How to complain if you've been misled by your mobile provider

Request phone recordings

The Data Protection Act (GDPR) 2018 gives you the right to request copies of any recorded telephone conversations you had with your mobile phone provider. 

You should do this in order to gather some supporting evidence for your mis-selling claim.

Report your provider to Ofcom

If you think you've been misled by your mobile provider, you should report the matter to Ofcom as well as your local trading standards department. 

Your mobile phone provider may have carried out an unfair commercial practice and be in breach of the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations. 

Under these regulations, you have the right to undo a contract and receive a refund, the right to a discount and an entitlement to seek damages if you can show that a misleading action was a significant factor for you entering the contract.  

If you've bought your mobile phone or mobile contract directly from a service provider (such as BT or Vodafone), contact the provider and complain that you've been mis-sold your mobile contract. 

If you're unable to resolve your problem by complaining to your provider, contact the Communications Ombudsman or Cisas.

From January 2025, Ofcom rules will require phone service providers to tell customers at the point of sale about any price rises included in their contract, including the exact amount.

Keep records

Complaining to third-party mobile retailers about mis-sold mobile contracts can be tricky, as you may have to threaten to take the retailer to court on the basis that the service they're providing is not as described under Consumer Rights Act 2015.

However, in order to be successful in court you may need to prove that you were promised a different mobile deal to what was delivered - so keep careful records of all phone conversations.

Get promises in writing

It's very common for third-party retailers to call customers around the time they're due a mobile phone upgrade in an attempt to drum up business. 

If you receive such a call, be very careful to clarify what the mobile retailer is offering and ask it to send you written details of the mobile deal before agreeing to anything.