Vodafone missed payment - told i'd be cut off, now face a collections agency?!

MarkNewby

Hey.

In October I had trouble paying my vodafone bill due a total lack of funds. I was contacted by vodafone, and was told when I admitted I couldn't afford to pay them the money that I would be cut off, and no longer able to make calls although i "might still be able to recieve them". I left this sim card in my phone until late November, when I was given a PAYG sim card by my partner.

I then snapped the contract simcard up and threw it away, and having heard nothing by post, email, landline or mobile on the contract number from Vodafone, figured the matter was resolved and that as i'd been a customer of theirs for nearly 4 years, they'd just terminated the contract.

Fast forward to February 24th, and I recieve a letter from vodafone informing me that I owe them £211.69 [my average bill er month was ~£50 with texts, data usage etc] and that I should contact them immediatley. The letter further states that vodafone have made multiple attempts to contact me?!!!!

To attempt to clear the matter, I ring them straight away, only to find their call centre has a strange problem on the lines at this time (a wierd high pitched buzzing sound as soon as I rang up - couldn't hear anything else). So next evening after work I call back, and get through to an operative, tell her my issue and she then asks me for my account number. I give her this and she puts me on hold and then cuts me off. I call back and am told by an automated message that offices are open until 8pm, please call back tomorrow.

A few days later I recieve a stern worded letter from Lloyds Credit Solutions stating that Vodafone have passed my debt onto them and that they are acting as a collections agency for their client. The letter states that I need to call a number, which I do on 4 occasions, but the number given simply rings out [no answer after 1-2 minutes waiting].

Another letter came through worded in a much friendlier tone 'Do you just need more time to pay?' 2 days ago, and again, it had the same number on it. I'm going to try calling again in a moment, however i'm just wondering how legal this whole thing is. My debt has been passed without any real warning given. They apparently 'tried to contact me' - balony.

Any ideas anyone?
Mark.

Alec_Eiffel_2

If they're anything like o2 they would have tried to contact you on the number your contract has. As you'd snapped the sim and thrown it out they'd have kept getting your voicemail. That's no excuse for them not writing to you as this is such an important matter though.

KeithP

Well you haven't mentioned here that you terminated the contract. So it looks like your debt will increase by your monthly amount until you do so.

"They tried to contact you". But you have thrown away the sim card so they cant phone you.

Seems like you had better get in touch with them before things get any worse.

Quentin

They are entitled to their money.

Saying you thought they'd let you off because you were a customer of 4 years standing is a little naive.

Get in touch with the debt collectors and try to come to an arrangement. (And as Keithp says make sure the debt includes any termination fees, and that the contract has in fact been cancelled - if not, contact voda to ensure that they do cancel the contract).

chuckley

so tried to beat the system and LOST in a major way. u thought breakin the chip meant u didnt owe them anymore.

they dont need to contact u via letter as they had already told u, u owed money, so any further communication was via the fone, in which u broke the chip.

the extra £200 on top of your normal bill sounds like interest, collections fee or the in contract termination fee.

either way u stuffed up and owe them money.

Scousebird_2

Alec_Eiffel wrote: »

If they're anything like o2 they would have tried to contact you on the number your contract has. As you'd snapped the sim and thrown it out they'd have kept getting your voicemail. That's no excuse for them not writing to you as this is such an important matter though.

As they never usually hold other numbers for customers and they are sticking to their part of the airtime agreement-o2 have every right and it seems to make sense so try and contact their customer on the mobile number the account correspondes to don't you think?

Alec_Eiffel_2

Erm, i never said otherwise! I just told the OP that o2 would try to contact me on my o2 number, and that i assumed vodafone would do the same to them. However in the serious event of the OP's debt collection agency problems i would have thought that (assumed) repeated unsuccessful calls to the OP's mobile might warrant a letter.

KeithP

Out of five posts, Mr Newby has started three threads about debts, asking for advice.
I for one don't expect him to respond here as he hasn't had the decency to respond to his HSBC loan thread or his Student Loan thread.

normanmark

KeithP wrote: »

Out of five posts, Mr Newby has started three threads about debts, asking for advice.
I for one don't expect him to respond here as he hasn't had the decency to respond to his HSBC loan thread or his Student Loan thread.

He's just after some advice, nothing more.

There's no such thing as a stupid question, and even if you disagree courtesy helps.

Useful tip above for you