A mum who paid for “useless” mobile phone insurance for two years has won back £720.
Denise Chisholm, 57, a nurse from Tyne and Wear, had been paying around £11 a month for insurance for her daughter’s iPhone.
But when the phone broke, and Ms Chisholm tried to put in a claim, she was told she couldn’t get a replacement.
The company said the particular iPhone phone model was no longer being made, and claimed this meant they couldn’t offer a like-for-like replacement.
Ms Chisholm was also told she couldn’t get the phone fixed. The mum had purchased the mobile insurance in 2017 and tried to make a claim in 2019.
“The phone screen was cracked and the whole device had gone black and needed replacing,” said Ms Chisholm.
Have you won back £1,000s after being mis-sold a product? Let us know: mirror.money.saving@mirror.co.uk
“I was cross. The insurance wasn’t worth the paper it was written on.”
Ms Chisholm put in a complaint to the insurance company and sought legal advice from law firm Barings Law.
Barings Law took a £570 fee from the total amount she was rewarded for a refund and compensation, leaving her with £720.
It is worth noting that you may be able to tackle mis-selling claims yourself without having to pay a law firm.
How to complain about mis-sold products
In the first instance, you should complain directly to the company with as much evidence as possible to back up your case.
You could use free online complaints tool Resolver to help you do this, if you're unsure how to word your grievance.
If this doesn’t result in a solution, you can then escalate this to the free Financial Ombudsman Service.
To get in touch, you need to fill in a form, which you can find on the FOS website or simply complete the online complaint form.
If you'd prefer to talk it through with someone, the FOS can help you do this if you call 0800 023 4567.
It can take three to nine months to get a judgement, and longer for PPI complaints, so keep in mind this can be a lengthy process.
If you’re still not happy with the result, you could then consider taking the company to the small claims court. They will take the Ombudsman decision into account.
There are also fees involved when going to the courts, starting at £25 and rising up to £455, depending on how much you’re trying to claim.
If you don't win, you could end up paying legal fees for the other side - so be sure you have a good case on your hands first before going ahead with an application.
But if you win your case, you should win back your court costs.
You’ll need to be trying to win back £10,000 or less to open a case through the small claims court in England and Wales, or under £5,000 in Scotland or £3,000 in Northern Ireland.
