returning an unused top up due to faulty phone

[Anonymous]

I had bought a £50 top up specifically to use with a pay as you go mobile I bought on the advice of the shop assistant and when the phone didn't work I tried to return it but they refUsed to take back and refund me the top up

[jonsie]

Simple solution....sell the top up voucher for £xx

[Anonymous]

Yes I bought the phone and top up at the same time and I specifically stated the purpose I wanted the phone for. I was going on holiday to the States and didn't want to take my contract phone and run up a huge bill

[MI5]

So what was the problem with it?

[jonsie]

So there was aproblem with the phone. Did you not want an exchange or a different phone?

[Anonymous]

I did not need it. I only wanted a cheap phone that would work whilst I was over in the States on holiday because I did not want to take my contract phone and run up a huge bill but when the phone wouldn't work I took it back and asked for a refund because it was not what I asked for

[Bambino]

So was the phone actually faulty, or was it just not a compatible phone for US networks?

Why didn't you just remove your sim from your contract phone and use a Pay & Go sim in it instead of buying another phone?

[Cleoriff]

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@Bambino wrote:

So was the phone actually faulty, or was it just not a compatible phone for US networks?

Why didn't you just remove your sim from your contract phone and use a Pay & Go sim in it instead of buying another phone?

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Good call @Bambino

[jonsie]

That would have been the best and easiest option for sure.

[Curr946]

It really is simple, if the phone was faulty then they would have replaced it. The fact you decided not to accept a replacement is on you. This in itself doesn't void the top up voucher so they don't have to refund this.

A top up voucher in theory could be faulty (if code under the scratch panel didn't work etc). And IIRC a top up voucher is governed by the same rules as gift cards, and therefore not for eligible for refunds.

[Anonymous]

We issue top up vouchers where I work and on the receipt there is a barcode which allows you to take the receipt to the Customer service desk if there is any issue with the redemption of the top up.  The fact you just didn't want the phone unfortunately doesn't affect the top up voucher as it clearly is operational.

If the phone is proven faulty then it would be replaceable with your receipt given the fault is reasonable etc. From reading what you've written, it appears you purchased an o2 phone which isn't compatible with the network you wanted to use in the states.

If I purchased a mobile from the Vodafone store for example with the intention of using an o2 sim card in it, this wouldn't render it faulty..... just incompatible which is totally different.

I know it's not what you'd want to hear but unfortunately you are not within your rights to return your device as it would be known the device was o2 locked.... using your contract phone with a PAYG sim as already mentioned would have been a more viable option