How do people normally receive bills?

[Emmah21]

Hi everyone 

I wanted to find out from the vodafone community how customers normally receive their monthly bills for broadband? I ask because I never received a single bill either by post, email or text reminder and then one day received a letter from a debt collector as vodafone cancelled my account and handed my details to a debt collectors and credit reference agency without ever sending me a single bill?!? I raised a complaint and was told my account was "self managed" so apparently I should have known I needed to download their app...! They have messed up my credit score for 6 years, but offered me some minimal financial compensation on the basis I don't take things further..which sounds awfully dodgy...! Either I deserve compensation and the credit marker being removed from my name or not. But they won't remove the credit marker. As I only joined vodafone a few months ago I wanted to know what is normally vodafone billing practice? If you have had similar experiences please post here too as I am trying to understand if this is a broader problem that needs exposure. Thanks! Emma 

[Anonymous]

At the start of the service, I received an information pack, a part of which included information about the online/app billing & management.

It is a bit rich though, that your first contact about unpaid bills came from debt collectors - I'm pretty sure that's not the way it's supposed to work!

[Emmah21]

Thank you, I hadn't been with them before and I expected to receive my bills by post or email. When I didn't I naively assumed I must have set up a direct debit as part of my switch from my provider. Oh how wrong I was...! Vodafone has offered me some financial compensation but only if I don't take the case to the ombudsman which feels a bit underhanded. Surely if they are offering compensation that's an acknowledgement they messed up but then why won't they agree to take my credit marker off?! I really hope the ombudsman can help as this is outrageous. Can anyone help?

[Jayach]

It does sound like you need to go to the ombudsman, the fact Vodafone are trying to avoid it says they know they are in the wrong.

Assuming this is for a broadband account, I set up a direct debit when I joined and they send me an email shortly before the DD is taken. As I never do anything that would add to my standard charge it is the same every month, so all is good with me.

Hope you can get this resolved to your satisfaction without too much stress. To have reached this stage so quickly, without them contacting you direct, is appalling.

[Emmah21]

Thank you! That's helpful. I don't think I set up a direct debit at the time. To be honest I have so many different utilities bills coming out my account each month I didn't notice and my service continued uninterrupted. The only email they sent me since joining was a link to a customer satisfaction survey, so they def had all my contact details. The fact that I supposedly should have known to download their app to receive my bills makes me worry about vulnerable older people or people who are less tech literate and who this could also happen to. I thought the company was responsible for invoicing by law, I don't understand how they can pin that on the consumer to go hunting for bills unless they have a direct debit set up. I also asked about receiving paper bills but was told they "don't offer that service". I looked online and they actually do offer it but they also charge extra for it. So they are basically obliging you to go paperless!

I found out Vodafone  have technically disconnected my broadband and cancelled my account but my broadband continues working somehow. And they also won't let me out of my contract early! I really don't fancy another two years of them or trust them after this experience, but I am locked into my contract unless I pay a termination fee. It's really crazy how much power these companies have and how they think it's better to take action to cancel an account, refer to debt collectors and credit reference agencies all before sending a letter out. The mind boggles! If anyone knows a good solicitor let me know! 

[Jayach]

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@Emmah21 wrote:

The fact that I supposedly should have known to download their app to receive my bills makes me worry about vulnerable older people or people who are less tech literate and who this could also happen to. 

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I do not use their app, just the webpage. I don't remember having a choice when I signed up, part of the signup was to ask for bank details and a DD mandate, which is what I expected so had no problems.

I suggest you raise a complaint and see if they can help you sort it out.

Complaints Code of Practice | Vodafone

[Amanda]

Hello @Emmah21 - I can understand your concern about this. 

All our accounts (whether they're Home Broadband, Pay Monthly or 30 day SIM packages) are account managed via the My Vodafone app or online. This is set out in your terms and conditions when you take out your order, either confirmed verbally and via email if you do it over the phone or email and part of the online step by step journey if you do it online - with online orders you have to click the terms and conditions button before you proceed to confirm you've read this. 

Then each month your bill is available to view online and you're also able to download a PDF version if needed. 

As @Jayach has mentioned, all new accounts have to be set up with a Direct Debit - from our side an agent isn't able to place an order without this being done and the online order process will also request details to do this. The only way around this is if you already have an account with us, and if this was the case your home broadband bill would be merged with your existing bills. 

If an account does unfortunately become overdue, the collections path would be started, this includes letters to the home address and/or emails to your registered details. 

We'll really need to take a look at your account to see what's happened here - please come and chat to my team over on social media - I'd love to get everything sorted for you. 

[HSS1234]

Hi Emmah21
Interesting post. I have had the same issue too so seems to be a pattern here.
Would be good to have a chat with you. Not sure if you are still active on this forum?
Thanks

[V1F]

Obviously, people should pay their bills. It's their responsibility. Direct debit is there to help people too.

Vodafone should email a bill too. I get a text off them but that may be due to me having a mobile phone contract.

As for the ombudsman make sure you get all your facts together, I personally would go to the ombudsman with this case because it could make Vodafone get that default removed prior to a finding. I had a similar thing happen with BT during the height of COVID over £2.63 and they did remove the default (I only knew of a problem when I started getting an avalanche of debt letters). In my case I got a final bill which was paid but for some reason it never showed on the account and they never asked for it again.

The ombudsman may not be able to do that as Vodafone are technically in the right here and I fear that's how they may find the case.