Default

[Sionedward]

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 June 2015(the default is for  £19). 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 EE and so I did. As far as I was concerned my Vodafone account was settled. Vodafone never contacted my about the £19. 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 £19 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.

[BandOfBrothers]

We do see this type of situation from time to time which normally is a result from a person moving networks or ending their contract and then they cancel their direct debit too soon @Sionedward 

It can sometimes take Vodafone 2 to 4 weeks to produce the final bill which is then paid by the direct debit.

Once everything is paid they typically send a sorry your leaving letter and a £0.00 bill.

As far as I'm aware Vodafone try to contact an account holder to explain there are funds outstanding.

However if they feel then that this route has been exhausted they can engage debt collection agencies.

And they can apply a default without having to inform the account holder that they have applied this to their Credit File.

This type of default lasts 6 years.

By paying the monies owed this does then look better on your Credit File as the status changes from Outstanding to Settled.

However this can still impact on future applications for credit. Some mortgage companies still provide a mortgage but you may have to shop around.

Unfortunately there is no account access via this forum anymore.

But the Vodafone Social Media Teams do have a dedicated Credit File Specialist Team.

You can contact them to ask for your case to be looked at.

You won't  be able to speak directly with the Vodafone Credit File Specialist Teams as they are not customer facing.

Contact-us-for-account-specific-queries. 

I appreciate how damaging a default can be from personal experience and I wish you all the best with this situation..

[sharon86]

I have been just looking at my credit report trying to buy my first home and to my surprise i have an outstanding amount of 17 pound dating back to Oct 2014 i have tried to contact vodafone  and they had no information reguarding this or my name ever been on contract.  I have always been pay as you go so dont know where this has come from.  I have been under so much stress because of this as i dont like to get in debt.  I dont know where to go next and will only have a few days to get it sorted.  Can someone please help me????????????????????????????????????????????????? 

[Sionedward]

I had the same problem. I phoned them multiple times for hours on end to get nowhere!! In the end I insisted to speak to a supervisor and they transferred me to someone in the uk and she sorted it for me instantly. If it wasn't for that woman I still to this day wouldn't have been able to get a mortgage.  Let me know how you get on!! 

[sharon86]

Thanks so much il ring tomorrow and see if I can get this sorted once and for all fingers crossed 

[WelshPaul]

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@BandOfBrothers wrote:

We do see this type of situation from time to time which normally is a result from a person moving networks or ending their contract and then they cancel their direct debit too soon @Sionedward 

It can sometimes take Vodafone 2 to 4 weeks to produce the final bill which is then paid by the direct debit.

From time to time? It's a common occurrence going by the amount of threads I have read lately.

I recently moved from the Three network where I had a sim only account for years and I paid via direct debit and had access  to online billing during my time with them. Once I received my pac and moved over to Vodafone pay go access to my online account with three was terminated on the day I moved over but Three sent me a final bill in the post which I paid via my existing direct debit and only then did I cancel the DD with my bank. I also had two contracts with ID Mobile, same thing.

The thing with Vodafone (going by all the posts on here) is that they appear to be failing to provide their customers with a final bill. Is that true??  You're not allowed to request funds be debited via direct debit without giving advanced notice, normally 10 working days I believe. So even if a direct debit is in place Vodafone shouldn't be debiting a customers account without advance notice. So blaming a customer for canceling a direct debit is just passing the blame IMO. 

Now if a customer still has access to online billing but fails to check their account then I agree, thats on them. If Vodafone are failing to supply a final bill in the post and the customer doesn't have access to online billing then they shouldn't be penalised for Vodafone failing to meet their obligations. Even more so over such small amounts!

[sharon86]

Never had a direct debit with them at that time never have.  I always got a top up so don’t know where the 17 pound came from 

[Stubbo]

Hey @sharon86,

Did you manage to get this sorted when you called? If not, I's advise contacting our social media team here they'll be able to pass security with you, and have access to speak to our Credit File team directly. Let me know how you get on! 

[AnnS]

Hi @Sionedward 

This does not sound correct.  If you had not paid your bill for 10 months there would be a lot more than £19.00 owing.  

I would follow this link: Vodafone Complaints 

[Sionedward]

The thing is that I've never received a paper bill from them and so I didn't know that I owed them anything. They can't possibly expect me to pay them if they do not tell me to do so. I genuinely thought that the account was settled. I've had no communication from them what so ever.
It's just a bit unfair that I get a default on my credit profile for £19 and it has pretty much the same effect than £5000 default. It doesn't only affect me but my family as well. I will not get a mortgage from a high street bank if the default stays on my profile.

All I am trying to say is that if they asked me to pay, I would have done so. But instead of telling me, they put a default on my profile