Default on my credit report

[Anonymous]

In September 2009, I called O2 to cancel my account, informing them that I was changing to another provider. As I was changing my number with the new account, the O2 operative I spoke to told me that I could have a Pay-as-you-go SIM card which I could use in case people didn’t have my new number, this way I could ensure I didn’t miss any calls. I told her that it was a great idea and asked her to send it through. I didn’t ever receive this card and to be honest, I forgot about it.

I continued to use my new phone on my new number and account for 4 months before I noticed that O2 were continuing to take my monthly fees out of my bank account. I contacted my bank and said that this was a mistake as I had cancelled my account with O2 four months previous. My bank issued a recall on the payments and I received the monies back in my account within the next few weeks.

I then received a letter from O2 about unpaid monthly payments. I called them and told them that I had cancelled my accounts four months ago and that they had been taking my money by mistake. They denied that I had cancelled my account and also told me that I had not registered the Pay as you Go Sim I had requested. Apparently if I had registered the Pay as you Go Sim, the account would have been cancelled? Which to this day I don’t understand!

In any case, I did not receive the SIM in the first place so I was unable to register it. I was also not told of the importance of registering it. I was sure that if I called to cancel my account, it would be cancelled at the end of the notice period and not be reliant on me registering another SIM card?

I argued this with their customer service team for at least a month. They kept telling me that I was at fault and that I owed them the money that my bank had reclaimed through the direct debit recall. The issue was fraught with threats and I was at a loss as to how I could sort out this problem.  Their customer service department was not helpful and steadfastly refused to accept that I had cancelled my account. They were extremely rude and difficult.

In April 2010, after a few frustrating months of trying to sort this out, I was sent a letter by Lowell Portfolio Group to say that O2 had sent my ‘debt’ to them so that it could be recovered. Again, I relayed the story of how I cancelled my account and O2 had still taken the payments. They went back to O2, who told them the same lies, and I was left in the position where I was being threatened and bullied continuously by this debt collection agency.

This issue caused me so much stress that I gave in and paid the debt. This was in December 2011. I held my own till then, absolutely sure that I was in the right and that O2 had ‘stolen’ these payments from me in the first place, but eventually I  resigned myself to the fact that life is just too short to be this stressed over such a small amount of money (£154).

However, since April 2010 I have suffered a default mark on my credit report pertaining to this issue. Even though I paid it to get the stress out of my life, I have been being vindictively punished for it for 4 years now.

What can I do to sort this out? I am unable to get a mortgage, or get on with my life. It is simply not fair that my life has been on hold for 4 years because of the incompetence of O2’s customer service team. I am not at fault here, yet I am being punished for trying to stand my ground with this large corporation.

I would appreciate any help you can give me. I have another 2 years left until this default is automatically removed, but it would be lovely if I could get some help to remove it before that time. 

Please help!

[Anonymous]

I was replying the op's question about how to close a contract @Bambino

[Bambino]

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@Anonymous wrote:
I was replying the op's question about how to close a contract @Bambino

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My reply to that question would be the same to the OP. The issue now is to try to get the default removed, which will be difficult as so much time has passed.

[Anonymous]

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@Bambino wrote:

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@Anonymous wrote:
I was replying the op's question about how to close a contract @Bambino

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My reply to that question would be the same to the OP. The issue now is to try to get the default removed, which will be difficult as so much time has passed.

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If the default has been placed inline with 02's T&C then it will not be removed until it drops off as per credit file T&C.

[Bambino]

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@Anonymous wrote:

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@Bambino wrote:

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@Anonymous wrote:
I was replying the op's question about how to close a contract @Bambino

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My reply to that question would be the same to the OP. The issue now is to try to get the default removed, which will be difficult as so much time has passed.

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If the default has been placed inline with 02's T&C then it will not be removed until it drops off as per credit file T&C.

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That's probably true, but there's no harm in the OP trying to get it removed. The worst that could happen is that they say no. They'd be no worse off than they are now.

[Cleoriff]

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Bambino wrote

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That's a bit like shutting the barn door after the horse has gone, in this instance. The OP might take a look at this. I don't know if would be any help, but it's worth a try: http://www.learnmoney.co.uk/credit-file/small-defaults.html

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@BambinoThanks for posting that link. It made excellent reading, not just for the OP but anyone who finds themself with a small default (under £500)

I agree with the author of the article who says persistance is the key...after all writing up to 6 letters is nothing compared to having 6 years poor credit history.

I employed a similar tactic with HMRC regarding a supposed underpayment of tax. It took 5 months but eventually they agreed to cancel the underpayment. (It genuinely was their oversight not mine!)

So in my opinion, all is not lost if the OP wants to put in a bit of work asking for the default to be removed.

[Bambino]

@Cleoriff I agree that the OP should persist, as they still have two years to go before the default marker is lifted, and by the tone of their first post it's clearly something that has affected them. I hope that as the amount was so small, if they write a few letters as the article suggests, O2 might relent and remove the marker. I can only wish the OP the best of luck and hope that they get this issue resolved sooner rather than later.

[Anonymous]

All I can say to the OP is good luck!

I had a simialr experience with O2 many years ago now...

To cut a long story short they placed a default (satisfied) on my credit file for the measly sum of £83 linked to an old account I had cancelled years before. I was still an O2 customer as I left and then rejoined.

I never received any of the letters they supposedly wrote me, nor did I ever receive Notice Of Default - O2 do not have to issue this as they do not provide credit - a legal loop hole!

I took it as far as I could as it was also affecting me obtaining my first motgage. I wrote to everyone in O2 CS to little avail. I even did a Subject Access Request which resulted in me receiving a massive file of paperwork from them. I then contacted the Information Commissioner's Office but they sided with O2 and deemed them to have acted within their T&C's.

I wrote to all the credit report companies but they wouldn't remove the default without O2's say so (as expected), so in the end I was left with no choice but to wait for it to expire. 

As said earlier - good luck!

[Anonymous]

The Financial Ombudsman is a good call. I acted on behalf of my daughter who was working abroad, as she had been put into a seemingly impossible situation by a financial institution - basically they made a balls up! All I can say is the service from FO was superb. It took a couple of months, but the FO called me everytime there was an update and finally resolved the issue.

It may not work for you, but I'd highly recommend the FO

[Anonymous]

Hi

I am also having problems with O2. I cancelled a contract with them back in 2010 and went away for a few months, I checked with them before it was cancelled and paid what was owed, or so I thought. I haven't had any reason to check my credit report until now, and there is a default on there, from 6 years ago and still outstanding for a poxy £7!!! When I can back from my 3 month trip, I took out another contract with O2, all fine and nothing was mentioned about this default, this must have been because I had a different address from the first contract (but surely they can see I am the same peson from my name and date of birth?!). Anyway, I have had to send an email requesting further info on the matter and how I pay it, which I have to wait up to 10 days for a response. I am now so so so worried about all the charges that have probably accrued on a stupid £7 and I'm going insane with the stress. Does anyone know what the charges are like or what I should expect??

Please help

[jonsie]

Presumably you have had no contact from any debt collection agency but after 6 years any credit file note will have no affect on your taking out further credit be it a mortgage or any ting else.

Personally I would put a note on your credit file to state the debt has been settled if indeed that is the case.