Vodafone default from 2011 [#7259236]

[Rab172903]

Hi guys and girls, I'm hoping someone can help.

 

I too have just realised within the past few days that vodafone have inserted a default on my credit file dating back to 2011.

 

I only realised as I had applied for and been turned down for a loan & the bank suggested that it was something on my credit file.

 

When I obtained a copy of my file from all three main agencies I was shocked to say the least to see such a default which I totally dispute.

 

I have raised the issue with the credit reference agencies.

I was also going to contact vodafone directly but had been advised to make sure all correspondence was in writing ie email or letter,

 

I searched & searched for a possible method of emailing vodafone but it appears that they don't deal with customer service queries via email anymore

but have set up their own forum/live chat sort of thing but even when I tried to access that I couldn't.

 

I continued to search and that's when I stumbled on this site and was pretty disturbed to see how many people

are having very similar experiences but also very impressed by the advice that was being given out

by obviously some very knowledgeable people.

 

I am just not sure how to approach my issue ie first steps to take.

 

I am new to all this & I have read all sorts of options on here with people quoting certain laws and regulations

like the data protection act etc & different avenues to explore but I was hoping for a more simpler resolution.

 

I am new to the site & this is my 1st post but by reading through quite a few threads

I can see that the best way is to set up a thread of my own,

hence why I haven't included a lot of detail regarding the default or my reason for disput,

but I am doing this on my phone & can't seem to find an option to start a new thread.

 

Thanks in advance

[rebel11]

Hi Rab172903

 

Welcome to CAG

 

A new thread has been started for you.

 

We here at CAG have a very successful vodafone Rep operating here - Lee.

 

 

We advise you to follow this method to alert them to your thread:

 

 

To get this looked into further could we please you ask you to email HERE with the details quoting the code WRT135 - CAG Forum in the subject line

 

 

Once sent you'll receive an automated reply with a reference number.

 

 

To ensure that it reaches Lee could you update the thread with this and he'll get back to you as soon as he can.

 

CAG.

DX SITETEAM

 

Please let us know when the issue has been resolved.

[Rab172903]

Wow cheers rebel, certainly wasn't expecting such a fast response. I will get on the ball now and do as you suggested, again many thanks

[rebel11]

Please let us know how it is resolved.

[Rab172903]

Arrrrrrrrrrgh even without doing nothing vodafone still manages to infuriate me.

 

I clicked on the link to email them,

spent the last 15 mins typing & carefully wording the details of my query/complaint,

hit next only to be hit with a "sorry, we're making a few tweaks.

We'll be back soon message"

 

total nightmare.

[Rab172903]

Sorry not great grammar, "without doing anything" lol

[rebel11]

That's unfortunate, I'm sure Lee will look into the case as soon as he can.

[Rab172903]

I will try again later, work ns so need to get my beauty sleep. Thanks for your help rebel

[Rab172903]

Hi rebel or other,

 

how or where do I find this new thread that you say has been set up for me

as I have just received the automated reference number reply from vodafone

and would like to update the thread.

 

Sorry but really am a novice here.

 

Cheers

[Rab172903]

Just worked it out (doh).

[Rab172903]

Vodafone's automated response ref number:

Re: WRT135 - CAG FORUM [#7259236].

 

Hopefully lee will pick this up soon.

 

In the meantime it would be good to get some help and or advice regarding my issue while I wait for a response

not to mention try and get answers to the million and 1 questions I have bounding about my head about this whole consumer thing,

 

after reading a number of threads on here, ie different laws,

 

all the various abbreviations etc make it difficult to follow if your not up to speed

[silverfox1961]

Hi and welcome.

 

Now that your own thread is up and running, can you detail what happened that would lead to this default

 

If it was something you did that was in breach of the terms and conditions, it is highly unlikely any default will be removed.

 

On the other hand, VF staff (not all) are pretty useless at record keeping so there may be no information on the system for Lee to be able to refer to.

 

If you truly believe that VF have cocked up then they should rectify this ASAP and if they refuse, you can go to the Ombudsman but our preferred option is to sue them as it makes them sit up and take notice.

 

Customer service for new customers is very good but for existing customers-less than would be expected.

[Rab172903]

Hi and welcome.

 

Now that your own thread is up and running, can you detail what happened that would lead to this default

 

If it was something you did that was in breach of the terms and conditions, it is highly unlikely any default will be removed.

 

On the other hand, VF staff (not all) are pretty useless at record keeping so there may be no information on the system for Lee to be able to refer to.

 

If you truly believe that VF have cocked up then they should rectify this ASAP and if they refuse, you can go to the Ombudsman but our preferred option is to sue them as it makes them sit up and take notice.

 

Customer service for new customers is very good but for existing customers-less than would be expected.

 

hi silverfox, the basics of my issue are that

 

I have recently applied for & been refused credit/loan and

 

when I checked with the agencies was disgusted to see that vodafone had entered a default notice on an old account I had with them dating back to May 2011.

 

I have been refused credit prior to my recent refusal

but was able to work around it & put it down to some other reason ie electoral roll (as I wasn't on one)

as I had also received various credit too.

 

When I analysed my file a couple of things stood out.

 

I had a pay monthly contract with vodafone and as it was about to expire & due to a few bad experiences at the time,

ie monthly bills that fluctuated greatly (which I disputed with vodafone a number of times to no avail)

 

I decided that I wanted to leave them & try a new provider

(I had been a pay monthly contract holder with vodafone for approx 6 years prior to this).

 

I rang them & informed them of my decision to leave,

to cancel the current contract & request my "PAC" code so that I could port my existing number over to my new contract/new provider.

 

The PAC code was issued & used and thus rendering my time with vodafone defunct.

 

Without any further correspondence between myself and vodafone I continued to enjoy my new contract

with new provider without giving it a second thought.

 

Though on looking at my file I can see that they continued to take 2 monthly payments (jan & feb 2011) without me realising it

as I had a dd set up for payments with them,

 

at the same time I was also paying my new contract in these months,

 

then on march & April they edited my file to show "late" for a sum of £128 which in itself has no bearing

or reflection on the pay monthly plan I was on at the time, before slapping the default notice on it in May 2011.

 

I had not nor have not to date had any notification nor correspondence from vodafone or any 3rd party

ie debt collectors regarding the alleged money owed nor the fact of the default notice.

 

If I had I would certainly have sorted the issue immediately because I did not want nor could have afforded to be paying 2 contracts at the same time.

 

In over 20years of a credit history this is the only blemish to my file

[silverfox1961]

This seems a common issue I have come across a few times. Hopefully Lee can investigate this issue and resolve it. In the meantime, have you placed a notice of correction against the default on your credit file. This can be up to 200 words and gives your version of events.

 

Do not worry about giving a phone number to Lee. (they probably have it still as you ported it from them) Any phone call from him can be followed up with an email confirming what has been discussed.

[Rab172903]

No silver not a notice of correction as such

but I have raised the issue with the agencies,

 

the fact that I dispute the information on me that they are holding ie the defaulted account.

 

Just for the record,

I have not left the country nor even moved house,

I am still using the same phone number that vodafone supplied to me when I took out my very 1st contract with them practically 10 years ago

(was a loyal P&G before that), even the same email address that I supplied to them when I 1st became a customer, so that is not an issue & I would have been & still am quite easy to contact.

 

I am very interested to find out where they go with this and also just wonder exactly what I have missed out on or what this has cost me over the years.

 

Like I say, I have had credit in the period since and I have also been refused but never really queried why not,

as I know different companies apply different criteria to applicants & put it down to any other reason.

 

The funny thing is that I was turned down for this credit/loan by the same bank/organisation that I also hold my mortgage with

(never missed a payment) & also a reasonably high limit credit card (never missed a payment).

 

The mind boggles

Edited June 25, 2014 by Rab172903

[Rab172903]

Just had an email reply from lee asking for a contact number & a preferred time to be contacted. Hopefully some development soon.

Thanks lee

[Rab172903]

WOW. just finished reading the case of CAG member Heavitree that had been moved to the legal issues forum and it is frightening the similarities of his case to mine, even the fact of the reason for wanting to leave VF ie a couple of large disputed bills that he/she had no satisfaction in resolving & VF customer service levels being beyond comprehendable. I actually had shivers down my spine while reading it but I must say the help he/she got on here was amazing and gives me great confidence that should my case follow the same route the help is there.

That said it seems like Heavitree had to put a serious amount of time and effort into getting the issue sorted, so guess I may start preparing now !!

Edited June 26, 2014 by Rab172903

[silverfox1961]

If you haven't seen it yet, just type philharg into the search bar above and see what trials he went through to get VF off his back

[Lee Vodafone Company Rep]

Hi Rab172903,

 

I'll be in touch with you later today.

 

Kind regards,

 

Lee

 

Social Media Comms

 

Vodafone UK

[Rab172903]

Hi silver, yeah I read philhargs case too, there was a link in a post in heavitree's case. Absolute nightmare, disgusting how he was treated. On the face of it, it is so scary with all the different requests, forms, agencies, laws etc you can see why there are probably hundreds if not thousands of people in similar positions have not follwed through & that's what the big organisations are banking on. But as I have already witnessed, with the help and advice available from the good people on this site, no one should be afraid to stand up for their rights and fight for what is right.

I work nightshift (cue the posts at ungodly hours) and am literally only awake. I have had a missed call from lee, so hopefully he tries again before the end of the day.

[Rab172903]

Also woke to this email from experian, pretty standard I would imagine.

 

Our Ref: EXP/xxxxxxx

 

Dear Mr xxxxxxx

 

Thank you for your email, which we received on 23/06/2014.

 

*Vodafone (Account started 22/04/05)

 

I am contacting the company concerned for you because I can?t amend the information without their consent. I?ll let you know what they say as soon as they get back to me.

 

I?m also adding our standard dispute statement to this information, which will appear shortly:

 

"The consumer has disputed the accuracy of this entry and we have therefore asked the provider to investigate it. Given that this data is disputed, please take care if making an assessment of any kind that may include this data."

 

As a result, anyone viewing this information will be aware that it?s being disputed.

 

 

Kind regards

 

Xxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxx

Customer Service Representative

Customer Support Centre

Experian

[Rab172903]

So, just had telephone conversation with lee from VF about an hour ago. Basically their stance is that the default was recorded correctly. They are not disputing that I rang in November 2010 to inform them I was leaving & requested my "PAC" & that this was used in December. However he said that they received the payment that was due in December of £33 (the normal average bill that I had been receiving & paying in line with the monthly plan I was on) but that there was a payment due in January that they didn't receive, this had jumped to a whopping £120, & also a small amount owed for for £8 odds, totalling £128 that they never received & thus the default.

He said they sent me 2 letters (they didn't, I received nothing)

He said they passed the debt on to a DCA (I was not contacted by any DCA regarding the matter)

I asked him did either party try to contact me by phone or email as neither details had changed from their records, when they didn't recieve a response in a reasonable time scale from their "ghost" letters because letters go missing all the time, apparently that is not their policy.

Really didn't get very far & have been told to expect a letter of "deadlock" in the post & it is up to me what I do next. Guess this is where the craziness begins. Where do I start ? What to do next ?

Have to get my head round it all, is there a timescale I have to adhere to when I recieve the "deadlock" letter in order to escalate things ?

[silverfox1961]

Why is it that I see so very often that VF state they sent letters when no letters were received. Either their systems are screwed up or something is wrong with the truth.

 

I suggest a SAR for now to VF to get a full history of the account. You want to know how much has been added in charges/fees then you have three choices:

 

1 Accept what VF are saying

2 Escalate to the telecoms ombudsman

3 Sue them

[Rab172903]

Thanks silverfox. Think that's what I will do. This is all completely obscure to me so can you tell me how to go about sending a SAR ie is it an official document (and if so where do I find it) or is it just a letter from me stating what I am after. Also will I be able to obtain a breakdown of the so called £128 ie an itemised bill from the time, would this be part of the SAR. Thanks again for your help an advice

[silverfox1961]

This is a general SAR which is used mainly for debt collectors and credit debt but by adjusting things a little it can be used for anything

 

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?387315-Debt-or-DCA-Subject-Access-Request

 

Send with a £10 cheque or postal order.

 

As for getting a breakdown of their charges, don't hold your breath. They turn very shy when you ask this question.