To be a bit concerned/annoyed by the way Vodafone have changed their contract structure? You now have to have a hard credit search just to upgrade…

8 replies

AngeloMysterioso · 05/02/2023 18:27

I’ve been a Vodafone customer for god knows how long now, always paid bills on time and in the past when I’ve upgraded it’s been a simple process… pick a phone, decide on a data/airtime tariff, done.

Now however they have apparently changed the structure, so you have a 2 year contract for your data and airtime, and a separate 3 year loan for your phone. So in order to upgrade you have to submit to a credit vetting which includes giving 3 years address history, your nationality, employment status, net monthly income and expenditure and undergo a hard credit search.

AIBU to think this new structure and process is unnecessarily complicated and invasive? I don’t particularly want to share such personal information or potentially have my credit eligibility affected by a hard search just to get a phone upgrade, so I’m now stuck with the faff of having to switch over to another network when I’ve been perfectly happy with Vodafone for about 20 years...

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Ilikewinter · 05/02/2023 18:30

Oh wow that is crap!. I switched from Vodaphone when they broke the contracts into phone and seperate data plan.....my monthly price went up £9 and they wouldnt budge on that either. Im with Sky now, the signal isnt as good as vodaphone but its soooo much cheaper

Msgrieves · 05/02/2023 18:32

Meh,I don't blame them tbh. I was surprised anyone would give me a phone. Flagship phones are like a grand or whatever, why would you expect to get a £1000 loan without a credit check.

OneTC · 05/02/2023 18:33

Why do people like contacts these days?

They seem madly expensive and restrictive. I do buy a phone up front but just buy 2nd hand reconditioned ex flagship ones for about 200-300 every 2-3 years. I aim for about 100/year for the hardware

GaslitlikeaVictorianparlour · 05/02/2023 18:35

I was with Vodafone from when mobile phones really got going until about 5 years ago. I don't like to upgrade every 2 years, I like to wait until the phone starts packing up. The hard sell got worse and worse so I changed to EE, it was actually really easy and EE has been far superior in terms of network coverage and customer service.

Original poster

AngeloMysterioso · 05/02/2023 18:37

I wasn’t even trying to buy a “flagship” handset… it was an iPhone SE which is one of the more basic iPhone handsets, the monthly payment for the device loan contract was £13/month. And to be subjected to a hard credit search for what amounts to a £470 “loan” after being a reliable customer for two decades seems a bit ridiculous.

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SeasonFinale · 05/02/2023 18:38

But when you switch the new company will want to do the same search surely?

Lostinalibrary · 05/02/2023 18:39

O2 do this. Seems the new model.

Original poster

AngeloMysterioso · 05/02/2023 18:40

SeasonFinale · 05/02/2023 18:38

But when you switch the new company will want to do the same search surely?

I don’t think so, DH is with EE and he said they don’t do that

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