"Water damage" claims (re: mobile phones)

[thomas]

Well that phone call was a waste of 20 minutes. Won't do anything, unless I want to fork out for a new PAYG phone and they won't upgrade the phone as I've got so long left.

Thanks for nothing. I've emailed trading standards to see if they can give some good advice on what to do next.

I would slag of Tmobile, but I'm sure they're all as bad as each other TBH.

 

[vernon]

FWIW

O2 replace my phone when I was caught in a deluge and my pockets were flooded. I couldn't have got wetter if I was a fish. I was pleasantly surprised by the outcome of my claim.

 

[byegad]

FWIW

O2 replace my phone when I was caught in a deluge and my pockets were flooded. I couldn't have got wetter if I was a fish. I was pleasantly surprised by the outcome of my claim.

Did they cover it as an insurance claim or a goodwill?

In my experience (With Orange as an employee.) if you spend enough they'll goodwill you another phone to keep you.

 

[Night Train]

I've given up worrying about it and always pay the insurance on top of the contract. I just factor it in as a cost of having a phone.

I get through two to three phones per Orange contract period and all, bar one phone, were down to phone software/hardware failure.
The only one that wasn't was when I fell over and the phone protected my hip from the conctrete.
My phones have been Nokia up to about 4 years ago when I switched to Sony Ericsson Walkman/camera phones.

I expect phones to fail as a matter of course, I find them unreliable for the duration of a contract. I always have my last two phones as a back up, one in a drawer and the other on a PAYG.

The most reliable phones I've had are the Nokia 5510 which I got in 98' and is still working for my Mum, and the Nokia 5140, the rubber one. It is bashed to bits and still works.


I don't hold out much hope for your phone or your chances of getting a replacement FOC but I wish you good luck in getting them to see some sense.

 

[vernon]

Did they cover it as an insurance claim or a goodwill?

In my experience (With Orange as an employee.) if you spend enough they'll goodwill you another phone to keep you.

It was replaced as an insurance claim. I made the clainm on the phone they collected the details and told me there and then that I had a successful claim and replaced my phone with and the replacement didn't work so it was replace with something that was considerably better - the first replacement being the last one of that particular model in stock. I couldn't believe my luck.

 

[thomas]

I've given up worrying about it and always pay the insurance on top of the contract. I just factor it in as a cost of having a phone.

I get through two to three phones per Orange contract period and all, bar one phone, were down to phone software/hardware failure.
The only one that wasn't was when I fell over and the phone protected my hip from the conctrete.
My phones have been Nokia up to about 4 years ago when I switched to Sony Ericsson Walkman/camera phones.

I expect phones to fail as a matter of course, I find them unreliable for the duration of a contract. I always have my last two phones as a back up, one in a drawer and the other on a PAYG.

The most reliable phones I've had are the Nokia 5510 which I got in 98' and is still working for my Mum, and the Nokia 5140, the rubber one. It is bashed to bits and still works.


I don't hold out much hope for your phone or your chances of getting a replacement FOC but I wish you good luck in getting them to see some sense.

I think insurance may be the way. I'm looking at some replacements, possibly the HTC Wildfire (within my budget). At Amazon it's £40 for 3 years insurance for everything, so quite cheap.


With t-mobile the insurance added 1/3 of the contract price onto the monthly cost so a lot must go wrong.

 

[Night Train]

With t-mobile the insurance added 1/3 of the contract price onto the monthly cost so a lot must go wrong.

My insurance costs equate to 1/2 to 2/3 of a phone every 12 months so I am doing well so far.

 

[Dan B]

I would slag of Tmobile, but I'm sure they're all as bad as each other TBH.

If you're on twitter, @tmobileukhelp are watching for mentions of their name/brand. May be worth a (necessarily short) rant there

 

[buggi]

Stand your ground if you know you haven't dropped it in water. Tell them its obvious the phone is defective and they are trying to wriggle out of a replacement and you will report them to Ofcom. Don't let some TWUNT on the phone tell you there's nothing they can do, demand to speak to the supervisor. Tell them your credit rating is f&&ked anyway, so you're not afraid to just stop the direct debits and get a pay as you go on another network. Kick up as much fuss as you can, demand the name of the Chief Executive and tell them you're going to write to him and complain. if they still don't do anything, do all of the above.

 

[markg0vbr]

have a go at this.
i was ripped-off for £300, i got my kids to video me riding up and down outside there shop, sent it to the head office pointing out they had £300 worth of advertising, they phoned me! to sort out the problem.
some thing they could not do in the previous 3 months, 15 phone calls and 12 e-mails, amazing what video can do.

 

[Black knight]

Hi

You won't get anywhere with the operator/manufacturer is it's been logged as water damage.

Do you have accidental damage on you home contents insurance? That would cover it.

 

[byegad]

I've had mobile phones since 1997. I had one replacement in that time under insurance when I sat on the phone and damaged the screen. After I've upgraded my phone my wife uses my old one on PAYG. She has had no failure in the same time period. Until recycling of phones became easy we had a drawer full of old phones all in working order.

 

[Fnaar]

I had a replacement on t-mobile (contract phone) a few years back. I dropped the phone, and the screen did that 'rainbow effect' thing. I phoned up and feigned complete innocence, pretended to be a total numpty, and got a replacement (I hadn't insured it). Actually, perhaps they just repaired the screen (or put a new one in...can't remember).

Since then, I have actually dropped 2 phones in the bath/sink, making the indicators go pink... have dried them out in the airing cupboard, and thankfully both returned to working order.

 

[Ghost Donkey]

Yeah, it's changed colour. They showed me.

I have to deal with mobiles for colleages am the person who gets to call the mobile phone company for ordering, warranty repairs etc under our company contract with the phone company. They always ask about the moisture detector strips when I call about warranty repairs and use it as a reason to refuse repairs. I've had handsets where the person using it has told me tthey've dropped it in a drink or water and the sensor at the bottom of the phone wasn't submerged. We get a replacement handset when they take the faulty one away. We've never heard back from them when a liquid damaged phone has been taken away and they must be able to tell at the repair centres. I understand why they have the moisture strips but they shouldn't be used as a final answer, more as an indicator of what the problem might be.

 

[thomas]

If you're on twitter, @tmobileukhelp are watching for mentions of their name/brand. May be worth a (necessarily short) rant there

I had thought that, but what I will probably do is a YouTube video rant at the weekend. That way I can criticise them and you lot can all like it ...then will send them a link on twitter or something.

have a go at this.
i was ripped-off for £300, i got my kids to video me riding up and down outside there shop, sent it to the head office pointing out they had £300 worth of advertising, they phoned me! to sort out the problem.
some thing they could not do in the previous 3 months, 15 phone calls and 12 e-mails, amazing what video can do.

Hah....I must admit great minds think alike. With the video which would go on my cycling youtube channel, I am tempted to do I was thinking about making a banner to put on my back when cycling, saying "Give T-Mobile more room than you give me - They're useless!". That way I can give consumer advice and road safety advice (eg. overtake with loads of room) at the same time....


Also, the handset isn't insured and even if it is I shouldn't have to claim on any insurance policy because of a fault with the phone.