topic Re: BEWARE - EE have damaged my phone and are now trying to make me pay! in Android Devices

BEWARE - EE have damaged my phone and are now trying to make me pay!

JennaS7 — Tue, 10 May 2022 15:49:17 GMT

I've had my phone (Google Pixel) just under a year and it was in mint condition. I started having an issue whereby my phone would crash, even when I wasn't using it and got stuck in a reboot loop. Eventually, it was so bad it wouldn't stay on for a second without crashing and was totally unusable.

A quick search on the google forum told me this was a common issue!

As my phone is still under warranty, I took it to a store. The process felt too easy - that should've been my first warning sign.

The Assistant Manager struggled to take the case off, even mentioning how robust the case was and then examined all the sides, corners, and glass for any damage. She recorded on the repair receipt that it was in great condition and there were no marking or dents and agreed it was likely a software fault.

She filled out some paperwork and explained that it would be sent off and repaired. I thought, great! Again, too easy.

I followed my phone on the tracking and it took 7 days to arrive at the repair centre.

It then took a further 3 days to go to an engineer.

Today I received an email quoting me £230 as apparently my warranty is void as there is a noticeable crack in the corner casing. I have always had a case on my phone and it has never been dropped - how would it crack underneath a thick case when it hasn't been dropped?!

Somewhere between me handing the phone over, it being packed, going through transit, being handled by whoever accepted it and handed over to an engineer it has been cracked and now EE are trying to pass the blame.

After a million different calls and being passed between various departments, I was told the only way to avoid paying, is to prove that the crack wasn't there. At the time I wasn't sure where the crack was so I shared a video with them that my partner took when my phone was stuck in the reboot loop but naturally not sufficient evidence as I have a case on where the crack now is. At no point in the process was I told to take photos of my device - I also didn't think to as it was in mint condition. The Assistant Manager at the branch who examined and confirmed there were no dents/markings didn't take any photos or ask me if I wanted to. I also sent them on the repair receipt, which they already have which says there are no markings or dents.

A quick search of the EE community shows that this seems to be a recurring issue and I think it's a tactic to get away with having to fix faulty phones so proceed with caution. I have asked if there is an independent agency I can complain to investigate EE's practices as I think this is ridiculous.

I have insurance separately from EE so the easiest thing would be to cut my losses and go down the insurance route but I refuse to pay an excess fee when the fault is with the model and lies with EE/Google.

Please please please if you read this, take photos of your device before you send it off.

Re: BEWARE - EE have damaged my phone and are now trying to make me pay!

Chris_B — Tue, 10 May 2022 19:27:38 GMT

@JennaS7 Why haven’t you been back to the store and spoken with that same person about this. They can back you up.

Re: BEWARE - EE have damaged my phone and are now trying to make me pay!

JennaS7 — Wed, 11 May 2022 05:20:00 GMT

For a few reasons:

My closest branch closed a couple of months ago. My nearest branch is now 12 miles away, I work full time and their opening hours mon-fri are 9-5pm. As soon as I can get there on saturday I will!
I was told by the Repair Centre that 'these things' are easily missed in store and to speak to customer services not the store.
I was told they needed a decision whether I wanted to accept the quote or not within 24 hours.

The repair centre have the paperwork that was created by the Assistant Manager in the branch that states there are no marking or dents - apparently a written document is not enough so even if I could easily get to a store, I'm not sure what that would achieve, other than being palmed back off to customer services.

Re: BEWARE - EE have damaged my phone and are now trying to make me pay!

James_B — Wed, 11 May 2022 08:43:25 GMT

Hi @JennaS7,

Welcome to the EE Community. 🙂

I've sent you a private message. Please check your inbox and get back to me when you have a moment.

Thanks

James

Re: BEWARE - EE have damaged my phone and are now trying to make me pay!

jamesalexj83 — Thu, 06 Oct 2022 11:24:31 GMT

Just had exactly the same, however for nearly £800!! Did your issue get sorted?

20 years with Orange / EE and this is how they treat customers.

Re: BEWARE - EE have damaged my phone and are now trying to make me pay!

James_B — Thu, 06 Oct 2022 11:50:53 GMT

Hi @jamesalexj83,

Welcome to the EE Community. 🙂

Our Customer Care Team will be happy to look into this issue if you get in touch.

Thanks

James

Re: BEWARE - EE have damaged my phone and are now trying to make me pay!

jamesalexj83 — Thu, 06 Oct 2022 11:56:20 GMT

Hi James

Someone tried to put me through to them but while on hold the line went dead, and he couldn't get me through.

To be fair, he called me back, but was from a different department and I struggled to understand what he was saying. I need this sorted quickly but this is becoming very difficult!

Re: BEWARE - EE have damaged my phone and are now trying to make me pay!

James_B — Thu, 06 Oct 2022 12:03:47 GMT

I've responded to your PM @jamesalexj83

James

Re: BEWARE - EE have damaged my phone and are now trying to make me pay!

Careystreeter — Sat, 26 Nov 2022 08:29:52 GMT

EE shop member of staff have managed my partners phone. He had a Samsung fold 3 and air bubbles were forming along the interior screen hinge, he asked the member of staff if he could look at it, he then proceeded to get a plastic card and squeeze it out all along the hinge. After we left the store and got home, the screen was bleeding down the hinge and right screen unresponsive. It's been 2 months I've been back and forth trying to sort this. Theyre saying we damaged it, and not taking blame for it. £512 we've been quoted. Disgusting customer service. No one helps and constantly passes you around. Be warned do not let anyone squeeze the air bubbles out of a fold phone.

Re: BEWARE - EE have damaged my phone and are now trying to make me pay!

Leanne_T — Sat, 26 Nov 2022 08:56:18 GMT

Hi @Careystreeter

I've sent you a private message. Please check your inbox and get back to me when you can 🙂

Leanne.

Re: BEWARE - EE have damaged my phone and are now trying to make me pay!

jamesalexj83 — Sat, 26 Nov 2022 09:04:06 GMT

I feel your pain. Six weeks and they’re still passing me around despite promises they would replace my phone that they broke.

I’ve ended up taking the phone to Apple who said ee are wrong and it’s just a simple battery issue. They replaced the battery for £70 and it works fine but I still have the ee caused crack in the screen.

So ee failed to identify the fault in store, sent it away, have somewhere along the line cracked the screen then tried to charge me nearly £800 for a new phone when one wasn’t needed. They could repair my screen and put this right but they pass me around and around with each person saying it isn’t my fault so don’t worry.

Can’t wait for April when my contract is up and I can leave.

Re: BEWARE - EE have damaged my phone and are now trying to make me pay!

Leanne_T — Sat, 26 Nov 2022 09:08:37 GMT

Hi @jamesalexj83

I'm sorry to hear this and have sent you a private message for some details.

Leanne.

Re: BEWARE - EE have damaged my phone and are now trying to make me pay!

Chris_B — Sat, 26 Nov 2022 10:19:20 GMT

@jamesalexj83 . Apple wouldn’t change the battery if the screen was cracked as taking the screen off when cracked will cause more damage the to screen so that screen would have to be replaced also. No technician would do that with a broken screen especially at Apple.
please see THIS

Re: BEWARE - EE have damaged my phone and are now trying to make me pay!

jamesalexj83 — Sat, 26 Nov 2022 10:28:06 GMT

Don’t need to see a link Chris as I took it to Apple and they replaced the battery

Re: BEWARE - EE have damaged my phone and are now trying to make me pay!

Careystreeter — Sat, 26 Nov 2022 10:29:32 GMT

I've just got a new contract. Partner still has another year left 😞 after that we're gone

Re: BEWARE - EE have damaged my phone and are now trying to make me pay!

Chris_B — Sat, 26 Nov 2022 16:46:40 GMT

@jamesalexj83 Then the screen wasn’t damaged as Apple wouldn’t touch it with a broken screen unless you had that screen replaced also at the same time.

Perhaps you should see that link as it says.

“We’ll inspect your product when we’ve received it and confirmed the service charges. If your iPhone has any damage that impairs the replacement of the battery, such as a cracked screen, that issue will need to be resolved prior to the battery replacement. In some cases, there may be a cost associated with the repair.”

Apple would never change the battery with a broken screen and not fix that broken screen issue also. Apple do not make exceptions for anyone. Your receipt only shows the battery was replaced that means nothing as you already said apple changed the battery.

more importantly is your image

you say EE have been passing you around for 6 weeks but just look at the date on your receipt the 29th it looks like but that’s definitely April and the year 2021. I’ll let others make what they want of your comments and your so called proof of the last six weeks as that receipt for a battery change is dated as of last year. Nice try

Re: BEWARE - EE have damaged my phone and are now trying to make me pay!

JennaS7 — Sat, 26 Nov 2022 16:44:06 GMT

Definitely persevere! Interestingly I found once I posted on this forum an advisor was super helpful and agreed it was a mistake by EE. They sorted me out with a new handset.

Its a shame EE only seem to care about doing the right thing when someone posts publicly.

Re: BEWARE - EE have damaged my phone and are now trying to make me pay!

jamesalexj83 — Sat, 26 Nov 2022 16:48:37 GMT

It’s a bit weird you keep pushing this

ee have now contacted me and admitted it’s been cracked in their care and are sorting it.

apple have noted the screen damage but deemed it okay to replace the battery.

Case closed

Re: BEWARE - EE have damaged my phone and are now trying to make me pay!

Chris_B — Sun, 27 Nov 2022 07:58:03 GMT

@jamesalexj83 You don’t say. All that within a day of posting your image (which has now been deleted for some reason and there was no personal information on it, who deleted that ). with dates from last year and all this happened according to you within the last 6 weeks. So happy you got it sorted 👍. 🕳️ 👋 🇦🇺

Re: BEWARE - EE have damaged my phone and are now trying to make me pay!

jamesalexj83 — Sun, 27 Nov 2022 08:19:47 GMT

Well Sherlock, my original post on this forum was early October. The image which I haven’t deleted by the way says date of purchase April 2021. Date of purchase…… you know as in when I bought the phone. Nice try tho, happy trolling elsewhere 👍