Vodafone has been double-billing me for my mobile contract for almost a year. How can I get my money back?

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When my husband got an upgrade through his business contract in January he gave me his old mobile. 

I went down to my local Vodafone store and switched from a pay-as-you-go subscription to a new pay monthly contract, costing just over £8 a month.

Since the new contract started, Vodafone has been billing me for two separate contracts - the correct one for £8.07 each month and a subsequent similar amount that seems to vary.

Double-billed: 'Vodafone has been charging me twice for my pay-monthly mobile contract since January'

I have spent hours on the phone to customer services trying to sort this out and stop the payments and been repeatedly told 'we'll ring you back', which often didn't happen. 

After much going back and forth, I was finally told the network had figured out what the issue was and that I would receive a form to complete, requesting a full refund of overpaid debit payments and to cancel this incorrect debit facility. However, it never arrived.

The duplicate direct debit has cost me well over £100 before I finally cancelled my contract altogether in October.

I still have not received any confirmation of the second direct debit being successfully cancelled or had my money back. 

Mrs P. S., Swansea 

A spokesperson for Vodafone, replied: 'When Mrs S transferred from pay-as-you-go to pay monthly, we set up a temporary number as we normally do while we carry out the transfer.

'Unfortunately, when the transfer was completed, we didn’t close the temporary number down so she was charged for two lines. 

'We’re really sorry this happened. We’ve been in touch with Mrs S to apologise and to explain that we have credited the £150.69 that she paid in error and to offer a goodwill credit of £50. She has accepted this offer.'

Emma Gunn, of This is Money, adds: Thankfully the issue has finally been resolved, but it is worth noting for future reference that customers can cancel direct debits themselves simply by contacting their bank or building society.

This may require you to give written confirmation and remember you should always notify the company billing you first.

While handling the matter directly with the mobile network should typically be your first port of call, it is also worth remembering that there are provisions in place that allow you to reclaim any incorrect payments made by direct debit.

Consumers can get their money back thanks to the Direct Debit Guarantee even if they have not attempted to claim the funds back from the billing organisation first. 

This is Money spoke to Bacs, the organisation behind direct debit to find out more.

A spokesperson explained: 'All amounts collected by Direct Debit are protected by the Direct Debit Guarantee, a safeguard offered by all banks and building societies that take part in the scheme.

'The guarantee can be used in the event of a payment amount, date or frequency being changed without Advance Notice, or if an incorrect collection is made. 

In such cases, the customer should contact their bank, which will provide them with a refund. Direct Debits can also be cancelled by the customer at any point.'