Help needed,as bank !!!!-up with DD five years later

sam41_2

Hi Can anybody help? I had a bank account with a good bank for a number of years and it paid all my DD on time. I moved abroad 5 years ago and wrote a letter to my Bank listing DD to be cancelled and the dates. Six month later a letter arrives from a Debt collection agency saying that a default had been registered against my name as I had not paid my last Mobile phone bill of £58.00. I contacted the bank they agreed it was there error and pay the debt and said had the default removed. and half years later another letter arrives from the same debt collection agency for the other mobile phone account, which has since turned out the bank did not pay this one, so yet another Default has been registered against my name. The bank have agreed it is their fault and have said they will pay the debt and request the default be removed. I have contacted the FO to log a complaint, but what I am look for is people in the same suitation and how they handled it and what compansation should I request from the bank due to the fact it has really effected my credit rating.

Any advice or help appreciated.

PNPSUKNET

a clear credit file

Extant

The Financial Ombudsman - that's presumably what you mean by FO - will just refer you back to the bank if you haven't exhausted the bank's own complaints procedures.

In terms of compensation, etc. the bank should correct your credit file and offer a small sum of compensation. Indeed, if they're paying your debt, then you've suffered no financial loss and shouldn't expect much by way of gesture of goodwill. Less than £50.

jambosans

Perhaps you can clarify, the Direct Debits you cancelled with the bank, were they for mobile phones still in a fixed-term contract? If so, did you notify the companies to cancel (and ultimately pay the remaining term) of the contract? The reason I ask, is Direct Debit Guarantee and Indemnities aside, most (if not all) mobile phone companies require a period of notice. If you have not provided this you would have still been contractually obliged to pay. Of course, under the Guarantee a company should write to advise of failure to pay or new mandate details, however it does work both ways and one way or another the mobile phone company would need paying.

Obviously you can provide clarity, but I have merely assumed: mobile phone + Direct Debit = contract. Apologies if this is not the case. If it is however, you bare some responsibility and the bank appears to be acting fairly under the rules of the Guarantee. The bank accepting full liability, paying the debt and removing the defaults appears contrary to the scenario I've discussed.

Aside from this point, I agree with BarclaysManager's reply.