Help needed with Vodafone default & credit ref agencies ***RESOLVED***

[stevejv]

Hello. I have been trying to get the information on my credit report (regarding a Vodafone default that unfortunately occured from a monthly contract phone) amended as I do not believe it to be correct (I realise people probably say this all the time but I am quite sure that the information on my report is incorrect).

 

I have therefore obtained a copy of my credit report from each of the three credit referencing agencies (Experian, Equifax and Callcredit). Each of the three credit referencing companies seem to hold slightly different information with regard to the Vodafone default.

 

After writing to Vodafone on at least two occasions in an attempt to have my credit report amended I have had not received a reply as yet.

 

I have since read a few threads on here and it seems like there is help available.

 

Please can someone provide assistance to someone who is desperately trying to ensure that their credit report (with all three credit referencing agencies) shows the 'CORRECT' information with regard to a Vodafone default.

 

Any advice and where to look for help/whom to contact would be much appreciated.

 

Many thanks - Steven

Edited April 3, 2010 by stevejv

[kiptower]

contact Lee_Vodaphone who is a member here and works on the right team @ vodaphoe, he is the man to help you

 

i have sent him a message to come and have a look, may be a day or 2 as its easter holls

[stevejv]

Hi, Thanks. Do I need to contact him then or will he simply reply to this thread?

 

Steven

[kiptower]

he will normally pop on here as i sent him the link to here

[stevejv]

Thanks .... I'll keep an eye out for his post.

 

Steven

[Lee Vodafone Company Rep]

Hello. I have been trying to get the information on my credit report (regarding a Vodafone default that unfortunately occured from a monthly contract phone) amended as I do not believe it to be correct (I realise people probably say this all the time but I am quite sure that the information on my report is incorrect).

 

I have therefore obtained a copy of my credit report from each of the three credit referencing agencies (Experian, Equifax and Callcredit). Each of the three credit referencing companies seem to hold slightly different information with regard to the Vodafone default.

 

After writing to Vodafone on at least two occasions in an attempt to have my credit report amended I have had not received a reply as yet.

 

I have since read a few threads on here and it seems like there is help available.

 

Please can someone provide assistance to someone who is desperately trying to ensure that their credit report (with all three credit referencing agencies) shows the 'CORRECT' information with regard to a Vodafone default.

 

Any advice and where to look for help/whom to contact would be much appreciated.

 

Many thanks - Steven

 

Hi Steven,

 

This's something I'd certainly like to look into further for you.

 

Could you send me your details via email by following the instructions in our pinned thread in the Telecoms section Vodafone Webteam-for Customers With Problems and as soon as you're in touch I'll get back to you as soon as I can?

 

Thanks and I look forward to hearing you again soon.

 

contact Lee_Vodaphone who is a member here and works on the right team @ vodaphoe, he is the man to help you

 

i have sent him a message to come and have a look, may be a day or 2 as its easter holls

 

Hi kiptower,

 

Even though it's Easter I'm still happy to help out.

 

Thanks for flagging Steven's thread to me - it's appreciated as always.

 

All the best.

 

Lee

 

Web Relations Team

 

Vodafone UK

[kiptower]

thanks Lee

 

and happy Easter to you and the team from all the regulars on CAG

[Lee Vodafone Company Rep]

It's a pleasure as always kiptower.

 

And a Happy Easter to you as well.

 

Lee

 

Web Relations Team

 

Vodafone UK

[stevejv]

Hello. Thanks kiptower & Lee.

 

I have sent an email to Vodafone briefly explaining my problem (I can elaborate/provide more detailed information if required as it would only let me use 900 characters).

 

Also it would not let me send the email via the link Lee provided (I tried twice .. but it kept saying to contact the administrators??)

 

Anyway I sent the email via the Vodafone main web site. In the title I included WRT135 and the link to my problem on the Consumer Forum website.

 

Hope this is ok. Please let me know if it did not reach you Lee. Thanks again. Any help you can provide would be most appreciated.

 

Steven

[Lee Vodafone Company Rep]

Hi Steven,

 

Thanks for updating the thread.

 

I've just checked our email queue and yours is definitely in there and I'll be coming back to you as quickly as I can.

 

Thanks again,

 

Lee

 

Web Relations Team

 

Vodafone UK

[stevejv]

Thanks Lee. Look forward to your reply

 

Steven

[stevejv]

Hello Lee. I have sent an email detailing my problem to the email address you provided.

 

I realise tomorrow is Bank Holiday Monday and you will not be available until Tuesday as you said. Thats not a problem.

 

Thanks again for your help and I look forward to your response.Maybe now I will actually get things sorted out.

 

Steven

[Lee Vodafone Company Rep]

Good morning Steve,

 

Thanks for your email on Sunday.

 

I'll take a closer look at things for you later today and will come back to you with an update.

 

Thanks again,

 

Lee

 

Web Relations Team

 

Vodafone UK

[stevejv]

Thanks Lee. I appreciate it.

Steven

[Lee Vodafone Company Rep]

You're welcome Steven.

 

Just to let yon know that I've got your other email from lastnight and will be coming back to you as soon as I have an update.

 

Thanks,

 

Lee

 

Web Relations Team

 

Vodafone UK

[stevejv]

Hello. Just to keep everyone informed. [email protected]Vodafone is doing a great job in helping me sort out the problem.

 

I will post the final outcome when everything is sorted.

 

Steven

[stevejv]

Thanks for the help with the 'linked address' post Lee. I was just wondering if there have been any developments with regard to the questions /accompanying letter I sent on the 8th April.

 

Regards - Steven

[Lee Vodafone Company Rep]

Hi Steven,

 

Although I've no further news on this for you at the moment rest assured that as soon as I do I'll let you know.

 

Thanks,

 

Lee

 

Web Relations Team

 

Vodafone UK

[stevejv]

Hello. Before I say anything else I would just like to say that [email protected]Vodafone has been really helpful with the above problem and I thank him for this.

 

That said however, I am not overly pleased with the response Vodafone has arrived at. Let me explain (I know some of you will have no sympathy however you do not know the full circumstances behind this & for personal reasons I am not explaining the reasons why the account fell into default on here).

 

The account fell into default at a stressful time in my life(!) when I could simply not afford to carry on with the payments. Vodafone did offer me a choice of paying a one off up front charge to cancel the contract (however this was almost the same as carrying on the contract for the whole term) thus I was left with no choice but to let the account fall into default. Not the ideal choice I know!.

 

The situation now is ... basically there is no default on my credit file(s) now however there are late payments recorded on it. The account has now been cancelled and has been paid on time & up to date since November 2007.

 

I asked Vodafone if the late payments could be removed, sending a letter explaining the circumstances that led up to them being recorded (well it was worth a try!) .. and it was all truthful.

 

The response from Vodafone is as follows -

 

As promised, your request for the late payment entries recorded on your credit file has been reviewed. The outcome of this confirms that as they were recorded correctly they will remain in place, however, you are able to contact the credit reference agencies to add a Notice of Correction to explain the circumstances which led to them up to two hundred words. Should you need any assistance with the wording of this then the agencies will be able to help you.

 

Also ...

 

Each month Vodafone sends a snapshot of accounts to Experian, Equifax and Callcredit. They do record information is a slightly different format. When we send our files for April this is classed as 'March data' but may show on his credit file as March or April depending on when exactly the CRA's load the file. Our files for April (March data) were loaded yesterday by Callcredit and Equifax, however Experian have not yet loaded the files. Its between 26 and 28 months that the account has shown as status code 0's meaning the account is being paid on time each month.

 

And the best bit I think is (ironically)...

 

Experian as a rule can only hold 36 months worth of data therefore if the account had been kept up and running in roughly 10 months time the late payments would have fallen off his credit file. As the account has now been cancelled we will possibly only send a monthly update for the next couple of months meaning that once the account is settled the entire payment history will remain for 6 years from the settlement date. This means that lenders will see this information for the next 6 years, whereas if the account had still been active, approximately in 10 months time the late payments would have dropped off the credit file.

 

Equifax holds 48 months worth of data so it would take slightly longer for the late payments to drop off the credit file.

 

Callcredit is also different so again it would have taken longer for the late payments to drop off the credit file.

 

So basically it would have been better for me to keep the account open and let the late payments fall off the file ...

 

Any views or thought on this please ...

 

And before anyone chirps in, yes I know its not Vodafone's fault but I was actually hoping they could have been a bit more ... understanding of my circumstances and actually removed/compromised on removal of the late payment codes (in some way) shall we say ... the account was only in default for four months since December 2006 and has been paid in full up to date ever since (till April 09).

 

On top of this I am still a Vodafone pay as you go customer!! (no defaults possible here)

 

I know other people have had late payment codes removed from their credit files .. so it is possible for Vodafone to do this.

Maybe that was rather naive of me however.

 

Steven

Edited April 15, 2010 by stevejv

[Lee Vodafone Company Rep]

Hi Steven,

 

It's disappointing to read about your dissatisfaction with the outcome here and while I can't make any promises of a different outcome to this matter I'll certainly take another look at this to see if there is anything else we can do.

 

Following receipt of your emails from last night I'll reply to the last one once I have an update for you.

 

Thanks,

 

Lee

 

Web Relations Team

 

Vodafone UK

[stevejv]

Hello Lee.

 

As ever you have been most helpful however I was hoping that Vodafone (as a company) could have done more to assist/help rectify my problem. I have after all been a loyal and reliable customer with Vodafone for a number of years now, apart from this one lapse in payment for reasons previously explained.

 

Thanks again,

 

Steven

[stevejv]

Hello Lee (and everyone reading this post).

 

After a number of emails a compromise was met by myself and Vodafone.

 

I personally can recommend the help of Lee from Vodafone. He was very helpful, answering all of my questions (and there were quite a few that I had!). Without his help I would not have been able to sort my problem so easily... especially if I had to communicate back and forth by letter!. The solution we arrived at was agreed by both parties and whilst it was not quite the 'quick fix' I would have hoped for it was definately a step forward towards helping me clean up my credit file(s).

 

I am very grateful for Lee's help in resolving this matter and I will not hesitate in contacting him in the future should I need to discuss any further problems I may have regarding this or any other matter with Vodafone.

 

Thanks Lee.

[Lee Vodafone Company Rep]

Hi Steven,

 

Thanks for posting such a positive conclusion to this thread.

 

While this was certainly a challenging case it does show that we're happy to explore pretty much any avenue to achieve a suitable solution for a customer wherever possible.

 

It's always nice to see members who've been in touch with us taking the time to post updates on their cases as it helps no end at all to demonstrate that the Web Relations Team and I are here to help and will do our level best to get a problem sorted out.

 

All the best and take care.

 

Lee

 

Web Relations Team

 

Vodafone UK