Chased by 3/wescott/Red/Lowell

SpidermkII

Hi guys,

In a right pickle at the mo and am hoping someone on here can help me out.

Here's the situation, me and my partner started phone contracts with 3 mobile (yeah I know, bad idea from the start) and were rather happy paying the monthly bills, this was untill I changed the direct debit date to fit in around a new job. 3 then took the money, twice for each mobile account, on the wrong date and claimed that they could do nothing about it and insisted on keeping the money.

After many arguments with foreign call centres, I threw in the towel and cancelled my direct debit with them, which in turn led them to cancel my contracts and pass the cancellation fees as debts to Wescott.

I arranged payment with wescott and to my knowledge settled both accounts in late 2006.

3 1/2 years later, 3 contacted me informing me that I still owed them figures of £229.50 & £351.37. After calling 3 (a few times) they could not understand how I still owed money to them but instructed me that it was probably due to the cancellation of the contracts and that I should seek ways to make payment. 2 days later I then received a letter from a debt company called Lowell, asking me for the same amounts. After seeking some legal advice from my local CAB, I was told to ask for a statement of my account and a copy of my contract with them to prove that I do in fact owe the money they are chasing for.

I wrote to Lowell and 3 on the 16th October and the 17th November 2009 asking for the statements but still to this day I have not received them, but to this day I'm constantly being chased by Lowell and a new company called RED (who also share the same address) asking for over £500.

3 / 4 months later I still have no proof from them that I owe the money and was hoping someone could help me find out where I stand legally and what I can possibly do next.

Thank you to any one that can help

DarkConvict

If they fail to provide proof them ignore them until they do, if they are that insistent on wanting the money they will provide proof, because without proof they can't get a CCJ.

I would further this, and write complaints to OFCOM (about 3) and OFT/FOS about the debt collectors, for chasing debts without any proof they even exist, and failing to provide statements of the debt. http://www.oft.gov.uk/shared_oft/business_leaflets/consumer_credit/oft664.pdf

http://www.oft.gov.uk/advice_and_resources/resource_base/legal/cca/debt-collection#named1

http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/consumer/complaints.htm

http://www.ofcom.org.uk/complain/

You may get more support on this issue here - http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/forumdisplay.html?f=76 (seems like it has been moved here already )

AndyLGR

I'm having the same issue with Lowell on a 3 mobile account that 3 agreed to write off. I sent Lowell a copy of the write off letter twice and they still keep sending me letters chasing me for it, I've given up and just ignore them.