Vodafone - Being hounded for money I don't owe - Please help!

louiseu29

Hi all,

I am hoping one of you will be able to help me please.

Unfortunately its a long story but i'll cut out as much as I can -

I had a phone from Vodafone on a 12mth contract which i took out on 8th Oct 2006 (i paid extra per month as i didnt want to sign a 18mth/24mth contract), my standard tariff was £75 a mth. Alot i know but that is not the issue....

I ended the phone by calling VF and was advised i had to terminate in writing too, which i did and they accepted, phone terminated 23rd April 2008. When i had called i confirmed that the account would be closed and nothing was owed. I paid every month bang on time by direct debit and have statements to prove this.

All of a sudden, in October 2008 i have an entry on my credit file for £371 owing to Vodafone, I called them, they told me it was for an early cancellation fee, i explained that i could not possibly owe any early term fees as i had seen out my contract and then some. I then get bombarded with letters from debt agencies demanding i pay up or they take me to court.

I wrote to VF again, asking for a copy of this longer contract which they have dreamed up to prove i owed them money, they could not provide. The debt disappeared from my credit file by April 2009 so i thought (hoped) they had removed it but soon re-appeared!! By now, its 2010 i'm still asking for proof but instead of waking up and leaving me alone they decide to change the reason for the cost to 'outstanding call charges'. If i owed all that money it would have come out by DD as every other month did, also i had actually got my replacement phone a month earlier, so for the whole last month of my contract with VF my phone wasnt even turned on let alone used.

Again i asked for proof, VF ignore every letter i send, their only response is to recruit yet another debt collection agency (bullies) to contact me with threats of balliffs or court action. I tell every single one of them the story and ask them to prove it but never have I received any response.

One agency even drastically broke the data protection act by giving out my details to someone on my old home phone number who ended up broadcasting that i owed VF money and caused me several distressful moments. Again i wrote to VF who stopped using that particular agency but just moved on and nothing was done about that either.

In all i have had 8 agencies chasing me for money that i promise you, i do not owe. This has been on my credit file for nearly 5 years and I cannot get them to leave me alone. My credit file is currently showing as owing 'Lowell Portfolio' - not even VF!

I have written to the OFT already who unfortunately said they could not help me as the debt is so old :-( I genuinely do not know what to do and this has been damaging enough already.

The most recent agency calls/texts/emails/posts letters every single day, i get atleast 3 calls a day and a coupel of emails/texts. Todays letter states i now owe £451!

If they were so right all along why havent they taken me to court or sent the balliffs round?

Please help me!:(

Thank you in advance :-)

Lou

fermi

The vodafone web relations team/company rep may be able to help with the original issue.

Contact via http://vdfn.co/email or [EMAIL="eforum.web@help.vodafone.co.uk"]eforum.web@help.vodafone.co.uk[/EMAIL] - quoting WRT135 - MSE in the subject line and a link to this thread.

What is the default date on the entry for Lowells? Still October 2008?

louiseu29

Thanks Fermi, I will give anything a go! :-)

Its got a default date of 8th October 2008. It shouldn't even be there :-(

Thanks again!

exarmydreamer

Great advert for vodaphone, won't be using them.

patman99

Pointless even trying to use them in Colchester. They removed a mast & now the whole Town is without coverage.

Just a pity the Govt. aren't using the same collection tactics and harassment to recover the £6Bn in Tax Voadphone owes.

happy_bunny_2

Contact the ombudsman as been years without an answer, not 8 weeks:
http://www.vodafone.co.uk/about-us/code-of-practice/

Vodafone

Hi Lou,

Thanks for making me aware of this.

Unfortunately, I haven't been able to locate your email.

So I can check again could you update the thread with your email reference number from our automated reply?

Kind regards,

Lee

Web Relations

Vodafone UK

louiseu29

Hi Lee,

This is the reference from the automated response - [#4866964]‏

I have just sent you a full detailed account of absolutely everything and hoping you can help me at last!

I have just recently been declined a mortgage for my first ever home purchase and the only negative on my credit file is this so I am feeling absolutely destroyed by Vodafone and its debt agencies.

Please help!

Many thanks in advance!

Louise

spacey2012

You have a very good case for compensation in the small claims court for harassment, have you saved every letter ?
If they have also cost you a mortgage, you need to be looking at quantifying that loss on paper in some for of accounts, rent ? that kind of thing.
For years of harassment, you certainly need to be looking at a a couple of grand a year in damages, you can claim for emotional distress by claiming tort to persons similar to a personal injury claim.
As principle they remain 100% responsible for actions of any agent they set upon you to harass you on their behalf.

Vodafone

Hi Louise,

Thanks for coming back to me.

I've received your email and so pleased be assured that I'll get back to you as soon as possible.

Kind regards,

Lee

Web Relations

Vodafone UK

sourcrates

I am really sorry for what you have been going through with VP, these companies are so big, with so many departments, that one hand doesn't often know what the other is doing, however I have read your thread and it beggars belief that a company can do something like this, I am flabbergasted at there crass stupidity and there refusal to do anything about it, now the vodaphone rep has been made aware of this, if he is worth his salt, he should be able to sort this out for you.
Please keep us updated as I would love to hear the outcome of this, you deserve some form of compensation for all this harassment, good luck.