Tesco cleared of mis-selling over landline deal
Problems with Tesco’s landline service in the UK led to customers being moved across from other firms without agreeing to the switch, Ofcom said today.
The regulator found “operational flaws” in the way Tesco Telecoms organised transfers of customers from rival services to its Homephone deal.
This sparked a large number of transfer cancellations and complaints about Tesco Telecoms earlier this year.
But Ofcom found no evidence of the firm or its agents being involved in “systematic or widespread mis-selling” of phone services to consumers.
The telecoms regulator launched an investigation into the complaints and transfer cancellations earlier this year.
Some customers complained they had been mis-sold Tesco Telecoms’ fixed-line service.
Others alleged the firm failed to cancel orders on request, which in some cases forced them to contact their existing phone company to prevent the switch to Tesco.
Since its investigation was launched, Ofcom has seen a sharp decline in both the transfer cancellations and complaints about Tesco Telecoms.
“Ofcom therefore considers that the steps taken by Tesco to resolve its operational problems appear to be working effectively, reducing the likelihood of further harm to consumers as a result,” the regulator said in a statement.
Ofcom has now closed its investigation into Tesco Telecoms.
It will monitor the firm for the next six months to make sure it keeps up the improvements.
Ofcom is asking householders who think they were mis-sold Tesco’s landline service to register their complaints via the regulator’s website.
