Missold contract and tablet

[Cholpon]

I'm writing here on behalf of my partner, Cholpon, who was missold a phone contact by the EE staff at Oxford Circus store in London. Cholpon was pressured into taking a 'free' tablet, even though she initially refused it, because we really have no need for it, but was pressured into accepting it and was reassured that it was 'free'. At no point did the salesperson ever mention that there was £15 per month charge for using the tablet. That was the first bit of deception. The next level of deceit was to outright lie about the final monthly bill. My partner was told that the monthly bill would be £67 for all items on contract. To be clear, the items ordered were an iPhone 11, 2 apple se watches, and a tablet. (The items wanted were the first three). It now turns out the final monthly bill is in excess of £100.  The salesperson at this shop had never produced an itemised list with the associated charges for my partner to review.  All signatures were collected on a tablet, which led to a situation where the customer was pressured to give their signature while not being able to properly review the information presented in front of them. In fact, she was only given the contract on her second visit to the shop to complain about the contract she had been sold.  The salesperson again reiterated that monthly bill is £67, which, as we found out today, is completely false.  My partner is heavily pregnant and is not able to make continuous trips to Oxford Circus to debate the matter with duplicitous EE staff. I am hoping a higher representative from EE will see this post and offer a solution. Otherwise I am more than happy to take legal action. 

[XRaySpeX]

Will this never stop?

How can EE become the BT Consumer main brand when salesmen all over the country are pulling this same dishonest fraudulent trick on its consumers.

Don't they know "Free" means Free, & does not include some chargeable undeclared hidden extra?

[XRaySpeX]

@Cholpon : All you can do is go back to the shop & demand the tablet contract be cancelled & any money spent on it refunded immediately as its offer was misrepresented fraudulently to you. Many others have tried.

[Cholpon]

@XRaySpeX Thanks for replying to my post. I am happy to go down to the store to try and reason with someone. However my partner is not so readily able. I am under the impression that I will not get very far as I am not the account holder. Would you know if there has been any success for those that have tried? We could make another trip to the store but just weary that it might be another pointless trip. 

[Cholpon]

OK so there has been a positive update on this situation. We called up the retail support team and we have had a resolution. We are able to return the tablet by post. The person on the phone was very helpful. Still would advise others to be cautious when purchasing anything from the store. Shouldn't have to be the case but sadly it is. Thanks for all your help and advice @XRaySpeX 

[XRaySpeX]

Thanks! You're welcome 🙂 ! Glad I could be of assistance & it is now sorted.

[ElleJk]

I have recently been in contact with five additional customers who have experienced similar deceptive practices from EE, just like us. These customers, like us, were misled about the terms of their contracts and the costs of ‘free’ add-ons.

Given the severity and consistency of these deceptive practices, we have decided to take legal action against EE. This collective action is intended to address the widespread misconduct and seek fair compensation for all affected customers.

Your experience and testimony will be vital in this process. Please let me know if you are willing to participate and share your story as part of this legal action. Your involvement could significantly strengthen our case.

[ElleJk]

Subject: Urgent Complaint and Notice of Potential Class Action Lawsuit Due to Misleading Sales Practices

Dear EE, 

I am writing to express my deep concern and to formally complain about systematic misleading sales practices in your stores, which have affected me and an increasing number of other EE customers.

Summary of the Issue:A consistent practice has been identified where customers in your stores are pressured to accept supposedly “free” additional devices such as tablets, watches, or Nintendo Switches. However, these devices later turn out to incur additional monthly costs, leading to unexpected charges. This critical information is systematically withheld at the time of the contract.

Potential Class Action Lawsuit:I am in contact with at least 10 other customers who have had similar experiences. We hereby urge you to find an immediate and satisfactory solution to this problem. Should this not occur, we will be forced to initiate a class action lawsuit against EE for these misleading and unethical business practices.

Demand for a Prompt Resolution:We expect an immediate investigation into this matter and a fair solution. This should include a revision of the bills, the removal of unwanted additional devices from the contracts, and appropriate compensation for the inconvenience and costs caused by these practices.

We hope for a swift and positive response from you and would like to point out that further legal steps will be taken if these issues are not resolved adequately.

[XRaySpeX]

@ElleJk : This user discussion forum is not the correct or legally contractual platform for serving notice upon EE particularly of prospective legal action. 

You can make a formal complaint to EE & if you don't get satisfaction after 8 weeks you can take it to EE's ADR provider. See Complaints code of practice and here is the Complaints Form .

[Naslili]

Dear Sir/Madam,

Subject: Complaint Regarding Misleading Sales Practices at EE Westfield Store

I am writing to express my dismay and formally complain about deceptive sales practices I experienced at your Westfield EE store, specifically involving a staff member named Riaz, who is identified as the senior manager.

Incident Overview:
On my recent visit to the store, I was subjected to high-pressure sales tactics to accept a ‘free’ Nintendo Switch, despite my clear statement of not needing it. Riaz assured me that the Switch was complimentary with no additional costs.

Deception Regarding Charges:
2 days later I discovered that this was not the case, when I went to the store again to collect my phone which had been ordered in, saw then there is a hidden monthly charge of £20 for the Nintendo Switch bundle. This critical information was not disclosed during the sales process. Furthermore, I was misled about the overall monthly bill. I was initially told it would be £72 for a Google Pixel 8 pro and the Nintendo Switch, but I have since learned that the actual bill for my phone would have been £42 only - and that I am paying £20 for the Nintendo Switch I never wanted and £9.90 for a netflix add-on.

Lack of Transparency and Misleading Contract Process:
There was a complete lack of transparency in the sales process. No itemized list of charges was provided for review. The contract signing was done on a tablet, zoomed in to the signature part making it difficult to properly review the information. Also, a lady employee named Dina who distracted me from reading into the contract and kept talking to me about private subjects. She put the contracts in the shopping bag with the bundle Nintendo Switch and never showed me the part with the add ons.
It was only during a second visit to the store, prompted by concerns about the contract, that I was given access to the contract details.

Inaccurate Information on Follow-Up Visit:
Upon my return to the store to address this issue, Ziar the Senior manager refused to reverse the contract for me.
He said once I left the store with the " bundle" ( the Nintendo switch) I will not be eligible for a refund the bundle anymore although the contract says I have 14 day to cool down and change my mind about the phone contact if needed.
Now I have to pay £480 in 2 years for a Nintendo Switch I never wanted on top of my phone contact of £52.

Urgent Request for Resolution:
This experience has been distressing and misleading. I request an immediate investigation into these practices and a fair resolution. This should include a corrected bill reflecting the initial promised rate, the removal of the unanticipated Nintendo Switch charge, and a formal apology for the stress and inconvenience caused.

I am prepared to take legal action if this matter is not resolved satisfactorily. I hope a senior representative from EE will address this issue promptly.

Yours faithfully,