract error and insisted on their right to increase the charges. They offered me the option to terminate the agreement early without the usual termination fee, but they instructed me to return the new hub if I choose to exercise this option.
Vodafone’s response to my complaint was brief and unsatisfactory. They acknowledged their error in part of the contract summary and apologized for the confusion. However, this response is not acceptable. According to consumer lawyer Gary Rycroft, the contract terms should still be enforceable, even in the case of an “honest mistake” made by the business. He argues that Vodafone should be compelled to honor the original deal since the mistake is minor to them but significant to the customer.
When I shared this legal opinion with Vodafone, they promptly reconsidered their stance. They have refunded me for the price increase over the past two months and offered a £14 monthly discount until next April. As a result, I will now be paying £52.35 per month. The intention behind this lowered amount is to safeguard against any price increases next year, providing a £5.75 saving compared to the original monthly sum.
If anyone else is facing a similar unresolved dispute with their service provider, they have the option to file a complaint with the Communication and Internet Services Adjudication Scheme.
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