Credit file ruined because of Vodafone

[randerson14]

When I was 27 I opened a phone contract for my ex boyfriend (2 year contract) and allowed him to be a primary contact on the account (big mistake)

We broke up shortly after and I made a note that the contract was due to end in March 2020. I went into a Vodafone store in Covent Garden in March 2020 and asked them to confirm the contract had ended and there was nothing active in my name on their records. They couldn’t find any account with my details attached so I walked away knowing the account was closed and the contract had ended (which my ex boyfriend had also told me)

Two years later I applied for a mortgage to buy my first property. The mortgage advisor came back with my credit file telling me I had a default of £2000 with Vodafone under my name. My ex boyfriend hadn’t paid any bills and the charges had increased over time. A default is active on your credit file for 6 years and cannot be removed, significantly impacting your chances of financial security.

Whilst it was of course a huge learning curve for me and I’m writing this in the hope that others take heed of my mistake, Vodafone could not have been more unhelpful.

On discovering this information, I was hysterical. I have a perfect credit file with no missed payments and was desperately trying to speak to someone to understand what had happened. Customer services couldn’t even find the account. My ex boyfriend had changed all the information on it including address, email address and contact phone number. I had never seen a bill or received any warning of a default. 

When they finally found the account in question I was told I had to pay the amount in full before being able to speak to the credit impact team in the hope of having the default removed.

I paid the amount in full in under 2 months of discovering the default (I’m not the sort of person who has a spare £2000 lying around so this was difficult) 

I was then transferred to Sue in the credit impact team to discuss having the default removed. I asked why on earth the only dialogue you had was with a man when you were adding a default to a woman’s credit file - shouldn’t you hear a woman’s voice if you are adding it to a woman’s credit file? My ex boyfriend had accepted the default and arranged a pathetic repayment plan with debt collectors; all without my knowledge.

Sue also told me that I could’ve looked at my credit file at any time to see what had happened (why would I look at something like that when I know I have good credit and had no reason to? This information was also not available with my bank or Experian who I regularly checked with)

I now am financially impacted for 6 years with little chance to secure a mortgage (my application was declined upon discovery of this default) or having any other financial opportunities for the next 6 years.

Sue told me that she’d lose her job and that it’s her duty to report a person’s credit (when I begged for the default to be removed) - this is in no way a reflection of my credit so really you are not doing your job properly in any way, shape or form.

I am disgusted with Vodafone. If I had visibility or knowledge of the missed payments or the account, my life would be completely different now. I have lost weight and hair due to the stress of trying to find the money to pay for a phone bill which had nothing to do with me. Not to mention not being able to secure a mortgage to buy my first house.

Of course this is my ex boyfriends fault and I will never forgive him but I paid the full amount within 2 months of finding out about it in the hope they would give me a chance and remove it from my credit file. I take full responsibility for the fact I allowed Vodafone to communicate with him but I believe when you are about to impact someone’s life for 6 years, you should check you are speaking to the right gender on the phone.

[randerson14]

Vodafone were also horrendous when dealing with me on the phone.

I still to this day don’t know what the 4 digit pin associated with the account is as my ex boyfriend set it yet I’m the one with a default! It’s only by chance I knew the answer to his prompt question which allowed me to access the account and see what I was dealing with.

One of their associates hung up on me when I asked to access the account on the phone.

I even tried to open a phone contract with them in June 2020 (3 months after the original defaulted contract SHOULD have ended). However when we did the checks against my passport it said we were unable to (obviously because of all the missed payments which I was unaware of). However I was told by the associate that “these things happen” Had someone just TOLD ME about the amount my ex boyfriend owed in my name I could’ve sorted it all out before it became a default on my file. 

However I am grateful I was able to open a contract with O2 who I have been with for 2 years now; they are fantastic, I pay monthly and have never missed a payment (reflective of my character and credit file)

But according to Sue from Vodafone credit impact team she will only keep her job by reporting my default (which isn’t reflective in any way of my credit and should be against my ex boyfriends name)

[BandOfBrothers]

I really do feel for you with this @randerson14 

I appreciate how damaging a default on a Credit File can be from my own personal experience when I was younger.

Unfortunately we do see instances where a person has opened up a contract for another party such as a partner , family member or close friend and then for one reason or another the friendship has ended, and then getting the loose ends such as a contract tied off.

In essence a contract is a long term quite expensive commitment.

The best case scenario I would use in this situation would have been to ensure the bills come from my bank account,  I'm definitely the sole authorised person and then ask Vodafone to stop the sim card , and send me a new one so then I'm in sole custody of the sim card and it's use.

When Vodafone end a contact on the authorisation of the account holder they send a Sorry your leaving letter and a final bill which confirms account cancellation. I appreciate the address wasn't yours on the account however after the cancellation happened which is normally 30 days notice I would have dialed the number to see if it was dead and then re confirmed with Vodafone.

This would be because I wasn't in custody of the account myself hence I would want to double check everything.

It is the account owners responsibility Unfortunately which ultimately lies with you hence why the default is on your Credit File as you are the Account Holder.

However Vodafone should not let anyone apart from the account holder and if relevant named person on the account have account access and be able to have any changes actioned.

If a repayment plan is agreed because of outstanding monies then this in itself could mean a marker is placed on the Credit File.

People do regularly check their Credit File to ensure nothing has dropped onto it but on the flip side some also don't.

Vodafone have a duty of care so if a default is warranted they won't remove it even if the debt is fully paid off.

What happens is the status of the default shows as settled which then looks better on the Credit File.

This then lasts for 6 years which I understand your aware of.

Your in an unfortunate situation and again I do feel for you.

[randerson14]

Well isn’t hindsight a wonderful thing - thank you for yours. I was told by him the contract had ended and I had nothing to worry about and this was confirmed when I went into store and they couldn’t even find the account with the information I was providing. (Yet the information was enough to prevent me opening a phone contract for myself the following year)

A repayment plan had been arranged with a debt collection agency and my ex boyfriend verbally which again I should’ve had knowledge of as it was all in my name. A woman’s name yet all communication and agreement was made with a MAN.

I completely appreciate it was my responsibility hence why I have paid the amount in full 6 weeks after only finding out about the whole thing but this is not a true reflection of my credit file and history, it had nothing to do with me I simply opened the contract.

[BandOfBrothers]

Yes I totally understand and again appreciate the situation you now find yourself in @randerson14 

As I said in my reply I've been in the situation where a default was placed on my own Credit File so had to deal with the impact this brings.

I agree sometimes talking / venting about these things to either a friend, family , outside body or even places like a Community Forum can help ,and we as fellow customers will provide our opinion and advice as your post invites us to do so.

Yes i truly understand that you " simply opened the account " and by doing so you then become primarily responsible for it's running and paying of, unless at some point a person asks Vodafone to perform a change of ownership which makes the account and responsibilities someone else's.

Unfortunately your ex partner knew what they were doing to mask the status of the account which possibly led to Vodafone not being able to trace it, although one would have thought this could have been checked via the actual mobile number.

If an account is terminated due to non payments then when it's passed to a Debt Collection Company Vodafone no longer have any dealings with it.

Take care.

[WelshPaul]

Sex has nothing to do with this... You gave full control of the account to another individual, and they abused your trust and run the account into the ground, and your credit rating along with it.

It's true what Sue told you, Vodafone are legally obligated to provide the credit reference agencies with accurate information.

I feel for you. What's that saying again? No good deed goes unpunished! 😔

[AnnS]

Hi @randerson14 

I certainly have some sympathy for you, you need to blame your dishonest ex for getting you a credit file default.  Allowing this boyfriend to take out a contract in your name, trust him to make the repayments and even name him as a primary contact effectively giving him control and authority over the account is asking for trouble. 

When you went into the Vodafone Store and the staff were unable to locate an account that was due to Vodafone having already cancelled the account and placed it into default leaving you liable for settling the debt and as the contract was in your name, leaving you with the default.

Al least you have paid what was owed and the file will be marked as settled and this will be something creditors will take into account.  It would also be worth contacting the credit agencies, they are there to help, support and give advise.

I am not sure what you expect Vodafone to do, presumably you want the default removed but it's unlikely when you owed the money. The best thing here is to follow this link, they will put you in contact with the Credit Team, they will at least be able to confirm that the account is fully cancelled Contact Us 

[randerson14]

Hello,

I don’t want Vodafone to do anything I have just found it helpful to note everything down due to the stress I have found myself in in the last 2 months, I have not known stress like it it has been the worst time of my life.

However you are incorrect as the account could not be found in 2020 when it was due to be closed as my ex boyfriend had changed all the contact information (address, phone number, email address, PIN number, memorable question) as it was not a default account until the following year (May 2021)

But thanks for your insight

[AnnS]

You ex wouldn't have need to call Vodafone @randerson14 , he could have used live chat, he obviously had sufficient information on you to pass data protection and do whatever he wanted.  He had the phone and Vodafone would have sent a verification code to the phone.

It's a shame you didn't insist on doing a change of ownership to his name when the relationship ended.

Yes, it stressful and upsetting and it's still a valid default.