Miselling and frustrations with a Franchised store

[brian_lewis67]

I'm wondering if anyone can offer advise on any options that I have left. 

Last May the Franchised store in Caerphilly  convinced my elderly family member (a technophobe who won't even have Internet in her own home) to move away from a pay as a go and a non-smart phone (that she's had for over 10 years) to a 2 year contract with a smart phone that she admitted that she couldn't use. This was despite having £130 in credit on her pay as you go account and only going in for a replacement battery. The misinformation about losing her number if she went anywhere else was also incorrect. They also wouldn't sell her a non smart phone as apparently they only make money off contracts. 

Despite me having to physically visit the store on several occasions, to help resolve the issue,  each time I was promised that the account would be reverted back to pay as you go and the credit reinstated, I am assured that it is almost resolved during every visit and every phone call that I've made. Almost 6 months later and it still isn't resolved and the credit is decreasing by the cost of the contract each month. The store manager is now refusing to return my calls and I can't visit the site often as I live quite some distance away. 

I've contacted EE and they are refusing to have anything to do with it as it is a Franchised store.

Any advice would be greatly achieved. Thank you

[Katie_B]

Hello @brian_lewis67. 

Welcome to the community. 

Could our customer care team access your family members account?

Since then have you been back to this store and escalated this with the store manager?

Is this an EE Store or 3rd party?

Speak soon,

Katie

[brian_lewis67]

Hi Katie, 

Thanks for responding. What details would be needed for your team to access my Aunt's account?

I've been to the store on many occasions and the last time I went he stated it was all in hand but he had to wait for EE themselves to do something and it would all be sorted. This was about 3-4 weeks ago.

It is an EE store but Franchised from what I've been told by the store and EE themselves, when I phoned to complain. Branch R004.

Thanks. 

[Katie_B]

Hi @brian_lewis67. 

Sorry for not being clear, we have no account access here on the EE Community. 

When you called and spoke with our customer care team did the agent access an account?

Was your aunt available at the time you called? they would need to speak with the account holder to be able to check notes. 

Katie

[brian_lewis67]

No problem at all. 

When I phoned EE, they spoke to my auntie who authorised me to speak on her behalf. All EE did was organise the initial meeting for me with the store manager.

My subsequent phone calls finished with they were unable to assist due to it being a franchised store. Even after I explained that the manager palmed me if and blamed EE for the delays, they were unable to help.

The store blames EE and EE say that they can't help, hence getting nowhere.

I'm out of options and my auntie is still paying for a 2 year contract that she didn't need or want. 

It really leaves a bitter taste in my mouth especially when I've got 2 contracts myself with EE (since the days of Orange). 

[Katie_B]

Thanks for confirming @brian_lewis67. 

I understand this must be frustrating with constant back and forth. 

Does your auntie still have the device?

Katie

[brian_lewis67]

No she didn't as they took it back at my first meeting with them and to make it worse, my auntie also paid an up front cost of £20 that hasn't been refunded either.

She ended up going to Tesco and bought a new non-smart phone that she could use. So she is paying for data that she can't even use. 

[Katie_B]

Hi @brian_lewis67. 

I have sent you a private message for more details. 

Katie