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Defaulted Vodafone account on my credit file

marekk
2: Seeker
2: Seeker

Hi,

 

I have recently applied for a mortgage and to my surprise the application was declined. Reason - credit check fail. The thing is that I have never missed a payment on anything and so my financial adviser told me to get my credit report from experian and find out what is causing the issue. What I discovered is that Vodafone recorded a default on my account that I believed has been closed in November 2012 (the default is for huge £14). The contract has run out at that time and so I contacted Vodafone and told them to close the account and that I'll be moving my number to O2 and so I did. As far as I was concerned my Vodafone account was settled. Vodafone never contacted my about the £14. If they did I would have paid it. Even if the payment was to be one month late it would not damage my credit profile. Is it even legal to default my account without some sort of communication to let me know? 

Straight after I got my credit report I called Vodafone and paid the £14 over the phone. (the account will soon show as settled but the default will stay) I asked them if I can get the default removed from my credit file and they couldn't tell me so they asked me to wait and that they will be in touch within 5 days. Yeah right... I called them again after 5 days and asked them to remove the default. I was told that it cannot be done because I did not pay my bill for 10 months. I was furious after the phone call. How can I pay for a bill that I dont know even existed?

 

I would really appriciate some help with this matter. I know that some people have been successful with getting the default removed.

 

 

459 REPLIES 459

Thank you Gareth,

I have just called this number 5 times this morning and got hung up on? Is there another number? Im not sure they can help on the domestic number as mine was business? 

Hello, 

 

@carlah22, I've sent you a private message with details on how our team can get this looked into for you. 

 

@mhairi123, have you heard from our team after following the guidance from @Retired-LouiseE?

 

Regards, 

 

Sarah

johnmccaffery
2: Seeker
2: Seeker
Hello same has happened to me and this stinks after having vodafone contracts for years ,they have really screwed me over so much so that I'm looking at selling our lover house and renting because the black mark against my credit isn't letting me renew my mortgage .
I cancelled 2 lines payed the last bill and canncels my direct debit , one phone went off aa planned the other stayed on I rang 5 plus times to get it turned of it eventually went off (I did use it a few times and received calls I hold my hands up to that)
And that was that it went of ..
.until I applied for a store card and was refused to my surprise because I've looked after my credit history .joined experia vodafone red marks all over and my score was as bad as you could get I rang vodafone 10 plus times getting cut off getting bounced around switchboard I eventually found a helpful lady who said I owed £30 from using my handset (that should of been switched off like my other line).
It came out that I hadn't payed this money she claimed I was sent a email but scrolling back through there had been no email sent maybe in my spam account but that deletes it's self weekly . I payed what I owed .
But these black marks are on my credit history still I've rang and rang and explained that I was never aware about a final bill for them not switching phone on at correct point .
I eventually got through to a call center were the person was great and said she'd try to get these marks reversed as no bill had been sent to me. I very much doubt it'll happen I have no faith in vodafone customer services it is organised chaos

Hello approx 14 month ago i cancelled 2 VF lines after my contract was up and cancelled standing order after last payment was taken out .
One handset went off as planned the other a couple of days after contacting vodafone several times that it should be off.
That was that ..or at least I thought
Had a credit check bounce when applying for store card so I joined experian. .red vodafone marks all over it .
Days getting cut of and bounced around switchboard I finally found someone helpful and she made me aware that I owed 29 pound for usage (which was made after planned termination date ).I RECEIVED NO BILL NO EMAIL THAT I'M AWARE OF SO I COULDN'T POSSIBLY KNOW I OWED THIS MONEY.
I huffed and puffed and payed it this line should of been cut off Now these default payment mark is against me for 6 month this is crazy that a bill I wasn't aware of is stopping me getting any credit or a mortgage which is ruining my life and my family relationship.
Through out this saga I've had 2 helpful people at overseas call centers may I add and had 30+ poor people employees who didn't want to listen .

drey_p
16: Advanced member
16: Advanced member

@johnmccaffery wrote:
I cancelled 2 lines payed the last bill and canncels my direct debit 

At the time you cancelled your direct debit, had you received a bill with a zero balance?  If not, it's never a good idea to cancel the direct debit as if there is any money outstanding, it can result in a default as you've found out. 

 

You need to call up and specifically ask to speak to the credit file support team.  They are the team responsible for dealing with defaults and should be able to help you.

PWIAC

nnszabolcs
2: Seeker
2: Seeker

I have a similar problem now with vodafone and i don't know how to contact them as if i am trying to be in touch with them on the phone, they just refusing to help me or they can't even help me saying they can no do anything for me. 

 

The story is a bit longer in my case as i made a phone contract with vodafone, then after a few months i changed my mind and i wanted to cancel my contract. i was in about to log-in and pay my outstanding balance and cancel the contract but i couldn't log-in as the system hasn't recognise my phone number my email, anything. like when they delete you from they're database. Than a few days later i received a letter that i have a big amount to pay around 500 pounds which is the cancelation fee,etc.etc.. obviously i couldn't pay it online as i couldn't log-in, the online supporter sayd they can't find my account, when i phoned them up it was the same situation they couldnt find my account.

 

After a few weeks i received a letter from a debt collection company, and i think when they passed this debt they canceled or closed my account on they're side thats why they couldnt find me, but i didn't had any communication from them, no leters, no email no phone calls to notify me about the payment, or bills. So how can i pay and close the account when they are not asking for the money? and they dont even have me on theyre system?

 

Anyways, i decided to pay this money to the debt collection company, they adviced me to pay in monthly rates of £64 pounds as it is easier for me, and they are happy with this solution, all i said is ok but i need monthly reminder and bills on my email to pay this in. I started paying it, i made 3 payments, than the company called COLLECT DIRECT UK (CD UK) collectd.co.uk stopped every communication with me, and i saw there is a defaulted account in my credit profile. I emailed them stragith away asking what's going on, and where can i pay, but no success and no reply. ( this was more than a year ago ), i didn't knew what to do but a few weeks later a company called LOWELL called me about the same debt collection query, on the first moment i thought it's a scam fake call and someone is trying to make a fraud on me, than i found out that the previous company is closed and LOWEL bought my profile, so i made all this payment in one instalment to clear my debt. But my default on my account is still there and they told me they can't do anything as it was marked by VODAFONE,

Now, more than a year later i was applying for a morgage and i was declined straight away because this default on my credit profile. so i decided to fight agains it as it wasnt fair and it wasnt my fault.

 

Please if anyone knows how to proceed, please let me know.

 

Thanks,

 

 

kids
Community Champion (Retired)
Community Champion (Retired)

@nnszabolcs Call and ask to speak to the Credit File Support Team, they are the only people that can assist you.

 

The fact that this was a genuine debt will make it impossible to remove from your credit file unless Vodafone acknowledge it was an error in their system that caused you to be unable to pay the amount.

 

Also the fact that you did start to repay the amount but in instalments is another problem as a payment plan is enough to justify a default marker on your file.

Thanks for your reply,

Well at least i admit that it was my fault as well because i didn't act on the same moment once i received the first bill, however it was definitely they're fault and it is not fair to mark as a default, because this means you refused to pay which is not true. 

 

It was they're system error and no one managed to help me back in the time, even if i called them they couldn't found my account. so how could i pay then?

Hello @nnszabolcs

 

I am going to send you a Private Message with further help on this. 

 

Louise

gareth4wave
4: Newbie
They will play you all day long, they really are the worst company around!! Good luck to you. They have a new co now so let's hope he knows what he's doing.