Vodafone has been at the top of the Ofcom broadband complaints table for several quarters running. If yours is one of them, this is the procedure: how to open an in-house complaint, the 8-week clock, when to escalate to CISAS (Vodafone’s alternative dispute resolution scheme) and the Ofcom automatic-compensation rules that pay £9.76 a day for unfixed outages.
Complaints
Updated 19 May 2026
The procedure
Follow these in order. Each step has a hard deadline or trigger. Skip a step and CISAS will refuse the case.
Vodafone’s own complaints process is the mandatory first step. Open vodafone.co.uk/help-and-information/complaints-code-of-practice, use the live-chat link or call 191 from a Vodafone mobile (free) or 0333 304 0191. Ask for a complaint reference number in writing (email or text). Without that reference, the next steps below do not engage.
Vodafone has up to 8 weeks from the date of your complaint to resolve it (Ofcom rule). In practice straightforward issues are closed within 2 to 3 weeks; complex billing or service disputes can run the full 8 weeks. Keep every reply email and a phone log of dates, times and agent names. This evidence is what CISAS will need.
If Vodafone has refused to move on your complaint before the 8 weeks are up, you can ask the agent for a Deadlock letter. The letter formally confirms that Vodafone has done all it intends to do. Once you have it, you can skip the rest of the 8-week wait and go straight to CISAS.
Vodafone is signed up to CISAS (the Communications and Internet Services Adjudication Scheme) for alternative dispute resolution, not Ombudsman Services. Open the case at cedr.com/consumer/cisas. The service is free for consumers. Submit your evidence (complaint reference, dated emails, bills) and an adjudicator (an independent lawyer) reviews the case and issues a binding decision within around 6 weeks.
If CISAS rules in your favour, Vodafone must comply, typically with a refund, a goodwill credit or a written apology. You are not obliged to accept the outcome; you keep the right to pursue Vodafone through the small-claims court if you reject the CISAS decision. If you accept it, the case is closed and you cannot reopen it.
Automatic compensation
Vodafone is signed up to Ofcom’s automatic-compensation scheme. The credits below should appear on your next bill without you having to claim. If they do not, name them explicitly in your complaint.
| Trigger | Amount | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Total broadband loss not fixed within 2 working days | £9.76 | per day after day 2 |
| Missed engineer appointment (Vodafone-confirmed slot) | £29.15 | flat per missed visit |
| Delayed new-line install past the agreed start date | £6.10 | per day of delay |
Amounts confirmed against the May 2026 Ofcom Automatic Compensation Scheme update. Figures rise annually with CPI.
Where to raise it
Six channels. Pick the one that fits your case; phone is fastest for outages, written channels are best for billing disputes because they create an audit trail.
| Channel | How to use it |
|---|---|
| Phone (broadband) | 0333 304 0191, Mon to Fri 08:00 to 21:00, Sat to Sun 08:00 to 20:00. Ask for the complaints team. |
| Phone (from VF mobile) | Dial 191 free of charge from any Vodafone UK number. Same opening hours. |
| Live chat | Available 24/7 from vodafone.co.uk/contact-us. Starts with a chatbot; type "complaint" or "human agent" to be passed across. |
| Post | Vodafone Limited, The Connection, Newbury, Berkshire, RG14 2FN. Recorded delivery only, allow up to 10 working days for an acknowledgement. |
| X (Twitter) | @VodafoneUK. Public tweets usually get a fast acknowledgement; the agent will DM for account details. |
| Accessibility line | Dial 0345 714 1614 or text-relay 18001 0345 714 1614 for the dedicated accessibility complaints team. |
FAQ
Vodafone uses CISAS (the Communications and Internet Services Adjudication Scheme, run by CEDR), not Ombudsman Services. This is an important difference from BT, Sky, TalkTalk and Virgin Media, who are all on the Ombudsman Services scheme. The CISAS adjudicator is an independent lawyer who issues a binding decision on Vodafone within around 6 weeks of case submission. You can open a case at cedr.com/consumer/cisas. The service is free for consumers.
Up to 8 weeks from the date you raise it (Ofcom rule). After 8 weeks, or earlier if Vodafone issues a Deadlock letter, you can take the complaint to CISAS. Vodafone publishes its complaint figures quarterly under regulator rules; in Q4 2025 it received 10 broadband complaints per 100,000 customers, the joint-highest of any UK ISP that quarter.
Yes, under Ofcom’s automatic compensation scheme. Vodafone signed up voluntarily in 2019 and the rules are still active in 2026. You receive £9.76 for every day your broadband is down beyond 2 working days, £29.15 if a Vodafone engineer misses a confirmed appointment and £6.10 for every day a new-line install is delayed. Payments are made as bill credits and should appear on the next bill without you having to claim. If they do not, raise it in the complaint.
Yes. CISAS will not accept a case without a Vodafone complaint reference (sometimes called a case ID). Ask for it in writing at the start of the conversation; if the agent will only give it verbally, ask them to text or email a confirmation. The reference looks like VFC123456789 or a similar format. Without it, the 8-week clock cannot be evidenced.
Yes, but only as a last resort. The small claims court process costs £35 to £455 in fees depending on claim size and takes 4 to 6 months. CISAS is free, faster (around 6 weeks) and the decision binds Vodafone. Most consumer disputes are resolved via CISAS and never reach court. The court route makes sense only if your claim is for more than £10,000 or if you have already rejected a CISAS ruling.
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