SuzyJ

Unfortunately after moving to Sardinia in February, my (English) boyfriend and I have split up and we've moved back to the UK. We're going back to our rental flat in Sardinia tomorrow in order to tie up some loose ends.

I think we're going to be ok getting out of our rental contract for the flat, but I'm wondering about the vodafone broadband dongle contract, which was for 2 years at €40 a month (we have 18 months left on it!). We're going to have to get out of it somehow, but I'm loathe to have to completely pay it off in full. We're going to have to close the Italian bank account so I can't see any other way out of it. To be honest, the thing doesn't work very well, overheating and going really slowly which tempts me to say to them that they've already broken their contract with us, but I'm worried that they'll say they'll just send it off for repair.

Does anyone have any experience with this kind of thing or ideas? please help!

Lorna at Vicenza

Hi,

have you got a written contract with them and if you still have the paperwork does it say anything about "recessione del contratto" or "cessione del contratto" or "rescindere".

Most Italian paperwork for contracts like these have very little about how to cancel and then they have a teeny weeny tiny phrase that says something totally Italian like "failure to comunicate cancellation of contract by registered letter at least 60 days before the termination of the contract means that the contract will be silently renewed for another 24 months."

That's a very bad translation but I have seen and heard of this "rinnovo taciturno" one hundred times.

Okay - that's going off key a bit - but if you have a contract it should also say how to get out of it. It could well also say that getting out of the contract early means paying a 'fine'.

If you find anything on the contract and need help with it - just post again.

SuzyJ

So we could end up being charged a fine on top of the rest of the contract?! Oh dear. Unfortunately the contract is currently in the flat in Sardinia so I'll have a proper look on Thursday. I'd say I'd be happy for the contract to just run the 24 months, but I'll have to try and convince them to transfer it to my UK credit card, which they wouldn't do originally at all. There's no way I can keep the Italian account open, as it was dependent on us getting residency and we never did.

Lorna at Vicenza

If you cancel and pay the fine for cancelling before the time is up - then in theory you should not also be charged the rest of the contract monthly payments.

The trick in Italy is to see how much the fine is for cancelling early and also work out how much you'd still have to pay if you left it open until the end. THEN work out which is the cheaper option.

The difference sometimes might only be a few Euro. Either way - they usually gain and you do not.

If they insist they will not transfer anything to a UK credit card, I'd try and call their bluff. Just say okay - I've told you and told you that my Italian bank account will not exist from .........date - you don't want my English one - have it your way !!! Try and get money from a non existant Italian bank account and good luck to you !

SuzyJ

Fantastic thanks Lorna. This is really helpful - I agree, surely if I tell them about the bank account closing they'll have to put it on my credit card! really there's no reason why they shouldn't, it's mastercard and accepted in all other shops.

Well fingers crossed for me!

Lorna at Vicenza

I get so sick of the "this is your only option" sometimes when you are actually giving them about 5 different ways of getting paid.

"no - mi dispiace - sorry - we only do it this way."

I'd be more than tempted to say "okay - keep those bank details- that's the way YOU want it " - only I know that they will be invalid in a month's time.

It's such a contradiction sometimes .... some companies are so scared of getting ripped off that they won't listen or compromise or accept another form of payment. Sod you then !

37100

If the dongles yours, just tell vodafone and close your bank account. There's not much they can do. The penalty used to be 2mnths payment if you want to be honest.

SuzyJ

That would be fine... I am wrong to be nervous about them trying to send baliffs round to get payment if they try and get it from the closed account?!?

37100

Where? To the u.k. No chance. Besides, if your account was dependent on residency it has to be closed, but read your contract I'm sure it's approx 2mnths for cancellation.

Lorna at Vicenza

Not sure the italians would go to so much trouble for so little !

TestaRossa

I've had something similar with TIM - I closed my cc account and this was the only thing going off it regularly - they will send a bill every 3 months until termination of the contract which I will pay at the PO here - if you get a mail redirect I'm sure you could send payment from the UK somehow.. Most follow the same pattern so I would be surprised if vodaphone were any different.

debra

I had a similar thing with Sky the other week they told may I had to pay for it for another year, which was a joke as we have already it had 3 years!! Anyhow got a friend to phone them and explained that we were returning to the UK and it would be impossible to pay the bills, they eventually agreed to cancel the contract with the 30 day notice.

SuzyJ

Ok all great suggestions! I've coerced a friend into helping me at Vodafone so I'm hoping that it'll all be fine. After all, there's nothing I can do about it, and it's not like I'm switching to some competitor.

37100

Every used the mail redirect service here Testarossa.

TestaRossa

No....are you suggesting it is less than perfect?!