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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

Hi @Holliwaters110

 

That's not good to hear. 

 

If there's anything you still need help with, please let us know. 

 

Thanks, 

 

Please can someone help me with an alleged 'late payment' recorded as a default on my credit report from 2014. 

 

Ive always paid my bills on time - however on occasion I had an extremely high bill, 8 times bigger than my average bill (£490). I disputed the bill as it was completely unexpected, and raised an investigation. When speaking to 191, I expressed reluctance to part with the money until the investigation was complete, to which the Vodafone customer service advisor suggested a "promise to pay" which meant that I could pay a portion of the bill now and the rest 6 weeks later (when the investigation would be concluded). Naturally, I accepted - the investigation concluded and I paid the remainder of the bill on the pre- agreed date 6 weeks later. I never thought anything of this until I checked my credit report some months later and saw that I had a "missed" payment on my file. I immediately contacted Vodafone by email to resolve the situation however was told that it was in fact a late payment and the credit team do not have the power to change this.

 

This is now affecting my opportunity to get a mortgage and will remain on my file for 6 years in total. Surely this is not right??

 

I don't see how being ill advised by Vodafone should leave me with life changing  consequences that I wasn't made aware of. Please can someone help?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

@Upsetcustomerr So we can look into this for you, I've sent you a private message with details on how to get in touch.

 

A member of our team will contact you, as soon as possible.

 

 

Its absolutely unbelievable how many people have this issue. Vodafone slapping out defaults like there’s no tomorrow. Abysmal customer service which drags on for months - media comms spouting the same standardised replies then not actually assisting when you contact them. 

 

These unfair and inaccurate marks on peoples credit history ruin chances of obtaining credit and subject people to poor interest rates and mortgage rates.

 

I'm wondering if you can sue Vodafone for giving false information to a third party (i.e. credit reference agencies) about you. You would be able to seek damages in respect of the additional costs that the false information has incurred for you, but you would need to prove it.


Companies need to take reasonable care and skill to ensure that information they give to third parties, such as credit reference agencies, is true and accurate - which Vodafone do not.


@Holliwaters110 wrote:

Its absolutely unbelievable how many people have this issue. Vodafone slapping out defaults like there’s no tomorrow. Abysmal customer service which drags on for months - media comms spouting the same standardised replies then not actually assisting when you contact them. 

 

These unfair and inaccurate marks on peoples credit history ruin chances of obtaining credit and subject people to poor interest rates and mortgage rates.

 

I'm wondering if you can sue Vodafone for giving false information to a third party (i.e. credit reference agencies) about you. You would be able to seek damages in respect of the additional costs that the false information has incurred for you, but you would need to prove it.


Companies need to take reasonable care and skill to ensure that information they give to third parties, such as credit reference agencies, is true and accurate - which Vodafone do not.


It's been going on for a number of years, and sadly there is another aspect to this as well.  Vodafone subcontract a fair bit of their Customer Service to offshore organisations; the people who staff these organisations neither know nor care about the legalities of UK credit agreements or about Vodafone's internal financial procedures and will in many cases simply be unaware of the possible consequences of the bad advice which they are offering.  Unfortunately when these consequences come to light, Vodafone's telephone support system makes it nigh on impossible to contact someone in the UK who might actually understand the issue, thus exacerbating the situation.

At the same time many customers don't appreciate the problems which can result if you miss a payment, or the responsibility they are committing to when they sign up to a contract with any mobile phone network.  In particular, if you are cavalier about overcommitting, or more to the point  if you become unemployed (which can happen to anyone at a moment's notice nowadays) you are in deep doo-doo, since the networks don't usually show any sympathy in these circumstances.

Thanks for this advice... I've now contacted the complaints dept and will give them the 8 weeks as you suggest, then go to the ombudsman.

 

Fingers crossed this will be resolved.

Colleen
Moderator (Retired)
Moderator (Retired)

@JPointon @ZULU007 So we can look into this for you, I've sent you both a private message with details on how to get in touch.

 

For anyone else with the same issue, try the steps listed here and if you’re still affected, contact customer service.

Hi there,

 

I hope someone can also help me. I too have a defaulted vodafone account on my credit file which is STILL showing as open, over a year after I believed the account was finally shut down. It appears they have NOT shut my account as requested and there are 4 defaulted months which should not be there.

 

It is having a negative impact on my credit file and has impeded my abilty to get further credit, namely a mortgage. 😞

 

Any help gratefully rec'd

 

Bryony

 

 

 

Jenny
Moderator (Retired)
Moderator (Retired)

@BryonyJHatch - I’ve sent you a private message with instructions on how to get in touch, so we can look into this further.

Hi Jenny, 

i also have an issue with a default placed on my account, months after my Vodafone contract had ended.

i have emails to Vodafone clearly asking for information but was then told that balance was at 0 and there would be no further action over the phone. This happened over a year ago but I have just discovered the dedault

 

 best, Ernie