How the MoS has held the telecoms firm to account
THE Mail on Sunday has heard from scores of readers whose lives have been harshly and disproportionately affected because of a simple mobile phone contract and a failing customer service system at one of the UK’s largest mobile phone networks.
Over the past year this newspaper has documented the impotence of Vodafone’s customer service department in rectifying account errors that emerged when the company updated its IT system.
With many advisers seemingly unable to resolve straightforward billing errors for customers affected by the fallout, in some cases the company has sent inaccurate information to credit reference agencies.
These organisations – which include Experian, Equifax and Callcredit – hold records of every person with active credit accounts, such as mortgages and credit cards. They are frequently updated by household bill providers and banks about customers’ repayment habits.
Details of non-payment on credit reports acts as a red flag to lenders, denting those customers’ chances of being granted credit or even paymonthly mobile phone deals elsewhere.
If they can get a loan, it is likely to be more expensive compared to rates offered to people with unblemished ratings.
Still unable to get swift resolution from Vodafone, customers have found themselves stuck in personal finance purgatory – unable to move on.
Readers have complained of ‘trashed’ credit ratings, being turned down for mortgages and one says her employment is at risk because she works in financial services and needs a good credit score.
Others who have not yet had their credit reports tarnished have been chased by debt collectors for money they do not owe. One reader reported getting a ‘final notice’ to warn she had 14 days to pay £0.00 or it would be registered as a bad debt and referred to a debt agency.
Customers who do manage to get their problems fixed are still forced to wait as companies and agencies update their records, leaving them to suffer the impact of a mistake not of their making.
It can take up to 30 days for changes to be properly reflected on credit files.