Failed Credit Check

[Anonymous]

I am an exisiting account customer of VF with 2 broadband contracts. Today I spent a long time on the phone getting a quote for a third broadband contract and 2 sim only pay monthly mobile contracts. All these were to be a switch from BT. Having obtained the deal I needed, the process then failed at the credit check stage. I have an excellent credit score with Experian, pay by monthly VF bill on time by direct debit. I will appeal, but reading other messages, this appears to be a common theme and is probably a processing issue.  My biggest concern is that, this fail with VF will in fact affect my credit score. It's all been a massive waste of time and as an existing customer will switch away when my other contracts are up. Really disappointed.

[Goof]

@MarkThe result is wrong and I did appeal that the same day. The appeal was also quickly rejected. So I tried to reason with them, pointing out that, regardless of any credit reference agency, they had 25+ years of my billing history as a VF customer and the contract I'd just completed was paid off with no issues. A waste of time. No reason other than repeating the completely unhelpful "your application failed to meet our criteria".

My new application was £30 over 24months for the phone plus £15 over 24 months for an 8GB tariff. Total £35pcm.  My immediately preceeding contract was £25.50 + £11 both pcm and over 24 months. Total £36.50pcm. So I got rejected for a contract that was less than the one I'd just finished successfully paying off. How does that make any kind of sense?

I have accessed my credit rating with both TransUnion (643/710) and Experian (990/999). Both are scored as 'Excellent' in green.

Literally, the only thing that has changed since I last applied is having had my 70th birthday.

Since the credit department will not give me any sensible reason as to why I was refused, I have absolutely no idea why and the only way I might be able to resolve it is via some kind of mad guessing game to find out whether I can do something about it (such as an inconsistency in my credit record across the 3 agencies VF uses) or whether there is nothing I can ever do because I cannot change my age or it's a VF policy change. That is totally ludicrous and a game I don't see why I should have to play and may be even be completely pointless.

[Remi]

Hi @Goof, thanks for reaching back out to us. I'm sorry to hear that your experience hasn't been satisfactory and I totally understand why this would cause frustrations. As my colleague mentioned there are many variables in the decision making process  and if the credit team have made their decision the their decision would be final. However, if you'd like  you can apply 90 days from the last application. 

[Goof]

I fully understand that there are many variables in making a decision. My anger and frustration is that, based on all the information available, that decision is illogical. Why turn me down when they have my payment history which proves that I can pay - because I just have been? Surely that is better than taking a chance on a new customer where they have no knowledge of their payments? I'm more and more convinced that this a not a credit related issue at all, but an age related one. They don't want customers who are 70 or over. I appreciate that this is a commercial decision, but why cant Vodafone be upfront about it? Why won't they say why, rather than repeating some platitudinous crap.

I don't want to apply again after 90 days, because since I don't know why I was refused, I could likely get turned down again (especially if the reason is actually VF policy or age related), which would look absolutely wonderful on my credit record.

Anyway, obviously my more than 2 decade relationship with VF is at an end. As it happens, I have now discovered that if I had gone ahead with a new contract VF would have charged me £15pcm for an 8GB tariff, whereas it is possible to get a monthly SIM-only deal elsewhere of 40GB for £6.95pcm. That's 5x the data for less than half the cost!! Over 24 months that saves me almost £200.

In addition, I could get a good-as-new 3 month old (and still under warranty) S24FE for around £350 less than VF would charge for a brand new one. So over 24 months that would save me more than £500 in total.

Sounds like VF have actually done me a favour - but I still hate the way they did it and I will certainly let friends, family and social media know about it at every opportunity. It didn't have to end this way, but since it has, I feel perfectly justified in telling people how they did it and how they succeeded in making a (stupidly) loyal customer feel like a fraudulent criminal. You may feel that is an extreme reaction, but believe me, that's how I feel.

[Remi]

@Goof, I'm sorry you've been left feeling this way and there's something that I could discuss further and look into I would. What I will do is to pass your feedback to our relevant team, we really do take this type of feedback seriously and will ensure it's passed on for you and please be assured we don't discriminate anybody based on age in any circumstance.  Also,  please have a look at this link 👉 Credit checks | Vodafone UK, for more information on our credit checks. 

[Goof]

Yup... read that too. Still doesn't help in getting a refusal resolved. All I can say is that the current system is like a patient going to the doctor and saying that they don't feel well. The doctor then has to guess what the problem is and what to do about it, but every question they ask to make a diagnosis is met with the same unhelpful response - " I don't feel well". The doctor would soon ask how the patient expected to have their problem diagnosed, let alone treated, when they won't answer any of the questions sensibly. That's how ridiculous this situation is.

Please do pass on my feedback as forcefully as you are able, but to be honest my level of confidence that it will actually have any real effect is slim to anorexic. The only thing that will make management take notice is to hit them where it hurts financially, with hundreds or even thousands of customers leaving. One "Victor Meldrew" is like a cry in the wilderness...