Have you had a wrongful mobile phone default?

izools

I've noticed an absolute litany of posts on these forums about defaults from mobile phone providers because said mobile provider failed to invoice for a final bill, and / or failed to collect a Direct Debit.

From what I've seen this largely seems to be T-Mobile/Orange but there's some Vodafone in there, too.

This must be happening en mass for so many people to be posting about it. Even my mother had it with... come to think of it every orange account she'd ever had thankfully though she keeps a close eye on such things and the accounts never defaulted but she still needed to raise formal complaints with Orange to have the early arrears removed.

Should we be collecting details of all these cases to forward them to the various watchdogs and ombudsmen?

fermi

May be an idea, but to be honest it's not just mobile accounts

Wrongful Defaults on Credit Reports - BBC WatchDog

izools

Yeah I noticed that thread when you linked to this one in it, thanks

I do however think that specifically T-Mobile/Orange and Vodafone both have inherent design flaws in the way they administer accounts that fail to comply with the dictates of the data protection act and the ICO guidelines on the recording of default notices on a data subject's credit file.

I'd be interested to see evidence collected to support this for referral to their ombudsman.

jojo9239

ME! They failed to change my address on my billing address after me calling them twice to inform them now 6 months on I have a default and they admit they changed my account address just not the mailing!!!!! x

Vodafone

Hi izools and all,

As you'll be aware, I read the vast majority of Vodafone related queries which are posted here as well as other consumer forums.

In regard to credit file reporting we are required to record a true and accurate reflection of a customer's payment history with us with the credit reference agencies.

However, if anyone would like me to look into any particular concerns about information we've recorded against their credit files could they email me with their details via the link in our profile here?

All they'll need to do is copy and paste the link into their web browsers and it'll take them to the Contact us form on our website. To make sure it reaches me they'll also need to quote the code WRT135 - MSE in the subject line?

Kind regards,

Lee

Web Relations

Vodafone UK

fermi

Wish we could say the same for the t-mobile/orange rep here. Someone pointed out the other day that they haven't even visited this forum since 2011. :mad:

izools

Vodafone_company_representative wrote: »

Hi izools and all,

As you'll be aware, I read the vast majority of Vodafone related queries which are posted here as well as other consumer forums.

In regard to credit file reporting we are required to record a true and accurate reflection of a customer's payment history with us with the credit reference agencies.

However, if anyone would like me to look into any particular concerns about information we've recorded against their credit files could they email me with their details via the link in our profile here?

All they'll need to do is copy and paste the link into their web browsers and it'll take them to the Contact us form on our website. To make sure it reaches me they'll also need to quote the code WRT135 - MSE in the subject line?

Kind regards,

Lee

Web Relations

Vodafone UK

I know that's what you are required to do Lee, but there are other issues.

The largest issue by far is this:

When someone cancels their mobile phone contract with you, chances are they are set to paperless billing.

When they do, they often check with your retentions team whether they should cancel their DD. They are told that they should.

Once a cancellation request has been accepted, the Vodafone website no longer allows a customer to log in.

I have had a couple of your telephone reps claim that once a cancellation request is actioned that the billing method automatically reverts to paper.

It doesn't.

NET result: Final bill is generated, customer has absolutely no way of knowing that there is a further balance to pay, next thing they know they find a default on their credit file through no fault of their own.

This isn't something that needs to be dealt with on a customer by customer basis, it is a serious process and system issue that needs to be dealt with by a change to process at Vodafone whereby ALL STAFF ARE RETRAINED TO EXPLICITLY NEVER TELL A CUSTOMER THEY ARE OK TO CANCEL A DD and a modification to Crystal / Gemini to ensure that

a) Customer's online accounts don't automatically self-terminate, allowing customers to sign in and check / pay bills after a line has been cancelled

b) When a line is cancelled, the alleged auto-revert to paper billing actually happens

ValHaller

izools wrote: »

This isn't something that needs to be dealt with on a customer by customer basis, it is a serious process and system issue that needs to be dealt with by a change to process at Vodafone whereby ALL STAFF ARE RETRAINED TO EXPLICITLY NEVER TELL A CUSTOMER THEY ARE OK TO CANCEL A DD and a modification to Crystal / Gemini to ensure that

a) Customer's online accounts don't automatically self-terminate, allowing customers to sign in and check / pay bills after a line has been cancelled

b) When a line is cancelled, the alleged auto-revert to paper billing actually happens

I agree. This seems to be such a common occurrence, that there has to be a system and process explanation - which you have provided.

Perhaps the ICO should be investigating the process and if it is found deficient, perhpas Vodaphone should be ordered to lif all default notices until and unless they can prove that in any particular case this issue was not relevant.

Sauira

Hi I had a t-mobile account in 2008 it was coming to the end of my contract and I didn't want to continue so I phoned them to cancel....I think I even gave them notice?

Anyway they seem to think I owe them £88?

I never received a bill, I paid what I thought was the final bill....

I had even stopped using the sim card. An now I have a default which was issued on 10/01/2011.

The contract was only for 24 months. Shouldn't it of been issued earlier? An shouldn't they of made me more aware I owe them money :mad:

izools

They should have advised you your account was behind, and they should have given you fair time to bring the account back up to date having advised you it was in arrears.

They should have also recorded the default date as absolutely no later than six months from when the last payment was received.

Yet another example of EE failing to comply with the DPA and failing to comply with the ICO guidelines on the issuance of default notices.

Vodafone

izools wrote: »

I know that's what you are required to do Lee, but there are other issues.

The largest issue by far is this:

When someone cancels their mobile phone contract with you, chances are they are set to paperless billing.

When they do, they often check with your retentions team whether they should cancel their DD. They are told that they should.

Once a cancellation request has been accepted, the Vodafone website no longer allows a customer to log in.

I have had a couple of your telephone reps claim that once a cancellation request is actioned that the billing method automatically reverts to paper.

It doesn't.

NET result: Final bill is generated, customer has absolutely no way of knowing that there is a further balance to pay, next thing they know they find a default on their credit file through no fault of their own.

This isn't something that needs to be dealt with on a customer by customer basis, it is a serious process and system issue that needs to be dealt with by a change to process at Vodafone whereby ALL STAFF ARE RETRAINED TO EXPLICITLY NEVER TELL A CUSTOMER THEY ARE OK TO CANCEL A DD and a modification to Crystal / Gemini to ensure that

a) Customer's online accounts don't automatically self-terminate, allowing customers to sign in and check / pay bills after a line has been cancelled

b) When a line is cancelled, the alleged auto-revert to paper billing actually happens

Hi izools,

You're correct in saying that any customer who is registered for online billing isn't reverted to paper billing once their account has been cancelled.

However, we still email them with a bill notification when their final bill is ready.

If a customer has cancelled their Direct Debit before payment of this has been taken then we would send a reminder letter if payment hasn't been made via an alternative method.

In the event that payment has still not been received then a default notice letter would then be sent.

In regard to the actual recording of the default I can confirm that this would only happen once the balance was overdue by at least four months. Prior to this the relevant late payment status codes would be recorded.

Hope this clarifies things for you.

Lee

Web Relations

Vodafone UK