@vodafoneuk Unfair bill settled before my deadline

[ebonie]

I was the victim of a phone theft back in September 2011. Unfortunately, the thieves used my phone as I tried to contact Vodafone in the middle of nowhere. To cut a long story short, my phone was not insured and I ended up having to pay a huge bill, including disconnection fees after several attempts to get a response from Vodafone Customers Services. Threats of debt collectors and report to the credit reference agencies followed. I ended up settling a bill that I considered unfair to the full way before Vodafone deadline which was , as Vodafone advisor told me , on the 13th February 2012. I settled the bill in full but I still received today 18/02/2012 a letter from Fredpay, for the sum that I already paid for.

I looked at my account with fredpay and it states that I owe £300 for the bill and an additional £ 45 collection charge.

I already paid £ 300 to Vodafone at my local bank. I even phoned Vodaphone number to confirm it on 8/02/2012. Vodafone advisor confirmed that he will log the information in my account. Somebody somewhere in Vodafone, is just not passing on or reading the messages before referring my account to the the Debt Collection Services. What will happen next? I believe that Vodafone has my money in full . I did message fredpay , via their website and am waiting to hear from them. I ll keep you updated.

 

 

I m glad I m not a Vodafone client no more and I am formally complaining about the ill treatment i got from this company

[locutus]

Here is the contact details for the webteam

Hi CAG members,

We thought it would be nice to introduce ourselves and to assure you all that our presence on CAG is with the very best of intentions.

vodafone UK has recently introduced a dedicated Web Relations Team which is keen to seek out customers who’re having difficulties with their accounts and feel that they have no other place to turn to than CAG and other consumer forums and blogs.

Naturally, it’s not possible for us to help directly with account specific queries on CAG and as such we would encourage those members who feel we can help them to contact us privately at [email protected] quoting ‘WRT135 – CAG Forum’ in the subject line to ensure that it reaches the Web Relations Team.

When emailing us we would also ask that you either provide us with a link to your post or thread – if you’ve posted in another member’s thread please also provide your CAG username so that we can check what your query is.

 

Let them take a look at this. I would also suggest you take a look at your credit file, as that may be serverly impacted if the CS didn't pay on time.

 

Other than that ignore fredpay.

[Lee Vodafone Company Rep]

I was the victim of a phone theft back in September 2011. Unfortunately, the thieves used my phone as I tried to contact Vodafone in the middle of nowhere. To cut a long story short, my phone was not insured and I ended up having to pay a huge bill, including disconnection fees after several attempts to get a response from Vodafone Customers Services. Threats of debt collectors and report to the credit reference agencies followed. I ended up settling a bill that I considered unfair to the full way before Vodafone deadline which was , as Vodafone advisor told me , on the 13th February 2012. I settled the bill in full but I still received today 18/02/2012 a letter from Fredpay, for the sum that I already paid for.

I looked at my account with fredpay and it states that I owe £300 for the bill and an additional £ 45 collection charge.

I already paid £ 300 to Vodafone at my local bank. I even phoned Vodaphone number to confirm it on 8/02/2012. Vodafone advisor confirmed that he will log the information in my account. Somebody somewhere in Vodafone, is just not passing on or reading the messages before referring my account to the the Debt Collection Services. What will happen next? I believe that Vodafone has my money in full . I did message fredpay , via their website and am waiting to hear from them. I ll keep you updated.

 

 

I m glad I m not a Vodafone client no more and I am formally complaining about the ill treatment i got from this company

 

Hi ebonie,

 

I'm sorry to hear about what's happened here but thanks for making me aware of it.

 

It may well be the case that for whatever reason the payment has yet to be allocated and so we need to get this investigated.

 

As such, could you email me with the account details in question via the Contact us form here quoting the code WRT135 - CAG Forum in the subject line?

 

Once sent you'll receive an automated reply with a reference number. To make sure it reaches me could you update the thread with this and I'll come back to you as quickly as I can?

 

Locutus also raises an important point in regard to your credit file and I'll get this looked once we've resolved the payment side of things.

 

Kind regards,

 

Lee

 

Web Relations Team

 

Vodafone UK

Edited February 24, 2012 by citizenB
as requested "I" removed :)

[ebonie]

Thank you Locutus and thank you Lee for commenting on my case.

 

Lee, I sent a brief e-mail with the quote. I' ve been e-mailing Vodafone customer service the all week and am suffering from mental exhaustion right now. This is the summary of the latest Vodafone emails.

 

21/02/12, one of the many Vodafone reps requested the scanned copy in PDF format for the payment made of £300.00 via my local bank on 03/02/2012 in order to investigate the details further. I emailed her one back that clearly displayed the bank's name, sorting code and stamp, including the amount of £300.

 

22/02/12 , another Vodafone rep responded to my email:

 

''Thank you for writing back to Vodafone customer services with regards to the payment.

I would request you to get back to us with the PDF format of bank statement so that we can investigate the matter.

I trust the above information helps.''

 

I think that this situation is turning into a Pass the Parcel Game, with different Vodafone reps response asking for different evidence to waste more time. Whoever received my £300 should just put it back in the right place. I just don 't know what' s going on with Vodafone but something is not quite right. I certainly do not have the intention of sending a copy of my very very private bank statement to a faceless rep, via the internet. This should not stop Vodafone investigating where my payment is .

[silverfox1961]

Hi,

The problem with dealing with customer 'services' (or lack thereof) is that each time you contact them, you could be dealing with a different person and if the previous person hasn't put much info on the customer notes, the next person won't understand.

Having said that, Lee takes ownership of a problem and as such doesn't let it get passed around so better him dealing than a phone drone

[ebonie]

Hi Lee,

 

This is the code I received last night:

 

Re: code WRT135 - CAB Unfair bill settled before my deadline [#8486825]

[ebonie]

* Unfair bill settled before my deadline [#8486825]

[Lee Vodafone Company Rep]

Hi ebonie,

 

Thanks for coming back to me.

 

I've received your email and as silverfox says I'll be taking personal ownership of this matter for you.

 

As soon as I have an update I'll let you know.

 

Kind regards,

 

Lee

 

Web Relations Team

 

Vodafone UK

[ebonie]

Hi Lee,

 

Thank you .

[2Grumpy]

I was the victim of a phone theft back in September 2011. ... I ended up having to pay a huge bill, including disconnection fees after several attempts to get a response from Vodafone Customers Services. Threats of debt collectors and report to the credit reference agencies followed. I ended up settling a bill that I considered unfair to the full way before Vodafone deadline ...

I m glad I m not a Vodafone client no more and I am formally complaining about the ill treatment i got from this company

 

Another example of Vodaphone using threats to mess with credit references as a method of debt collection despite the obvious dispute over the bill.

 

Vodaphone could quite easily have waited until the dispute was resolved. Instead of that, the customer has to pay to prevent their credit files from being updated adversely and then consider what action to take - against an enormous company that has just been showing to the customer how ruthless it is prepared to be.

''Thank you for writing back to Vodafone customer services with regards to the payment.

I would request you to get back to us with the PDF format of bank statement so that we can investigate the matter.

I trust the above information helps.''

 

Vodaphone shouldn't be asking for copies of bank statements - maybe the reference number from beside a transaction but no more. It just shows how they feel that they can ask for anything & you will supply it - or perhaps they were hoping you wouldn't want to pass over such information & give up. Unless you paid by debit card at the bank, I don't see how it would show on your bank statement.

 

As Locutus says, check your credit files. You can get a 1 month free trial from Experian (but remember to cancel within the month or you will get charged). There should not be any late markers on there from Vodaphone ...

[locutus]

Another example of Vodaphone using threats to mess with credit references as a method of debt collection despite the obvious dispute over the bill.

 

Vodaphone could quite easily have waited until the dispute was resolved. Instead of that, the customer has to pay to prevent their credit files from being updated adversely and then consider what action to take - against an enormous company that has just been showing to the customer how ruthless it is prepared to be.

 

 

Vodaphone shouldn't be asking for copies of bank statements - maybe the reference number from beside a transaction but no more. It just shows how they feel that they can ask for anything & you will supply it - or perhaps they were hoping you wouldn't want to pass over such information & give up. Unless you paid by debit card at the bank, I don't see how it would show on your bank statement.

 

As Locutus says, check your credit files. You can get a 1 month free trial from Experian (but remember to cancel within the month or you will get charged). There should not be any late markers on there from Vodaphone ...

 

To echo what 2Grumpy said, and to give another option, you can order "credit expert" from experian free for a month, but remember to cancel within that month. OR you can request a copy of your "statutory credit report" for a fee of £2, just click any of these links Experian Equifax CallCredit as Vodafone report on all 3, and any adverse data you will need removing (add this to Lee's "to do" list )

[silverfox1961]

As a further 'echo' there is another company out there-Noddle. This is run by the smallest of the CRAs and as such may not have all the info the other two have BUT-it is totally free

[Lee Vodafone Company Rep]

Hi Lee,

 

Thank you .

 

You're more than welcome ebonie.

 

Following receipt of your most recent email I'll be back in touch again as soon as possible.

...Vodafone report on all 3, and any adverse data you will need removing (add this to Lee's "to do" list )

 

It's already on the list locutus.

 

Kind regards to you both.

 

Lee

 

Web Relations Team

 

Vodafone UK

[ebonie]

Hello all,

 

2 good news to update my Vodafone issue:

 

1. Vodafone finally found my £300 payment for my last unfair bill, and paid it into my ex-vodafone account.

2. I was told : ''action has now been taken to remove all the adverse information previously recorded against your credit files with Experian, Equifax and Callcredit credit reference agencies''

I will double- check the second news in due course.

 

A big thank you to Lee for his effort at chasing his own colleagues at Vodafone. And I hope that I never ever see Vodafone logo or letters or anything from this company again.

A big thank you to silverfox1901, Locutus and all the people who cared to advise me in this website too.

 

Matter closed.

[locutus]

So they trashed your credit file even though you paid, and have now removed it because they have managed to trace the payment? Any compensation (if it's not too crude of me to ask)?

[silverfox1961]

I heartily agree with the above comments. Trashing your file through VFs poor handling needs to brought to the attention of Ofcom, the OFT and the Information Commissioner.

 

I am pleased that they are doing something but it should never have happened in the first place

 

I would hope for one of VFs famous 'gestures of goodwill' to be offered

[2Grumpy]

I suspect that vodaphone's gesture of goodwill was to correct their negligent handling of the account in the first place.

 

I'm not surprised that Vodephone registered a default against a customer who had already paid in full not only their outstanding balance but also for Vodaphone's future profits and calls that won't be made (I mean their disconnection fee)

 

It's bad enough threatening to record a default as a means of blackmailing a customer into paying an inflated bill for items that can't be enforced, but to actually carry out the threat when a bill has been disputed or even after the bill was paid on time shows a shocking disregard for customers.

 

In my opinion, only regulated credit suppliers should be able to update credit files. What on earth are the CRAs doing, allowing any Tom, Dick or utility provider to update CREDIT reference files? I do realise that it is in the contract, but it is in the contract of all of them, so you can't avoid it. Maybe that makes it an unfair condition?

 

If organisations want to update credit files, they should be regulated and offer immediate compensation for messing up. I understand that £5000 is the current rate if you take them to court. I don't know whether Vodaphone would contest this if you did start a claim for libel for that amount.

 

In your case, I would suggest that more compensation would be due to make up for the stress and time taken to prove that you had paid.

[locutus]

I suspect that vodaphone's gesture of goodwill was to correct their negligent handling of the account in the first place.

 

I'm not surprised that Vodephone registered a default against a customer who had already paid in full not only their outstanding balance but also for Vodaphone's future profits and calls that won't be made (I mean their disconnection fee)

 

It's bad enough threatening to record a default as a means of blackmailing a customer into paying an inflated bill for items that can't be enforced, but to actually carry out the threat when a bill has been disputed or even after the bill was paid on time shows a shocking disregard for customers.

 

In my opinion, only regulated credit suppliers should be able to update credit files. What on earth are the CRAs doing, allowing any Tom, Dick or utility provider to update CREDIT reference files? I do realise that it is in the contract, but it is in the contract of all of them, so you can't avoid it. Maybe that makes it an unfair condition?

 

If organisations want to update credit files, they should be regulated and offer immediate compensation for messing up. I understand that £5000 is the current rate if you take them to court. I don't know whether Vodaphone would contest this if you did start a claim for libel for that amount.

 

In your case, I would suggest that more compensation would be due to make up for the stress and time taken to prove that you had paid.

 

£7000 has been thrown around as the going rate, but as small claims only go up to £5000, and in higher courts there are costs to consider, so £5000 keeps things simple and straightforward.

[Lee Vodafone Company Rep]

Hello all,

 

2 good news to update my Vodafone issue:

 

1. Vodafone finally found my £300 payment for my last unfair bill, and paid it into my ex-vodafone account.

2. I was told : ''action has now been taken to remove all the adverse information previously recorded against your credit files with Experian, Equifax and Callcredit credit reference agencies''

I will double- check the second news in due course.

 

A big thank you to Lee for his effort at chasing his own colleagues at Vodafone. And I hope that I never ever see Vodafone logo or letters or anything from this company again.

A big thank you to silverfox1901, Locutus and all the people who cared to advise me in this website too.

 

Matter closed.

 

Hi ebonie,

 

Thanks again for updating your thread to confirm the action we've taken to resolve matters for you.

 

Whilst it's pleasing that we've been able to bring this to a conclusion it's naturally disappointing to know that you're unlikely to rejoin us in the future due to this experience.

 

Best wishes,

 

Lee

 

Web Relations Team

 

Vodafone UK