Vodafone Complaint WRT135 ref #11332938

[russabbott83]

Good morning,

 

I have an ongoing dispute with Vodafone, they are not budging, and I would like some advice if possible.

 

Last autumn (2014) I had some financial difficulties, so I contacted Vodafone to say that I was struggling. The advisor offered to set up a £30 a month payment plan to bring the account back in order, which at the time was greatly appreciated.

 

At the end of the month I contacted them again to make the first payment and was told that the information was on the notes, but the advisor did not process the payment plan, and now it is too late to make payment as the debt was with a collection company.

 

I tried to pay vodafone for 3-4 weeks, but they refused to take payment as the debt was no longer with them. I complained about this and was told by a manager that they would request the account back from the collection company as I should have had a payment plan in place. The collection company declined the request.

 

In December 2014, a default was applied to my account. I complained about this again, and a different manager told me that I should pay the collection company in full and vodafone would refund the £10 difference (which they did) and that the default would be removed from my file (It never got removed).

 

Since then I have been told on several occasions that this can be seen on my notes and they will get the default removed. This has never happened. Now the credit team are stating that the default was correctly applied and nothing can be done.

 

I'm ready to give up to be honest, but need some advice on whether or not there is any point in continuing this fight.

 

Cheers

 

Russ

[fkofilee]

Thanks for the putting the reference in the thread. Lee the Voda Rep will be along soon. Patience on this one

[silverfox1961]

Hi and welcome to CAG

 

I'm afraid this is standard procedure for the customer services. Lee can help but this should have been sorted sooner. I would go as far as saying that they have placed the default unlawfully as you had set up an arrangement to pay which does show on the system files although not actioned. This is Purely VFs fault.

 

Just because a debt collector is involved means nothing as VF don't have their own debt collecting team. What they do is ask a DCA to act on their behalf. This does not negate the responsibility to deal with you. They are just passing the buck,

 

In the meantime, you can add a notice of correction against the default (up to 200 words) explaining what has gone wrong and your side of this sorry tale.

 

A default is placed when a creditor considers the relationship has broken down and they consider you a lost cause (I am beginning to wonder if this was an automated procedure).

 

This default (based on what you have said) is not a true representation of your situation and should not have been placed. What they should have done (at the most) is to place AP on your credit file.

[russabbott83]

Thanks for the reply.

 

Vodafones stance on the matter does seem harsh in the circumstances. Hopefully Lee will have a look at it and try and help.

[obiter dictum]

Vodafone complaints seem to be endemic at the moment

 

They have become vary militant lately when dealing with customer services

[russabbott83]

It's the fact that they won't investigate the circumstances, only the missed payments.

 

They told me on phone that they will deal with their staff who messed up internally and other than that nothing can be done.

 

That sounds like an admission of error there

[fkofilee]

No....Wait until Lee contacts you etc!

 

It might not be an admission there, but if their error has caused your problems then it needs to be dealt with PROPERLY

[russabbott83]

I have just received an interesting phone call from Vodafone.

 

End result from them is the decision remains the same, however, she stated that the advisor DID agree a payment plan but did not action it. She also confirmed that a manager DID agree that this was wrong, and requested the account back from the debt collection team.

 

In fact, every statement made in my original post has been confirmed, but still there is nothing the so called quality assurance team will do about it - all they see is 4 missed payments (was only 2 when I declared financial difficulties).

 

I'm still hoping things can be sorted, but confidence is starting to falter.

[silverfox1961]

While any dispute was ongoing, no action should have been taken on the account so in my opinion, the default was placed wrongly as it was after you raised your complaint by phone. Stop ringing them and deal via mail (or email)

 

This is the email address that I have for the UK CEO

 

[email protected]

 

and this one for the big boss

 

[email protected]

 

I would email them both.

[russabbott83]

Done. Hopefully I get a reply via email rather than a phone call.

 

Good morning,

 

Firstly I would like to apologise for contacting this email address directly, however, I have hit a dead end in this case and would like it resolving as soon as possible with vodafone.

 

I am writing to make a further complaint, in addition to any previous complaint I have made so far.

My name is *****

Account Number *****

My old vodafone number was *****

And my postcode was *****

I would like to make a few points regarding my account which I feel is wrongly in default on my credit file, and I feel I am being ignored over this matter and brushed aside by Vodafone.

 

Please take time to read this email in its entirety and consider my points. I would like to give Vodafone one last chance to reconsider the default before taking this to the ombudsmen.

 

In late 2014 I telephoned Vodafone customer service as I was struggling to pay my bill. The kind gentleman on the customer service desk agreed a payment scheme over the phone for £30 a month until the debt was clear. At the time this was a great weight off of my mind and much apprecitated, however, things werent as they seemed. At the end of October I phoned Vodafone to make the £30 payment as agreed, and was told by your customer service staff that they can see that the other member of staff had made notes about agreeing the payment scheme, but didnt actually action it. This was confirmed today on the telephone to a different member of staff. (The lady on the phone today stated that the default will remain and the member of staff who misadvised me at the time will be dealt with internally)

 

At this point the account was not with a debt collection agency. If this ‘advisor’ had told me that he could not sort out a payment plan for me, I would have done anything to get this account sorted, i.e borrowed from parents, friends, payday loan etc.

 

By the time I attempted to make my first £30 payment it was apparantly too late as the account had been transferred to a debt collection company. At this point I asked to speak to a manager and made a complaint with regards to my account going to the debt collection company even though a payment scheme had been agreed. I was told at this point that he was going to try and get the account back from the debt collection company, a request that was denied by the debt collection company.

 

In December 2014, after much debate over my account, a default was registered. This left me angry and upset with Vodafone as I felt I had been unjustly treated by the company. I made several attempts to pay Vodafone the outstanding balance of approximately £180 but Vodafone staff outright refused to take any payment. These attempted payments occured before and after the default was applied.

 

I made a complaint at this point as a payment scheme had been agreed but not actioned and Vodafone were refusing to take payment. A manager contacted me saying that he apologised for what had happened, told me to pay the debt collection company the full amount and he would refund my account the difference (approx £10 - which he did) and that the default would be removed from my account and would take up to 28 days to reflect on my credit file.

 

I have since made multiple calls and enquiries into why this default is still on my credit file but I keep getting told that it was correctly applied due to late payment. I disagree with this outcome as like I stated earlier in my email, a payment scheme had been agreed to get the account back in order.

 

This email is last attempt at requesting that Vodafone remove the default due to the original payment scheme not being applied, being told on multiple occasions that the default would be removed, and the fact that vodafone refused to take full payment of the account prior to the default being applied.

 

At present this email address is the only way of contacting me, as I am currently working in Saudi Arabia. I hope you will reconsider all the details, and come to the right decision regarding my credit file.

 

I’d like to personally thank you for reading this email, and hope this can be resolved.

 

Kind Regards,

 

*****

[fkofilee]

You havent spoken to Lee yet...

Before sending the email, give Lee a chance

[russabbott83]

Just out of interest, how often is Lee on these forums? No activity for 7 days

[fkofilee]

He May be on holiday. But he will be back soon.

I know you are in a "Rush" to sort this out. But at this time, you need to be a little more patient.

[obiter dictum]

I must say lee does tend to get positive results

[russabbott83]

I have just had an email from Lee.

 

Thinks arent looking good though.

 

Fingers are crossed on this one.

[fkofilee]

What did Lee say? Just the usual "Looking into it , will be in contact?"

 

Thats usually fine

 

Lee has more pull the generic front desk monkeys ... *Sorry Vodafone Customer Service Staff...*

 

Let him do what he needs to do.

[russabbott83]

This is the email I have recieved, but for some reason he cannot see the information I had off of the advisor today. At least now I have the default notice date to work with as the payment plan was organised on the telephone prior to October 2014. Any information is helpful should I need to go further. Thanks for recommending Lee everyone

 

Thanks for your email.

I've checked your account and can see that you made a payment of £** on 2 October 2014. However, there's no record of a payment plan being agreed to.

Due to the overdue balance remaining, your account was cancelled for non-payment on 3 October and a default notice letter was sent to you 13 October.

As we received no further payment or contact from you, your account was referred to a debt collection agency on 27 October.

The default relates to your bills from between July and October 2014, which weren't paid until 15 January 2015. As we believe that the default has been recorded correctly, we're unable to remove it from your credit file.

Kind regards,

Lee

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[fkofilee]

Well maybe you should respond with the info that youve been told by the other Vodafone Staff and see what they say.

[russabbott83]

lol have done already