O2 have ruined my girlfriend’s credit rating

[BenD]

Today my partner received a letter from Lowell Portfolio to say they have purchased a debt for £32.98 from O2. This is the first she has heard of this debt, which is absolutely astonishing as presumably if O2 were owed money, they should have contacted her directly first!

This now it has ruined her credit rating, which has impacted our ability to get a mortgage as well as causing severe stress when she is 8 months pregnant.

Any tips for getting this sorted and having the black marks removed from her credit file?

Presumably this debt comes from the end of her previous contract with O2, which ended in approximately Jan 2018. But guess what, when she came to the end of that contract, she spoke with members of 02 staff who assured her that she owed no more money! To make matters worse, she opened a new account with O2 several months later when she returned from travelling and there was no mention at all of this outstanding debt.

Absolutely disgusting behaviour from O2, I’m so angry!

[Bambino · Accepted solution]

@BenD Unfortunately, it's something that we as customers see here regularly. You'll need to contact the Credit Referrals Team. There is no phone number to speak to anyone.

CreditFileReferrals@o2.com
Credit File Referrals Team
Suite P
Arlington Business Centre
Leeds
LS11 0NE
Fax 0113 2025865

[BenD]

Thanks for your reply Bambino. I’ll send them an email and try and get to the bottom of it.

It’s shocking that they can just do this to people without notifying them.

[Bambino]

Good luck @BenD. O2 are ruthless about non-payments, and are pretty despicable about how they go about trying to collect unpaid debt. I hope you get this sorted.

[MI5]

@BenD 

Pay what you owe immediately and then write to the main credit agencies to put a notice of correction on your credit file. This will help with some lenders.

[nedludd]

Hi

I've had this several times from different companies (carphone warehouse, first utility etc). I have never paid a penny. My credit rating is intact. Don't let them bully you, but immediately challenge the "debt" with whichever debt collecting company they are using. At first they will be offhand/pushy with you to try to get you to cough up, but polite persistence pays off. If the charge is challenged, they cannot use it as a mark against your credit until the challenge is resolved. Oh, and don't be surprised if, having successfully challenged through one set of debt collectors, they come after you through a different firm!