Direct debit problem - Santander and Vodafone blaming each other

GingerBob_3

colsten wrote: »

100% if it was due Vodafone's ineptness.

You can follow the procedure offered by the credit reference agencies (and you probably will have to do it for all three). This can take months.

I personally would write to Mr. Hoencamp about it. He will of course not remove it himself but he will task one of his Executive Complaints Team to resolve the matter. It will still take some time to remove it.

Should this be unsuccessful, I'd then go to the Ombudsman, and also to the Press and/or my MP.

For the broader problem this has got to be the way forward.

vigman

For getting one "late payment" charge of £24, will I automatically be referred to a credit reference agency as implied in this thread?

I have a 5* lifetime gold standard credit reference and would be furious if this is the case.

Who would this be referred to and how can I have this removed please?

TIA

Vigman

vigman

OK, a long, but detailed email to Mr Hoencamp:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Mr Hoencamp

I am hoping that you read this long, but detailed, email personally rather than it being diverted to other members of staff because the contents are not just about my ongoing problems with Vodafone but about problems that affect many thousands of people and the credibility of Vodafone as a large communication company.

Also, I was an IT Manager at a large university and would have welcomed my direct attention being drawn to serious problems by any user.

My specific problem, and one that affects many other people, is the inability of Vodafone to set up direct debits correctly and the subsequent fallout from this. In my case this was with Santander.

In November I requested a change of direct debit for my Vodafone payments by phone call to Vodafone. The details were taken and I was told this could take up to five days (although direct debits from other companies often appeared within 48 hours). A week later these details were not showing on my Santander account.

I then used “live chat” and was assured that a new direct debit was then set up correctly. Still no DD appeared.

I then went on to the Money Saving Expert forum to see if this was a known problem and to my great disappointment found that many people had this problem with your direct debits and different banks and sometimes for months, even years. I then checked on your own Vodafone forum and again there were many people totally frustrated by the inability to get a Vodafone direct debit set up.

At this point I began to read about ‘loss of service’ actions, late payment charges and references to credit agencies. Alarm bells rang.

I am disabled and the two phone numbers on my Vodafone account are for myself and my wife must be available to use at all times. With this in mind, I wrote letters to the billing and complaints department at your Newbury address, neither of whom have responded.

A Vodafone representative also left a link on the Money Saving Expert forum for me to escalate my complaint. I completed this form but have had no response.

At the same time, I tried “live chat” again and was assured that the direct debit was now in place. It wasn’t.

Just as I had feared, the next day one of the numbers on my account got a “restricted service” text and I was extremely upset. I rang Vodafone again and this time was put through to a very helpful operative in Glasgow. He looked at my details and immediately saw that my account number had been used in the ‘bank name’ field making the direct debit impossible to process.

He put the details through again correctly and then had to take a card payment for the ‘missed’ payment. He gave me all the details of the direct debit and payment. A few days later the direct debit finally appeared against my Santander account and hopefully will be used for the next payment.

This was still not the end of the story because I checked my next bill (dated 25th December) and found that I had had a “late payment” charge of £4.17 added to the bill, even though this was entirely due to Vodafone being unable to process a direct debit despite all the failed requests on my part.

For myself, I want an apology and an immediate repayment of the “late payment” charge plus payment of some compensation for all the unnecessary work and anxiety Vodafone has given me and also for you to confirm that Vodafone have not reported a “late payment” to any of the credit reference agencies.

However on a wider picture, Vodafone must implement an enquiry into their direct debit payment system procedures and investigate each complainant on the Money Saving Expert and Vodafone forums resolving this issue for once and for all.

If the above wasn’t enough, the Vodafone website is not fit for purpose.

For years when trying to log in, I have often had an outright failure, a report that you are “making a few tweaks at the moment”, or most infuriatingly the fact that EVERY time I now try to log in, I have to have a security code texted to my phone. One of your representatives said this was happening to thousands of people and often the code itself would not let them in to their accounts.

The only reason I changed from ‘pay as you go’ to account payments was that I often could not make a renewal payment on the website due to it being down or due to my registered card not being processed properly and I had to get someone to go and buy a voucher from the local post office while I had no service!

For one of the largest communications companies this website is a very amateur affair and should be an embarrassment to all involved in it, including the senior management.

Finally, you must be asking why I don’t just leave Vodafone. Believe me I would in an instant (probably even with punitive contract cancellation charges!) but in the two places I need the phones you happen to have a stronger signal than your rivals.

Please give this email your full attention and take action.

I am treating it as an open email and, if necessary, will be copied to public forums, the appropriate ombudsman and even consumer programs like BBC Watchdog until a professional service is offered in all departments.

Thank you for your time

vigman

I have just had a phone call from a Vodafone representative and am reporting back the basics of what we discussed.

[Added later: Just also had a call from the Director's office and same points discussed]

As I can see from my Santander account, the Vodafone DD is correctly set up. I believe this was the fourth or fifth attempt and involved restricted access and late payment charges before resolution.

The fault on at least one of the attempts was human error where the account number had been used in the bank name field by a live chat operative.

They have been changing their direct debit system which seems to have led to the errors reported.[Reporting this not commenting]

The late payment has been refunded.

A late payment is only referred to a credit reference agency after 30 days.

I requested and received some compensation for the cost of sending letters and the very real anxiety it caused.

The only way to enter your online Vodafone account now is to be sent a text EVERY time you log in. I suggested that this is not convenient if you don't have your phone by the computer, the phone has a flat battery or there is no signal in the area that your computer is being used.

I suggested that in my opinion it would be better to have a pass phrase and a password to access the online account so that the user did not have to have a phone or signal to gain access to their account.

I pointed out that every one with direct debit problems with Vodafone on this and other forums, including their own, should be contacted and have the problem dealt with.

Although my issue seems to have finally been resolved there are four areas where there are systemic problems:

Direct debit management and the incorrect late payment charges

Website access by phone text only not pass phrase/word

A website that is often unobtainable wholly or in specific areas which has been going on for years

No continuity of customer complaint (having to explain the issues every time a call or live chat is made]


I pointed out that for a large communications company they need to look carefully at these issues if they are to retain or enlarge their customer base.

I had not had these problems with O2 or Orange/EE who I also have accounts with and would leave Vodafone if the signal was not strong in the two areas I needed my phone.

Do contact Mr Hoencamp by email as notified in this thread and do also use the link posted in this thread by the Vodafone representative Lee to escalate your problems.

Finally, yet again I want to thank MSE and its contributors who led me to getting a successful conclusion to my Vodafone problems.

Vigman

colsten

Glad to hear your problem seesm to be resolved now. I'd still keep an eye on my credit files though as I wouldn't just take their word for it. Use the free noddle.co.uk.

vigman wrote: »

The only way to enter your online Vodafone account now is to be sent a text EVERY time you log in. I suggested that this is not convenient if you don't have your phone by the computer, the phone has a flat battery or there is no signal in the area that your computer is being used.

This sounds like a two factor log in, and I think it makes good sense (remember the TalkTalk hacking?). I know two factor login can be a tad inconvenient but it significantly adds to your security. If you don't have your phone handy or if the battery is flat, you just log in a bit later. It's not that logging into your Vodafone account is on a critical path, is it.

vigman

colsten wrote: »

Glad to hear your problem seesm to be resolved now. I'd still keep an eye on my credit files though as I wouldn't just take their word for it. Use the free noddle.co.uk.



This sounds like a two factor log in, and I think it makes good sense (remember the TalkTalk hacking?). I know two factor login can be a tad inconvenient but it significantly adds to your security. If you don't have your phone handy or if the battery is flat, you just log in a bit later. It's not that logging into your Vodafone account is on a critical path, is it.

....it was recently!

I do agree that any additional security is welcomed but I think random characters from two pass phrases/words and personal security questions would be preferable than having to get a texted code every time the online account via the Vodafone website is accessed?

Interestingly though two of the Vodafone staff I have recently dealt with did not know that this was accepted practice now and apologised for the 'text on every login' system.

Vigman

fabledeb

Hi.I am having same problem. Lloyd's tell me that there is no direct debit set up. Vodafone tell me there is. I then find out that Vodafone have been trying to collect with an old direct debit number for a previously cancelled direct debit.Been going on for 6 months and every month when I get an electronic bill it tells me that collection will be made by DD. I know within a few days of the date due I get a threatening text stating bill overdue and phone will be disconnected if not paid. I then have to try and pay over the phone or via on line. I have tried to resolve this every month and to be honest the advisor is more interested in getting my debit card number off me so the payment can be made rather than try and resolve the DD issue. They actually told me last month that they would send out a paper copy of a direct debit mandate and this would resolve it. Firstly its nearly 2016, why cant they sort this out like every other company rather than resorting to outdated paper mandates. He promised to sort it. When I explained that I had been promised by so many of his colleagues to sort it he said, but you have not spoken to me before and I will sort it (or words to that effect). Well we are now a month later and either this guy also forgot to follow up on the promise or he is just another example of the lies and promises Vodafone make only to do nothing.I think the UK CEO said that the Customer Experience was a priority when he was interviewed back in May. Well either he is also part of the Vodafone failed promise machine or his message is not getting through to those he employs to sort problems out. Either way he is responsible for the poor service which, in my view is nothing short of contempt for the customer. Apologies for the short rant but after 6 months of trying to resolve the DD problem without success, I have probably earned the right to have a moan, or am I being a bit unfair Vodafone.Am I setting my expectation too high to expect something as simple as setting up a direct debit to be resolved within 6 months. How unreasonable of me.

Archi_Bald

fabledeb wrote: »

I think the UK CEO said that the Customer Experience was a priority when he was interviewed back in May. Well either he is also part of the Vodafone failed promise machine or his message is not getting through to those he employs to sort problems out.

You are absolutely right. Tell him. His email address has been posted earlier.

xylophone

Apologies for the short rant but after 6 months of trying to resolve the DD problem without success,

Follow Vigman's advice/example.

vigman

Remember for a while at least, the Vodafone representatives are going to be monitoring this thread and any others that describe the Direct Debit problem with Vodafone.

Post all the details here AND use the link Lee from Vodafone gave in this thread AND email Mr Hoencamp.

This will show there is still a great deal to sort out.

Don't forget to ask for a 'goodwill payment' for all the trouble and anxiety caused as well as time lost making repeated contact.

Vigman