Please Help - Unfair treatment by 3 Mobile....

Thea777

Hello,
Over the past 6 years I have built up a credit rating of about 960 - which is very good. It's taken years of being careful and watching my spending / borrowing to do this.
Yesterday I had a notification of a change of account on my Experian credit report. When I looked I could not believe what had happened.....
I have incurred a default from a company called Lowell. I called the debt collection agency and paid the £20.34 pence I apparently owed?!!! And asked them where the debt was from. They advised that the debt was from a 'final payment' from 3 mobile. This account was in use 4 years ago!!! It has only just shown up on my report. Not only was I surprised at this showing up now, but also shocked because to my knowledge all payments were up to date and the account was closed. Lowell advised - yes all payments were up to date - but after you closed the account with 3 they advised us that you still owed £20.34p. So 4 years later, without ANY contact from 3 and me moving house since -I have a default attached to my report through no fault of my own..
I asked Lowell to take off the default in light of the story - they advised they cannot.
I called 3 mobile and they advised that Lowell should take off the default. I asked to speak to a line manager and the manager at 3 mobile refused to talk to me.
I am so upset and angry. What I have built up over a number of years is now destroyed - not by me running up loads of debt, but by a useless company for the sum of £20.34p
The things I am concerned about are:
Why has it taken 4 years for them to add this to my credit report?
Why did 3 never try to get hold of me?
Why does no one know what they are doing when it comes to removing unfair defaults?
What do I do? Who can I talk to? I am not about to let this ridiculous matter affect my credit rating which has taken me a huge amount of effort to get right.
I honestly feel like giving up. I may as well just run up loads of debt and not care.
Yours Miserably
Thea

hollydays

I know someone who paid up on a debt that they didn't think they owed,just to speed up some credit issue they had.It later went on to cause them problems though,as by paying they had admitted to not paying a bill.

Not sure that was a great thing to do here.

pinkshoes

I agree with hollydays.

Why did you pay for a debt that you thought you didn't have? It could just be a mistake by 3, but by paying it, you've now admitted that the debt was yours.

Dreamnine

I wouldn't have paid it.

uktim29

Wouldn't they have tried to send you a letter? If you've moved house then wouldn't it had gone to your old address? In which case they may have been trying to contact you.

mishkanorman

why is your credit rating so important ???

mishka

uktyler

Lowell/Three have done the same to me, however they did not put the default notice on my credit record until AFTER they received the letter I sent disputing the debt. In the four years since I incurred the supposed debt Three have never contacted me, and my credit history was fine until Friday when the default notice appeared.

The usual threats from Lowell, if you don't respond by the 26th we will take further action, on a letter dated the 21st, sent second class, and not received until the 29th.

Can they legally file a default notice on a disputed debt?

Who are the best people to complain to? I've written to Three and Lowell, but neither one has responded yet.

hollydays

Thea,I wonder if this post would be better on the debt free wannabe board-they might have experience of this.

fifitrix123

Try 3 head office in england 08707330295

I had a bad report from 3 despite not owing anything as I pay by DD. They had changed my address to a hotel in london as I had a phone delivered there. Despite me keep calling as I had not had any bills they didn't realise even tho the money was being taken out.

3 actually got experion to remove it which they did the same day.

Hope you get somewhere.

uktyler

fifitrix123 wrote: »

Try 3 head office in england 08707330295

I had a bad report from 3 despite not owing anything as I pay by DD. They had changed my address to a hotel in london as I had a phone delivered there. Despite me keep calling as I had not had any bills they didn't realise even tho the money was being taken out.

3 actually got experion to remove it which they did the same day.

Hope you get somewhere.

Three tell me to speak to Lowell, Lowell tell me to speak to Three, I've gone round that circle already.

philnicandamy

If lowell refuse to take off the default contact the Information Commissioner's Office with your complaint they may be able to help

http://www.ico.gov.uk/