Orange BB, trying to charge me 4yr old Wanadoo Bill?!!

iamdavidarnott

I've just cancelled my BT broadband. Went to sign up to Orange broadband, was told that I couldn't as I had an outstanding bill of £126 from Wanadoo in 2004!!

Total shock, I was a Wanadoo customer between 2004-2005, but have no recollection of running up 6 months of debt and certainly haven't been chased by anyone for this money.

Is there not a time limit in which companies have to collect unpaid debts? Also Wanadoo doesn't exist anymore?

Does anyone have any knowledge in this area?

Thanks!

mrJ_5

i think they have 6 years to claim it, otherwise it disappears - best check it out as it can damage your credit rating (even if they are wrong)

justjims

iamdavidarnott wrote: »

Also Wanadoo doesn't exist anymore?

Does anyone have any knowledge in this area?

Thanks!

Orange bought out Wanadoo, so your outstanding debt will stand

mrJ_5

justjims wrote: »

Orange bought out Wanadoo, so your outstanding debt will stand

Not quite... the parent company, France Telecom, owned Orange and setup Wanadoo long ago in the 1990s - they simply re-branded them both to Orange for marketing, to cut costs, and so on.

fozmcfc

It's possible if you switched from Wanadoo to BT Broadband that when you migrated, Wanadoo continued to try to take payment. This can happen if you don't let Wanadoo know when you the migration to BT was complete.

It's possible during the time Wanadoo rebranded to Orange and during the change your unpaid bill was lost in the system.

iamdavidarnott

thanks for the replies,

i think the bill was lost in the system as it hasn't had any impact on my credit rating.

I've written to them to complain and ask as a gesture of goodwill that they cut the bill as i'll take out 18mnth BB with them.

I'll also phone BT to ask when I started paying them, as it might have been the case that they continued to charge me even after I had migrated.

Will keep you posted!

Thanks!

jammin_2

iamdavidarnott wrote: »

I've written to them to complain and ask as a gesture of goodwill that they cut the bill as i'll take out 18mnth BB with them.

I think the "gesture of goodwill" is them letting you pay what you owe without 5 years worth of interest.

withabix

If you migrated and they continued racking up a bill, it's hardly 'a gesture of goodwill', it's Orange not trying to charge you for something you don't owe!!