Vodafone - massive hidden charge ('valid' charge)

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conma293

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#243836 4-Jan-2019 16:20

Hello all,

So I moved rental properties before xmas, naturally I wanted to take fibre with me - I rang vodafone and said can you put fibre in the new place, they said sure, free install. After much messing around (They recommended going VDSL first cos its plug n play and fibre takes a while.... it wasnt plug and play, didnt go, and couldnt arrange to have fibre installed until they fixed the VDSL for some reason, because vodafone) we scheduled the install for 31DEC.

After waiting around all day 31DEC and ringing vodafone 5 times and listening to them blame chorus for a no show, they scheduled for the 2nd. The white fibre wire was already coming out of the wall, the property was all prepped, all they had to do was install the ONT box, took them about 20 minutes.

I then get my vodafone bill and its $400, im like ok this is a mistake, typical. Ring them up and they say its a valid charge because Chorus said so! at no time did vodafone or chorus advise there would be a charge, nor was there a charge for the last place where they actually had to lay wire down through walls - the wire was already here they just hooked up the ONT box.

what would you do in this situation?

im thinking of going slingshot

Linux

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#2154460 4-Jan-2019 16:24

Get the issue sorted the CEO of VodafoneNZ is on Geekzone and is very helpful don't change ISP just cause more issues

@MikeHales @JasonParis

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Andib

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#2154461 4-Jan-2019 16:27

Unfortunately it sounds like the previous tenants took the ONT with them. If this is the case I would recommend talking to your landlord about any possibility of them wearing the cost as this is a valid charge albeit unfortunate you've been stuck with the bill.

The ONT belongs to chorus and should stay affixed to the house when you leave.

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hio77

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#2154462 4-Jan-2019 16:31

Andib:

Unfortunately it sounds like the previous tenants took the ONT with them. If this is the case I would recommend talking to your landlord about any possibility of them wearing the cost as this is a valid charge albeit unfortunate you've been stuck with the bill.

The ONT belongs to chorus and should stay affixed to the house when you leave.

to be fair, if that was the case, i'd expect vodafone to have known fibre was intact and to have just tried to liven the port.

At which stage the missing ONT would have been clear.

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cokemaster

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#2154476 4-Jan-2019 16:38

If I was you, I’d dispute it. The previous account holder should be liable for the removed ONT.

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conma293

9 posts

Wannabe Geek

#2154477 4-Jan-2019 16:38

thanks @Linux, If Vodafone rectifies it I will likely stay because my Asus Router is working now (thanks geekzone!) and I have spent the last 3 weeks going through VDSL troubles to Fibre installs to this, and now its working I would rather it stay working. But this is the last straw in a long line of a (what turned out to be not a very) easy process of moving properties. I shouldve just taken the ONT box with me lol.

I do a lot of work with Vodafone contract guys and they are very onto it, but this is poor and leaves a sour taste in my mouth... Chorus is to blame too I'm sure but not a lot I can do about that, I cant even speak direct to them..

also slingshot is $10 cheaper a month with 2 free months on the initial sooooo yeh.

Behodar

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#2154478 4-Jan-2019 16:43

conma293: I shouldve just taken the ONT box with me lol.

Or, to put it another way, you'd make the new resident of your old place go through the same pain you're going through now.

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Coil

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#2154479 4-Jan-2019 16:43

" https://www.chorus.co.nz/blog/fibre-what-to-do-when-you-move "

They note that people do take the ONT with them as a mistake along with power cables.

This should never be reflected upon the new customers bill.
This is a piece of the Chorus network and not the new customers, more so the customer that just moved in had ZERO ability to retain the old ONT and is 100% not liable for this charge or being denied service if they wont pay for it.

Chorus should take this up with the previous provider and invoice them to then invoice their ex or current customer if they want money for it.

This is not the new home owner/renter's responsibility at all and shocking behavior to pass this to the consumer, most probably those charges would not stand in a court of law given they were applied without consent or advise.

Coil

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#2154482 4-Jan-2019 16:46

conma293:

thanks @Linux, If Vodafone rectifies it I will likely stay because my Router is working now and I have spent the last 3 weeks going through VDSL troubles to Fibre installs to this, and now its working I would rather it stay working. But this is the last straw in a long line of a (what turned out to be not a very) easy process of moving properties. I shouldve just taken the ONT box with me lol.

I do a lot of work with Vodafone contract guys and they are very onto it, but this is poor and leaves a sour taste in my mouth... Chorus is to blame too I'm sure but not a lot I can do about that, I cant even speak direct to them..

Blame the ex tennant or owner. This is a good example of poor communication rather than someones mistake.

conma293:

also slingshot is $10 cheaper a month with 2 free months on the initial sooooo yeh.

Smoke and mirrors, don't fall for it lol. Its all the same in the end.

conma293

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#2154495 4-Jan-2019 17:18

well... The Billing Manager I spoke to at Voda was supposed to get back to me today by 5 about "maybe taking a few dollars off the charge"... :-(

hoping @Linux friends from Voda @MikeHales @JasonParis can help me out

also @Coil, I made it very clear to Voda who I assume relayed to Chorus that the ONT was not here, but the white cable was sticking out of the wall and ready to rock, they knew, said nothing of a charge; why would there be to install an ONT? I certainly didnt get charged $280 at my last place to get fibre in, and they were feeding the cable through walls and stuff...

MadEngineer

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#2154497 4-Jan-2019 17:28

Please tell me the old removed ont gets black listed until the original owner pays up. Mention it to your landlord/rental agency.

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