Vodafone has put a loan on my credit score!

jodie789

Hi everyone,
Could someone give me some quick advice please?
I've had my mobile contract with Vodafone for about 15 years & during that time have occasionally been told I'm due for an upgrade on my phone.
I used to go along to the shop and they would give me a new phone and continue my contract or start a new contract and that was that.
About a month ago, my current phone was so old and cracked that I went into my vodafone store and they said I was due for an upgrade and a new contract.
I chose a phone (a google one that is like a lead weight - another story) and signed the contract and thought that was it.
Yesterday I checked my credit score which I do every couple of weeks or so and there is now a 'loan' added to it from vodafone!
I was never told in the store that they would put a loan on my credit score and I don't want it there.
I feel like cancelling the whole thing, complaining and going with another provider.
But do all phone providers do this nowadays or is there a contract you can have without a loan going on your score? It never used to.
Can you keep the same phone number if you changer provider?
Which one should I go to now, or is it too much hassle to change?  It's so annoying that so many things are done behind your back now & you have to spend ages complaining etc. 
Thanks guys. 

MorningcoffeeIV

They've put it on your credit files, not your credit score.

It's usual for mobile contracts to appear on your credit file and certainly no cause for concern.

Yes - you can keep your number if you move to another provider and have them report to your credit file instead of Vodafone.  But make sure you are out of contract first, so you're not paying for two contracts.

jodie789

Thanks for your reply. Appreciated. 
Well it did make my credit score drop as it said it as a hard search.
I don't mind that, but it is showing up on my credit score as a loan for over £500?
My old phones never did that as far as I know.
I thought the phone was free, as part of the contract for which I pay a monthly fee to vodafone?
I've tried ringing to ask them about it but the call centre lady didn't understand English enough to help.
thanks again.

MorningcoffeeIV

It doesn't matter if your credit score dropped. No one will ever know but you. 

The phone isn't free. It's covered within the costs of the contract. You possess it, but it still needs to be paid for 

macman

Nothing was done 'behind your back'. You took out credit by way of a mobile phone contract, so it appears on your credit history, as a statement of fact. Why is that a problem for you? It's only a problem if you pay late or default.
You don't have a credit score, it's a fictitious number that lender's don't even see. The £500 is presumably the total value of the contract over it's minimum term, so for example £20 per month over 24 months. The phone is not 'free', it's included in the airtime contract, but it's cost is represented within the monthly charge, maybe £15 per month out of the total charge.
if you don't want a phone contract to show on your credit history then you had the option to have bought one outright and then got a SIM-only deal. However, even a SIM only deal still involves taking credit out for the airtime.

flashg67

It may be that Vodafone have only just started reporting to the particular credit agency you saw the report from. I have a 3 year car lease which didn't show on any reports for the first year at least, although to be fair, I did get a letter explaining it would now show. But as above, it's effectively a loan agreement, so you'd expect it to be on your report - not unusual in my experience.

forgotmyname

Paying your bills on time can drop your "score" also. Buying something that is a fairly high percentage of your credit cards
limit and that can drop the score even if you pay it off in full within 10 days which was well before the actual payment date.

Shows how useful the "score" is.