EVO Plans - Be Careful

[Mobilemandan]

So just a heads up for anyone on Vodafone they only sell handsets on EVO plans now and this may cause a few headaches. 

now they even credit check upgrades and differently for addition lines

on the OLD way once you pay for A SIM for 3 months you can upgrade to a phone, and when you are due a phone upgrade you can pick any phone. 

also if you want to add an additional line once approved you can pick what you like. 

HOWEVER!

EVO has changed all that, now a sim only customer gets credit checked for an upgrade which might decline….. and worse…..

if you are on a handset plan and due an upgrade they check you for that too now, which means you can be due an upgrade, fail a new credit check and be declined your new upgrade phone meaning you usage to keep what you have or change to a sim only. 

also if you pay off your phone or choose to upgrade on 12 months it’s ANOTHER credit check being done on you to see if they will let you, not an internal one based on your bill history like before. 

when EVO was announced I thought it was amazing and excited to see the deals, however I have already known of someone who had an account with Vodafone already, had handsets only last month which were returned in order to order on the new EVO plans and get declined, and then declined upgrading their sim to a phone also. 

seems a backwards move so just a heads up to everyone to look into the details before getting too excited, personally if I paid my bill every month for 2yrs and then I got told I can’t upgrade to a new phone because of a credit check system I would end up just getting my PAC and going elsewhere 

[chistery]

I've seen reports that Vodafone don't accept Starling or Monzo Debit cards too on EVO plans as they believe they are international cards, even though they are not.

Credit agencies are a scourge on society. They profit from our data and you can't do anything about it. I try hard to limit hard searches where possible. A search for a new phone contract should not make any difference to anything really, but they can have adverse affects on other applications like a mortgage. 

I think the best advice is still to never buy a phone from a network. Whilst they are being forced not to SIM lock them, they are still holding up firmware updates. Apple, Samsung and others all do 0% deals on new phones too, buy direct, avoid the networks.

[simax]

Anyone from @Vodafone care to clarify?

[garetc]

Vodafone have responded to me have said regardless if you’re on the annual upgrade promise you’ll be credit checked again.

They’re now FCA regulated and are required to credit check each time which means if you fail means they cannot offer you a new phone regardless of the annual upgrade promise. 

Of course it’s technically covered in the T&C of the annual upgrade promise subject to credit checks and status but has never been enforced. 

I’ll buy the phone outright in September and then wait out the rest of my Vodafone contract and when the time comes jump over to EE on a SIM Only deal. 

[WelshPaul]

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@chistery wrote:

buy direct, avoid the networks.

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Been doing just that for the last 10+ years!

[garetc]

This is a terrible step backwards that many people who have been with Vodafone for years will fall foul of. At the moment it doesn’t seem to be the case for tablets although no doubt that will change shortly. 

Vodafone are only doing Evo tariffs now so any direct upgrades could be problematic. Even people with good credit inexplicably get declined by Vodafone from time to time.

I had a thought about this, CPW and other retailers don’t offer Evo so would a new credit check each time still happen if you upgrade through them? CPW’s website say that a new credit check isn’t required for an upgrade unless Vodafone change that? 

I mentioned it on Twitter but this will cause a problem when it comes to the 12 month upgrade promise from Vodafone. I like many people have chose Vodafone and the iPhone or Samsung with the promise we can trade the phone in every 12 months but with these new rules that might not be possible. 

It was a benefit of the contract, as people are no longer able to do that are we to be released from contracts?

I’m assuming it has something to do with the CCA and Vodafone’s interpretation of it but O2 have already proved the repeat checks are not required.

I do hope they see sense before the S22 and/or the iPhone 12S is out.  

[garetc]

I dropped an email into Vodafone after I heard about this to ask what happens with people upgrading after 24 months to those on the 12 month upgrade promise who’re declined. I included this thread as reference.

The initial response I’ve had back is that they’ve made these changes due to FCA rules.

I asked theoretically what assistance can Vodafone offer in the above scenarios and the first, the upgrade after 24 months (although this would be for 3 months SIMO to a Phone plan too), is to contact Vodafone to see if they can help. I’m taking that as nothing… I’m guessing even if you signed up for a 12 month SIMO contract with the intention that you’d upgrade to a handset plan 3 months down the line, it’s not guaranteed that you will be able to even if it was sold to you in that way and you’re now tied to that contact.

The second is more interesting, they’ve not encountered the issue yet (obviously). The person who called me said they need to look into it and get an official response.

There’s a few possible outcomes:

Vodafone make a change to the policy (incredibly unlikely).

They release people from their contracts. (Depends how much you complain and who to).

They tell you are stuck in a 24 month contract regardless of the upgrade program. Resulting in a deadlock letter which goes to the ombudsman to investigate. There’s only two possible outcomes from that which is released from your contract or you’re told tough. 

If people do experience issues they should make a formal complaint by email or in writing each time which would hopefully drive a change in the policy. 

[chistery]

Are Vodafone breaking consumer protection laws by selling the Unlimited max plans with a discount, claiming they were available at a higher price before? Except they weren't. Vodafone have changed the plan contents so it's not the same product?

[Getafix]

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@garetc wrote:

.......

They tell you are stuck in a 24 month contract regardless of the upgrade program. Resulting in a deadlock letter which goes to the ombudsman to investigate. There’s only two possible outcomes from that which is released from your contract or you’re told tough.......

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If at the time of agreement, they have offered you the possibility of Upgrade to a Handset Tariff, and goes to the Ombudsman, then you can ask for them to Offer you the Handset Tariff as Resolution. They cannot use Credit Check as an Excuse to not fulfill the contract you have signed, unless they specifically tell you.

The Ombudsman will before hand ask what your resolution options are and includes option "if you like an apology."

My last handset was in 2013, Samsung Note 4 on one of the 3 lines, since then I have moved to Same SIM Only on all 3, practically same tariff with increase in Data every 2 years.

[Dan10009754]

It’s not necessary a bad thing I went for the iPhone 13 pro max on a evo contract no problems at all past the credit check no problem as long you pay your debts on time I don’t see why they would refuse you