Who carries out Vodafones credit checks??? Declined, and at a loss!!

[Smufter]

I have been with Vodafone for donkey's years now, having two handsets and broadband/line rental with them. 
My monthly bill is just over £100.00 and I have never, ever missed, or been late, with a payment.

I have upgraded many times over the years, without problem.

Recently I decided to upgrade my current handset because I was having problems with it, and it was cheaper to go for an early upgrade rather than pay to have the other phone repaired. Selected my new phone, applied for the upgrade (which would have cost me an upfront payment of £82.00) but was declined due to a bad credit report.

I was shocked, thought there must have been a mistake, so re-applied. Again, declined. I know that I cannot be told why I have been declined, I'm just told to check with Experian or Equifax etc. I am very wary of how a bad credit history can affect you, so I actually subscribe to both Expieran and Credit Karma, and both of these show I have an "excellent" score, with Experian showing it at 999 out of 999!!

Just out of curiosity, I went to work that day, (I sell cars for a living), and "applied" for a loan of £10k on an £11k car on our forecourt, and was instantly accepted...... which seems stupid when I have just been declined an upgrade, with a company I have been with for years, on an £82.00 upgrade fee (no increase on my tariff involved). 
I have been in touch with Vodafone via 'phone and they can't help, and are sticking to their guns.

My last upgrade with Vodafone was last year, when I upgraded my wife's handset, and took on their Broadband package. and there was no problem whatsoever. Nothing in my credit circumstances has changed since then!!

Really cheesed off with this.

[BandOfBrothers]

I'm not surprised your unhappy with the outcome with such a good Credit Score,  I assume good Credit File and that you've conducted your account properly.

Sometimes even with an exemplary result from a Credit Check the business asking for the Check may still not approve the application.

You could have a discussion with the Vodafone Social Media Team's via Contact-us-for-account-specific-queries. 

Previously if a person is with Vodafone on a Pay Monthly Contract and then wants another line  / phone then the Credit search isn't performed as long as a person has conducted their account well and x3 bills had been paid on time.

However the new Vodafone Evo Plans do require a Credit Check.

In regards to Credit Checks here is the information you've asked for.

From Vodafone … privacy/credit-checks. 

“ When we’re considering your application, we’ll use both credit scoring and/or automated decision making systems based on the personal information we have and are allowed to collect from others. The goal is to make decisions as quickly, efficiently, fairly and correctly as possible, based on what we know. It can affect the services we offer you now or in the future. ”

You can appeal the decision via the following link.

vodafone.co.uk/Credit Check Appeal. 

I wish you all the best with this. 

[Smufter]

Thank you for your response BofB.

I have appealed the decision using the link you kindly provided.

I certainly am unhappy with the decision, bearing in mind how long I have been with Vodafone. As I say, I have never missed a payment with them in all that time, and it seems crazy when you think I wasn't increasing my monthly tariff over what it is already.
I would have quite happily phoned and paid the £82.00 early upgrade fee there and then, therefore my monthly circumstances weren't changing at all!!

Truth be known, I wasn't actually applying for credit

Seems ridiculous.

[BandOfBrothers]

You're very welcome @Smufter 

Would you let us know how you get on with this please ?

[Smufter]

I certainly will BofB, but like I've added to my previous response, I wasn't actually applying for credit!!

I'd have happily paid the £82.00 upgrade fee over the phone when I tried to order the new handset. 
My monthly tariff wasn't increasing.....😠

[simax]

Thing is though, you are applying for credit.

You’re applying for a loan to cover the cost of the new handset, to be split over a period of between 12 and 36 months. On the new EVO plans, you pay for the handset and the airtime on a separate DD.

[Smufter]

Just an update on this...

Vodafone are now telling me that it's because they did a credit check on my delivery address, not my home address!

I had entered my business address for delivery, as I am at work 6 days a week.

They suggested re-applying making sure I had the correct information showing in my application.

Errr..... I'm sorry, all the correct information was showing in my original application.

Needless to say, I've not bothered to re-apply as 

A) I've now got my old handset working.

B) Vodafone can poke it where the sun doesn't shine.

They've lost a customer of many years standing, I'll be going elsewhere at contract end.