Vodafone sends mixed signals over £114 refund
B.J. writes: When I was working at the Princess Royal Hospital near Orpington in Kent, nobody there could get a Vodafone signal, yet other networks were fine. I asked Vodafone to release me from my two-year contract but they refused. I switched to another network, but Vodafone told the credit agency Experian that I owed £114, so I paid under duress. I then sued and just before the court hearing Vodafone refunded the £114 plus costs. But I am still listed by Experian as a defaulter and Vodafone says it must stick to this. I need the default removed as I shall be moving house soon. I SUPPOSE the basic question is to ask how Vodafone can refund the £114, yet at the same time claim that you owe the money and have defaulted on payment. On top of this, there is no reason why a company cannot delete an incorrect credit agency entry.
I put both these points to Vodafone. It told me the £114 charge was ‘fair and accurate as we make it clear that we cannot guarantee a signal in all areas at all times.’ But Vodafone did confirm that it eventually waived the £114 termination fee and repaid you. It added: ‘At this stage we should have corrected Mr J’s credit history – we are sorry this did not happen. This has now been done and any adverse markers have been removed.’
So far, so good. Except that the adverse markers were still there. Vodafone’s left hand had misled its right hand. It has taken a few more weeks, but a check with the big credit agencies shows you really are now in the clear.