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Defaulted Vodafone account on my credit file

marekk
2: Seeker
2: Seeker

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 November 2012 (the default is for huge £14). 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 O2 and so I did. As far as I was concerned my Vodafone account was settled. Vodafone never contacted my about the £14. 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 £14 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.

 

 

459 REPLIES 459

Holliwaters110
2: Seeker
2: Seeker

Well.. I had this issue 2years ago, it took the best part of year to sort it. I closed my account - vodafone left it open with charges on there - when I returned from travelling - 18 months of defaults.
Had to seek ombudsman help you may as well bang your head on a brick wall with Vodafone. Finally the charges were removed (as they were wrongly charged to my account) and they removed the defaults FROM EQUIFAX credit score. I've just checked my score with EXPERIAN as I keep being refused credit - And would you believe it - the Vodafone defaults are there causing havoc.
Back to the ombudsman it is. Absolutely ridiculous.

Alex
Moderator (Retired)
Moderator (Retired)

@Holliwaters110 If you'd like us to look into this for you, I've sent you a private message with details on how to get in touch.

 

Thank you - I've just filled in the online form. If this isnt resolved in 6 weeks I will be enlisting the help of the finacial ombudsan again - this has been an ongoing issue since August 2013!

 

 

benduerden0811
3: Seeker
3: Seeker

Please can someone contact me.

 

This is an ongoing issue for me and I am going around in circles to get it solved. 

 

Vodafone have agreed to remove the default yet over 30 days later it is still there. 

 

Please help

Holliwaters110
2: Seeker
2: Seeker
I raised this issue in 2013, it's 2017 now... good luck.

I know...Im not holding out much hope but losing options fast!

Sukhi
Moderator (Retired)
Moderator (Retired)

@benduerden0811

 

I've sent you a private message with details on how to get in touch.

 

 

 

 

Hi, 

 

I have just been stopped from getting a Mortgage as I have a default put on my account by Vodafone for £90 on a contract that had been cancelled in April 2011. Vodafone incorrectly raised a bill of £66.66 despite me cancelling my contract on time and writing and calling them numerous times. I contacted the customer team In September 2011 and explained my situation to her. I told her that my contract had been cancelled and the overdue payment bill was an error on their part. She told me that I did not owe them anything and that she would cancel this on her system. She also told me that she would inform the debt recovery team of this. Despite this Vodafone kept on sending me an outstanding invoice letter and demanding more money. They then kept adding interest and sent me a bill for £90. I kept contacting Vodafone but no one helped me. I then out of frustration paid the £90 in December 2011 although I didn’t owe them anything and the bill was wrong, just to get them off my back. Now I have realised that they put a default charge against me which is affecting my whole future as I can’t get a mortgage now. At no point whatsoever did Vodafone write to me or verbally tell me that they would put a default charge against me. How can they do this? Something that wasn’t my fault in the first place is affecting my whole life. Please help me I don’t know what to do. How can I get this removed?

Hi @sunshine_86

 

I'm sorry to hear this. We'd love to help. 

 

We'll need to check the account to see what's happened. Please follow the instructions that I've sent to you in a private message, to get in touch with us.

 

Thanks, 

 

Bypas contacting the media comms team on here - depending on whom you get, they all give different advice. Do a complaint straight to vodafone (written or you can now email your complaint) add supporting documents (screenshots of the default on your credit check) and ask them to remove the default. If its not resolved in 8 weeks you can enlist the help of the ombudsman. Thats how i got mine removed the first time round. 

Make sure you ask them to remove the default from ALL credit check platforms - EQUIFAX, EXPERIAN and CALL CREDIT. I've just descovered they only removed it from EQUIFAX for me back in 2015.