NGMsGhost wrote on Oct 29^th, 2006 at 12:40pm:
Switch and Maestro are the same aren't they in that they are really basic debit cards that may not be accepted in all the places as Visa or MasterCard debit cards are.

I generally use my Nationwide debit card for purchasers where I've shopped with them before and not taking a 'chance' otherwise I use Nationwide Visa credit card as credit card offer more protection against companies going into receivership (eg Fairpack) as we can claim back from the credit card company and let them try and chase the money from the company concerned.

NGMsGhost wrote on Oct 29^th, 2006 at 5:16pm:
It's my understanding that if you've paid for goods on the credit card (over a certain amount which I think is £100 but I'm sure that was reduced) and they go into insolvency then under the Credit hire agreement the credit cards are liable regardless of whether you have an all singing & dancing gold card, etc.  Things like warranties on electrical goods is an additional benefit available for which Nationwide Credit card has this on as standard.

Looking here under the paragraph, Protection for credit cards, it reads:-

Quote:


That gives me the impression that you're covered regardless of the amount which is new and I believe is covered under the Distance Selling Regs 2000.  Normally, under the credit agreement it is over £100 but like I said I could have sworn this was lowered to £50.

I didn't pay Dialaphone for any purchase, as it was a free phone, and free delivery.

All I did was set up my direct debit details to pass onto vodafone, and I was automatically given their rip off insurance, which I had to cancel, rather than decline at purchase (another sneeky way of ripping off those who forget to cancel)

I then had to send in my airtime bills to dialaphone to claim the money back.  The others all went through with no problems, but it's this final one that is causing headache.  Perhaps they are relying on me cancelling my contract at the end of the 18 months so I can fall foul.  I have given the 30 days notice the other day, and it has just under 4 weeks left to run.

However I put in my claim at the end of August, and since dialaphone claim they have already sent the payment at the beginning of September, I should have had it by now.  At least they're not disputing the fact that I'm entitled to this money.

The documentation was enclosed in a pack, which I received with the phone.

It clearly stated that I should send my latest bill, on or after a certain date, within 1 month of this date, to the dialaphone claim centre.

I have done this on other contracts I've had through them, and on earlier bills on my vodafone account.

I did have a problem with an O2 account, but they got around this by waiting 2 months before sending the cashback, after which my account was closed, so because it was closed, I fell foul of their rigid T&Cs.

It was after that, when I returned all their recommend a friend offers to sender, stating that I refuse to deal with a cowboy company like them again, and stating that I recommend that people should steer clear of them.  Not seen another recommend a friend offer recently, or sales calls trying to get me another new phone.

This is my very last dealing with them, and despite logging online to see when the payment was made, the problem is that it's gone missing between their account department, and my account.  Whether it's gone missing through incorrect reference numbers to vodafone, or vodafone messing up, or indeed they haven't sent it, has meant that the money has not reached my airtime account as promised.  They have never disputed the fact that I'm entitled to this money.

Just had a development in the case.

I received my Vodafone bill today, which has now included the Dial-a-phone credit, and lists it as paid on 27 September!!

This fits in with Dial-a-phone paying at the beginning of September, and taking a few weeks before they actually do, but either way, they have sworn blind that they have paid, and if it's showing as paid on 27 September, then Vodafone have been less than honest here.

In my October bill, I didn't receive my Dial-a-phone credit, and upon phoning up vodafone, they confirmed that it hadn't been credited.

They also suggested taking legal action against Dial-a-phone, when infact they have been sitting on this money.

I could understand if this credit was dated very recently, but the fact that it's dated 27 September, would suggest incompetence on the part of Vodafone, and for Dial-a-phone to have paid correctly.

Also, at least they got my bill correct, because my contract ends middle of the month, and I have indeed been charged pro rata for the remaining days.

Glad to get rid of both companies now!!

I certainly think a letter to the CEO of vodafone is on order.  Because of this delay, I have had to write to dial-a-phone, and spend time trying to sort this whole mess out, when infact Vodafone have been in receipt of this money all the time, and I was close to taking dial-a-phone to trading standards, and the courts.

I think O2 do have an 0870 customer services number, but rarely had course to call it.

Vodafone do at least have a service on 191, which is free from my vodafone handset, so talking to customer services was at least free, and I had no trouble getting through.

Dial-a-phone on the other hand, deliberately disconnected their freephone and geo numbers, and the only way I called them was their sales line on 0800, and kicked up a big fuss each time, but their final reply was for me to write to them, which got nowhere, or of course call their 0870 number, which I've called before, and it's almost impossible to speak to someone.

I shall certainly be in contact with Vodafone over this issue, and might will tell them about my calls to dial-a-phone on 0870 (which I never did use in the end) and of course having to write a letter about the issue, during which time Vodafone were sitting on this payment, and Dial-a-phone maintained quite rightly that they had paid (although their customer services could have been more approachable!!)

Vodafone has already stopped Dial-a-phone selling phones on their network.  Perhaps if Vodafone didn't allow dial-a-phone to credit existing customers by line rental credit, or if Dial-a-phone paid by cheque or BACS (like they do on other contracts I've had with them) then this mess wouldn't have happened, or if it did, then Vodafone would not be partly responsible for the mess, and any issue of cashback would lie firmly with Dial-a-phone (and possibly the banking system, and Royal Mail)

Anyway, at least my Vodafone is getting disconnected in a few weeks, and I don't have any more contracts with Dial-a-phone to worry about.  E2save have been so far so good, and have paid by cheque every time as promised.

NGMsGhost wrote on Nov 9^th, 2006 at 11:00pm:



Yes, they do rely on people not claiming to make it such a good deal.  With 7 contracts (soon to be 6!!) to keep an eye on, you need to be organised to send in the claims, chase them up when if they don't pay, mark down when they do pay etc.  I do the same with the 0% credit cards.  They rely on people not paying on time, to pay for those like me who don't have debt, and pay off when the 0% ends.  However credit card companies are getting wise to this, and charge a balance transfer fee of about 2-3% which means there's very little profit to be made if you have no debts, however it makes a good deal if you do need to borrow the money, and are likely to need to borrow the money longer at their higher rates!!