If you have problems with your telephone company and they refuse to resolve the issue you can take them to arbitration through a video conferencing service here in Calasparra.
Some 85% of all consumer problems reported in the region of Murcia in 2011 were connected with telephone companies and the Consumer Advice Service received some 2,536 complaints concerning offers made by mobile companies, access to the net, penalties imposed for changing companies and billing for additional services.
Conflicts between clients and the companies can be resolved by the Junta Arbitral de Consumo (Consumer Arbitration Service) which is accessed through the local Consumer Rights Office here in Calasparra. The sentence of the Junta is binding on both parties.
If the parties cannot resolve their problem by agreement the matter will be considered at an “audience” (a hearing) which can now be attended through video conferencing rather than the parties travelling to Cartagena. This service is available in local municipal areas including Calasparra.
CANCELLING A CONTRACT WITH VODAFONE
A Nexonr reader reports that they recently had reason to cancel their contract with Vodafone. After paying the current month and a month in advance by standing order they cancelled the standing order at their bank for the monthly payments and sent formal notice to Vodafone cancelling the service.
Vodafone continued to send monthly bills despite our readers contacting them in writing and by telephone every month for a year. Finally, Vodafone employed a debt collection agency which began to send threatening letters.
During the next 18 month period our readers attempted to resolve the issue with Vodafone to no avail. The debt collection agency registered the non existent debt as a “bad debt” affecting our readers’ ability to secure credit.
The Consumer Advice Centre in Calle Mayor applied to the arbitration service to resolve the issue. Within three months Vodafone had refunded 100 euros to our readers and cancelled the “bad debt.”
If you need advice from the Consumer Advice Service and you don´t speak Spanish you will need to take an interpreter.
