Hi,
Hoping someone can help me, either they had the same/similar issues or can point me in the right direction for next steps:
CONTEXT:
In Feb 2024, my phone got stolen; before that the contract had been in my mum's name despite me paying for it. This was a contract I've had since I was a child, and we don't live in the same city. We used this chance to also do a change of ownership. it took a ridiculous amount of time but I thought we did it all successfully. Got a letter confirming everything, with my name etc.
August 2024- I log into the app for the first time since this change, due to EE 'blocking payments' which they have no right to do. The app doesn't let me see my bills, or any info, and to my surprise still has my mum's name and birthday. my mum is no longer an EE customer since the change of ownership.
12th august: first contact with customer service, absolutely shambolic behaviour, with different things being told to me, often conflicting about the issues. Adamant EE didn't block any bills (no one has been able to answer this still).
Weeks of frustrating phone calls, failed call backs etc, all trying to get my account sorted and my mum's personal details off their records, as they shouldn't have it anymore, and my account should have been updated correctly. Turns out many things in the set up were done incorrectly- email address, birthdates etc.
20th August: a tech team member makes me a new account with a new email address. Nothing happens with this, and it's not connected to my EE account or my new device.
1st September: get a call from a tech guy, who tells me that within 5 working days everything should be resolved. I log into the app on his request, and note my name is updated (not my mum's name) but birthday is incorrect. It's not my mum's birthday, it's mine, but the birth year is wrong. He sends me to executive complaints, who update my birthdate apparently.
Throughout September:
I made a privacy request to get all call recordings for August, and made the request of Lee (the man handling my exec complaint) to include September, I keep highlighting to him I receive no notification of the second September request and he is adamant it has occurred. I receive the call recordings- only the first half of August, and the notes also don't show any updates. It shows me the requests and any changes made. He did not make the request.
He ignores my emails and my requests to get everything in writing, because at this point many promises are made over the phone, and many conflicting stories/information about what is wrong with my account.
I call the Exec Complaints phone number a few times to try and get hold of him- any time I do he is rude, dismissive, and not giving me any actual responses to my legitimate questions. He keeps trying to tell me I've been compensated (I got money back in August for the failure in setting up/doing the change of ownerships properly, and the second time by a team lead for multiple failed call backs that were, and I have the call recordings to prove this was said, 'guaranteed' to happen.) I never asked for compensation from him. Just to be able to access my account, billings, be able to get add ons, and check that my device is also set up correctly considering my previous was stolen....
Lee tells me if I keep checking in, he will refer me to the ombudsman. okay... but every time I don't check in, there is silence and nothing moves forward. When I send an email, if I am lucky he responds that he's 'chased'. So, what am I to do when the man handling my complaints only does so when I nudge? He also tells me the ombudsman would never side with me multiple times to try and scare me off.
27th September: Lee informs me that while my birthday was updated on the 1st September in my 'account', it wasn't for the website/app, and thus any way to 'merge' accounts (Idk what accounts they're talking about and no one has been able to tell me), has always 'failed'. He tells me the request to update my birthday has now been made. A whopping 26 days after signposting EE's typo (another one!!!). Now I am getting the silent treatment and no responses on my queries... still can't access any of my information, and my personal information is correct.
To top it all off: on the app and website, the account looks closed- it says I will be receiving a final bill. Billings have confirmed this isn't the case, and they'll keep taking my money... But what on earth???
Furthermore, when I called exc complaints and not been able tog et through to Lee, I asked about how to complain about his conduct also,. I can't, without discussing it with him first. Funny thing is, I did, and he told me I couldn't. Two of his colleagues told me I can discuss with his manager but Lee has to be the one to pass it along- of course, this isn't in his interest so naturally he would lie and tell me I can't complain about him too. When I said how circuitous this was to his colleagues, they told me there was no other option other than Lee to escalate the complaint, that would include him, to a manager. So I'm stuck- no responses, no timelines, no access, anxious and feeling let down.
I've been with EE for over 17 years.
What can I do? How do I get answers I need? How can I make sure things move forward and what do I do about the failures at every juncture, from misleading information from Agents, to failures in adequately protecting privacy, to gdpr failures in terms of m personal data and the fact that I cannot do ANYTHING with my account except use my phone to make calls and texts/access 5g (if I ever get signal.. but that's a whole other matter.). Should I keep calling even if I get referred to the ombudsman? Should I refer myself? Ultimately... I just want a proper apology and taking of accountability, and access to my online accounts so I can manage.
I can't leave my contract early as it would cost approx. £800........ I will 100% not be renewing though. The last 2 months have been hell because of the weird systems and processes, terrible customer service, and just outright rudeness and mean spirit-ness of almost everyone I have spoken to. It's literally an issue they caused, and I'm being treated like it is somehow my fault... and they don't seem to understand how hard it is to be left in the dark, with no access to my account; unable to say, obtain an ESIM, or check my contract parameters and so on. Really horrible.
I feel so lost, and stuck. I first raised the app issue on the 12th August, it is not 7th October, so we're almost hitting the 8 week mark.
Has anyone been in similar situations? How was it resolved? How long did it take?
