My request for additional plan was rejected

[LittleRoo11]

Hello,  would very much appreciate if anyone has had a similar situation and what you did about it.

 I set up an account last July and ordered a pay monthly sim-only plan for my son and also paid the additional cost for having it linked to his apple watch.   I  decided last week to request a phone and 24month plan under the same account for me to use.   Having gone through the whole process and paid my upfront cost, I was shocked when it was declined apparently due to my credit.  Knowing my credit was good, I trawled the credit agencies and saw my credit score is as high as they go.  I therefore contacted customer services who said yes they can see my credit score is good, it was probably a glitch in the system and I should go into a shop.  I decided first to appeal the decision using the on-line form and I received a reply today that stated my application remains as a decline as I have reached the maximum allowed connections for this account and the decision is valid for 90 days.  Given I only have the one phone connection with them (my son's) this has confused me as I know friends who has here whole family on Vodafone.  If this is the case, why do they offer additional plans on their website?  However my main concern is my credit score.  Given their decision had nothing to do with my credit, it seems unfair that I may now get a bad score from their decision.  Any advice please ?  Thanks 

[BandOfBrothers · Accepted solution]

Hi @LittleRoo11 

Unfortunately Vodafone UK are unable to provide a reason as to why a Credit Check has not been successful as their systems only show an acceptance or declined status.

I totally appreciate hiw disappointing this must be.
They advise to contact one or more of the Credit Houses, Experian being one, in order to check that nothing wrong has been recorded there.
It doesn't always come down to a credit score problem, or a certain time at the address. As a quick example, it can be due to the amount of incoming to outgoing payments. If a customer has a mortgage and a car and something else on finance, then something else for the kids which is paid monthly, the credit check is ran to see if the customer can pay the finance (monthly cost) based on other payments per month. 
To add even a clear Credit File with good Credit Score does not guarantee acceptance. It's also good practice to let 90 days elapse before making another application in order to let the Credit Score recover.
Vodafone's help page is > https://www.vodafone.co.uk/privacy/credit-checks 

I can see your well past the x3 clear payments to add another line. As Vodafone have looked at your appeal and upheld their decision it's difficult to see how you could proceed at this stage apart from going into a store and asking for a manual type Credit Check.

The Vodafone Social Media Team's csn further clarify via Contact-us-for-account-specific-queries. 

[LittleRoo11]

Many thanks for your reply, it is really appreciated.  Given their response it doesn’t even sound like their decision was even based on my credit score but that I had  ‘ reached the  maximum amount of connections allowed’  whatever that means.  Thank you for your advice to wait 90 days but I won’t be reapplying for another Vodafone plan,  

[BandOfBrothers]

You're very welcome @LittleRoo11 

Take care. 

[chistery]

A credit score is a made up number and means nothing. Places like Clearscore like to give you an easy to understand number but it's meaningless. When a company performs a search, they don't see this number, they use their own internal scoring.

[Mo1111]

Can you please tell me a bit more about what is this manual credit check in store, first time hearing about it, I thought it was all automated whatever the decision  the automated system says after the application either yes or no is what they go by? So I assume a manual one means a store manager can use some good old fashioned common sense? what happens during the appointment? What do you need to bring with you for documents, bills, ID etc.

Thanks 

[chistery]

Vodafone won't be allowing store managers to make decisions, what will usually happen is it gets referred to the specialist credit team to look at the decision and evaluate it.

[Mo1111]

Thank you .  That would make sense as that referral to the specialist credit evaluation line I suppose can be done I believe without the involvement of the manual check by a store manager.