Moving to a shared apartment with internet as part of a rental contract

[jakac]

Hi,

In just couple of days (30.10.), I am moving to a shared apartment in Berlin where Vodafone internet is provided as part of a rental contract, and because the landlord is an agency and there are other tenants in the apartment, there is no way how can I switch to my existing Vodafone Kabel contract in the apartment.

I am stuck with processing this situation with Vodafone as I don't speak German and Customer Service for Amzug just doesn't speak English.

I filled a form on your website informing about an Umzug and put this information into a note section. All I got was an email from "nicht.antworten@kundenservice.vodafone.com" saying that I can freely continue to use my interet in the new address, I will just have to pay 39.99 EUR as a service fee .... that's not a good customer experience.

It looks like posting this question on this forum is the only way how to solve this issue for non-German speaking customer.

Thanks for your help!

[jakac]

And my question: What is the right process to follow? I guess creating a question on a forum is not the right way how everybody should solve it, right? There will be many like me.

[reneromann]

It does not matter if there is another internet connection already available at your new location - it only matters if the contract can be fulfilled as it is on that location. If this is the case, your contract will move with you - no matter if you then have double contracts (one from your tenant and one on your own), as this does not matter in terms of the regulations from the telecommunications act.

[jakac]

Interesting, it is somehow inconsistent with another answer on this forum: https://forum.vodafone.de/t5/Internet-Telefon-TV-%C3%BCber-Kabel/Moving-to-other-apartment-with-Inte...

@nakroz  schrieb:

Thanks!

• What happens if there is a Vodafone connection in use at the new address which belongs to the tenant who sub-lets the apartment?

Answer: That is a special case - in that case, the contract can be cancelled with the same 3-months period like it would not be available. But you'll therefor need the customer number of that tenant.

[reneromann]

The answer I gave you is what is written inside the telecommunications law.

There are some special rules in case you move to another person that already has a Vodafone contract - but it really has to be a Vodafone contract - like you move together with your partner and only one contract should remain.

I am not completely sure whether this also applies if your landlord has a special "business" contract for multiple appartments -- as he would not be allowed to share a "usual" private contract with multiple people (sub-lenting a private contract). You can try to get his customer number and pass that on to Vodafone - if he won't give you the cusomter number or if this is a special contract for multiple appartments, I doubt that a premature cancellation will take place.

[jakac]

Thank you for your opinion.

Back to my original question: Where/how can I pass the customer number to Vodafone if customer service is German-speaking only?

Thank you

[Thomas]

Hi jakac,

you can tell us about it through the relocation service.

Regards

Thomas

[jakac]

Now I really feel ridiculled by Vodafone. This relocation service is where I started! The only thing I could understand is that they are redirecting me to this forum! And now you are redirecting me back to the relocation service where nobody speaks English.

Is it really truth that the big technology company in 21. century can not find an English speaking person for their English speaking customer in one of the most developed (if not the most developed) country in the world?

[reneromann]

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@jakac  schrieb:

Is it really truth that the big technology company in 21. century can not find an English speaking person for their English speaking customer in one of the most developed (if not the most developed) country in the world?

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Sole official language in Germany is German - English is NOT an official language despite the fact that there are quite many people able to at least understand the basics.

Thus being said, it's the same with your contract - sole contractual language is German - so if you are unable to communicate in German, it's up to you to get a translator - and this has nothing to do with "most developed country in the world". You signed for and agreed into a contract that requires Vodafone only to provide you support in German - so get yourself a translator if you need one. Any other support language is -in accordance with your contract- only provided on a best-effort base, which also includes no support at all.

I also cannot require somebody in one of the "most developed countries in the world" like the US, the UK, France or Italy to speak German to me. Neither will this work in China, South Korea or even Japan (whereas you also have troubles in the latter ones with English - as English isn't by far that widespread over there as some of us may think).

[jakac]

Thank you for your patience with answering my questions. We can now consider this thread as resolved.

Summary for people living in Germany and not speaking German (yet): The solution seems to be getting a translator because some processes in Vodafone, including non-standard moving, can not be handled in English.

Or maybe find an another company to sign your contract with, that's what I would do.