Questionable Vodafone Conduct

[tickmatrix]

28th Jan 2021 around 2pm a very rude lady from a debt collection agency apparently representing vodafone banged on my neighbours door demanding her details. With a young baby she was very frightened and was told she was tracking down an old vodafone debt belonging to someone who once lived there. She then walked up and down the street recording all our car registration numbers. Who does she think she is, the Gestapo?

Clearly ignoring any lockdown rules, is this acceptable behaviour on behalf of Vodafone???  

I would appreciate your response before moving this to social media.

[tickmatrix]

28th Jan 2021 around 2pm a very rude lady from a debt collection agency apparently representing vodafone banged on my neighbours door demanding her details. With a young baby she was very frightened and was told she was tracking down an old vodafone debt belonging to someone who once lived there. She then walked up and down the street recording all our car registration numbers. Who does she think she is, the Gestapo?

Clearly ignoring any lockdown rules, is this acceptable behaviour on behalf of Vodafone???  

I would appreciate your response before moving this to social media.

[BandOfBrothers]

My belief is that no-one should feel alarm or distress no matter what the situation.

If Vodafone have sold a debt to a debt collection agency then they no longer have any responsibility for it.

It is in my opinion the responsibility of the debt collection agency and it's staff to conduct themselves in an appropriate and professional manner to carry out their duties to collect on the debt.

May I assume you've brought this to the attention of said debt collection agencies customer services team or has the actual neighbour that this involves ?

The debt collection agency will have a code of practice.

I hope your neighbour is OK.

[tickmatrix]

thank you for your response.

Our neighbour was shaken but she's ok. A very scary, intimidating lady, I certainly would want her saying she was representing my company????

I was hoping vodadfone could forward this to the debt collection agency and get her stopped? Unfortunately we didn't get her details but she clearly had no hesitation in saying she was acting on behalf of vodafone.

[AnnS]

Hi @tickmatrix 

Your neighbour can report abuse here: CSA 

Debt collectors have to be persistent but that is totally unacceptable.

[tickmatrix]

thank you I'll forward this link

[tickmatrix]

https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.csa-uk.com/resource/resmgr/docs/general/safeguarding_and_prevent_pol.pdf

also sent to our local MP but I was really hoping for some support from vodadfone to help identify which debt companies they deal with?

[AnnS]

Hi @tickmatrix 

Quite agree.

Give your neighbour the link to speak directly to the Social Team here :Contact Us 

Alternatively, she can follow the complaints process here: Complaints 

[BandOfBrothers]

Going from what you've already written @tickmatrix 

" and was told she was tracking down an old vodafone debt belonging to someone who once lived there ”

I think the issue is going to be that this isn't your neighbours debt so no information can be given by Vodafone or the debt collection agencies as they'd be breaching privacy rules @AnnS 

They should accept the neighbours information once proved they are not the person's they are tracking down and move on.

[AnnS]

Agreed @BandOfBrothers 

Also Vodafone use several agencies it would be difficult to know which one was used.