Credit check

[AlexPainter]

Im due for an upgrade in 4 days, but i cant upgrade as i havent passed the credit check? Even though i have 2 phones, broadband, and a smartwatch and have been a customer for nearly 3 years, and the new phone would be even cheaper then im paying now... ?

[AnnS]

Hi @AlexPainter 

I suspect what has happened here is you have been failed on a credit check for the device part of the Evo contract.  See here: Evo 

I would recommend getting in contact with the Social Team here: Contact Us they will have the necessary account access and put you in contact with the credit team.

[BandOfBrothers]

It does seem unfair @AlexPainter especially to people who have been with Vodafone for a fair while and have conducted their account properly.

Unfortunately with the new Evo contracts this does include a credit check due to the new phone part of the contract.

We have seen some fairly recent posts on the forum about Credit Checks for the new type of contracts when evo was first introduced.

Unfortunately Vodafone UK are unable to provide a reason as to why a Credit Check has not been successful as their systems only show an acceptance or declined status.
They advise to contact one or more of the Credit Houses, Experian being one, in order to check that nothing wrong has been recorded there.
It doesn't always come down to a credit score problem, or a certain time at the address. As a quick example, it can be due to the amount of incoming to outgoing payments. If a customer has a mortgage and a car and something else on finance, then something else for the kids which is paid monthly, the credit check is ran to see if the customer can pay the finance (monthly cost) based on other payments per month. 
To add even a clear Credit File with good Credit Score does not guarantee acceptance. It's also good practice to let 90 days elapse before making another application in order to let the Credit Score recover.
Vodafone's help page is https://www.vodafone.co.uk/privacy/credit-checks

[Dan10009754]

If you failed the credit check ask upgrades to speak to the credit team hopefully they will be able to help but because the evo plans are classified as a loan they basically lending you the money so that’s why credit check are done hopefully they change it soon for upgrades but in till that happens you stuck 

[WelshPaul]

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@Dan10009754 wrote:

ask upgrades to speak to the credit team hopefully they will be able to help

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They won't be able to help...

When an individual fails a credit check, people tend to assume the worst and point fingers and say "pay your bills"!

Truth is, you can fail a credit check for various reason... Non payment, CCJ or it could just be that the company running the credit check thinks you have to much credit already! After all, each company has their own criteria that must be met in order to pass a credit check. e.g. you can pass a credit check for a £20'000 loan with a loan company and yet fail a credit check for a £5.00 SIM only deal with a mobile network all in the same day. 

[simax]

See - this is the silly thing. The reasoning is that there is now a loan involved. But beforehand the handset was subsidised by the network and incorporated into the total line rental price… it was still technically a loan built in to the plan. I think this is where the logic trips up….. O2 don’t hard check their upgrading customers so maybe Vodafone will review their strategy when people start leaving..?

[chistery]

Isn't Vodafone using Paypal to finance the loan? What does O2 do?

[hrym]

I would suggest contacting the Social Media team on Facebook or Twitter and asking them to escalate to Credit File Support.   Credit checks can fail for spurious reasons (mis-spelled names or mismatching address layouts, or a simple link failure) and they'll be able to see this.   If it's something substantive, they won't tell you what it is, but you can then investiagte with one of the credit reference agencies.   You might find an incorrect marker from somewhere else, or an genuine problem you didn't know about.

[Jambo1872]

I don’t understand why Vodafone have went down this route. Its bad for customers. Unless they’re trying to further limit risk after having too many people take off with handsets?

On credit reports a new search looks like customers are applying for more credit than they currently have. In reality my monthly price has actually reduced but I was subject to a full hard credit search. I’ve ben with Voda since I was 18 and have never missed a payment. 

[Ramasesuk]

Same here been with vodafone for 7 or 8 years went to upgrade today and failed the credit check. The guy said about me cancelling my contract at a cost of £125 but didn't  see any sense, i think he wanted me to sign up to a sim only deal or something