Incorrect date of vodafone default

kieran.obrien

Hi,

I'm new to the forum so please forgive me if I'm posting this in the wrong place. Let me know if I should post it elsewhere. Apologies in advance if this is a bit long, but I'm trying to get all the facts out.

My query is regarding what time-scale is reasonable for Vodafone to register a default against my credit file?

I was a Vodafone pay monthly customer back in 2008 and ported my number out to Orange in the June of that year.

I am currently trying to apply for a mortgage and have obtained a copy of my credit file which shows Vodafone have applied a default in August 2012.

Upon querying this with Vodafone they tell me there is an outstanding payment of 3 months line rental for a second number on the account. I don't recall having a second number but I went through a messy separation from my ex-partner in August 2008, so it's possible. Also at this time I moved into rented accommodation. I've asked Vodafone for copies of the bills in question but to date have received nothing.

6 months later, April 2009, I moved in with a new partner to our current property and opened a joint account. At this time I cleared out all old direct debits on my current account. Vodafone was one of them.

Vodafone have since confirmed that the final payment I made to them was April 2009 and my account was closed in July 2009. I never received any notification that I was in arrears, or that I was due to have a default applied. Had I known, I would have paid it, or queried the amount.

Is it right that Vodafone can apply the default 3 years after the fact?!? Surely if my account was closed in July 2009 then that is when the default should have been applied?

Can anyone advise how I can get the default either removed, due to being applied incorrectly and mis-using my personal data, or at the very least have the date corrected?? Even if it was corrected to July 2009 then I believe that that would cause it to drop off my credit file as it's been over 6 years?

I've tried calling, and live chat but don't seem to be getting anywhere.

This is causing me much stress and worry at home, as I am now in the position that our landlord is selling up and not renewing our rental in October but I am unable to apply for a mortgage to buy the property (or any other) due to a default of £70 (which may as well be a CCJ for £20,000) that I wasn't even aware of.

This is the only blemish on my credit file, but it is currently going to affect me for the next 3 years, at which point I'll probably be too old to get a mortgage anyway (I'm 39 now)

Help me MSE, you're my only hope...

kieran.obrien

I think i've manged to contact the web response team after following some instructions i read in other similar threads.

My automated email reference number is [#11195959]

Do I await a response from them, or from the Vodafone rep I've seen posting on here?

I also found a link to email the CEO but I'm not if that would do more harm than good? That said, I'm the one who's suffering due to Vodafone's incorrect handling of my data ;(

National_Debtline

Hi Kieran.obrien

You need to check first whether the default is correct. If there was a second phone line and the contract was not completed successfully then, unfortunately, the default probably is correct and you should focus on getting it backdated. Otherwise you may be able to dispute the whole thing.

A default should normally be registered within 3-6months according to the Information Commissioner Guidance notes - https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/finance/. You can write to them and make a formal complaint about when the date the default was registered and if they don’t amend it, you can take the matter to the Information Commissioner.

Laura
@natdebtline