NCO/ Orange debt

hopkins89

First of allow me to apologize, I am fully aware this thread is just a repeat of many other threads, which with a bit of time and looking i could probably have my problems resolved by these previous threads. Unfortunately i don't have the time (no i am not lazy), i am currently juggling with studying, working part time and finalizing my traveling plans as i leave the country for 3 months in under 40 days, so i need a bit of help to point me in the right direction, so any advice or links to save me searching would be much appreciated. anyway enough of my ranting excuses here is what i need advice on:

I have recently received collection cards, letters and calls from NCO regarding debt owed to Orange, the debt amount is at £512, now i do not dispute i owe orange money but i do dispute the amount owed. unfortunately due to my bad organization skills i never really read my itemized billing from orange, i just allowed them to take payments out by direct debit with out a worry, until i was cut off and now being contacted by NCO to receive the amount owed. I only have the last letter/ bill from orange at my disposal, and it has no just come the my attention that on my one account i am paying for two phone contracts, i am aware of both but one of which i phoned and canceled back in august last year, and there for i took out a new orange contract. so all this time i Have been paying for two phones, one of which was supposed to of been settled, as i canceled it over the phone and not in writing i have no proof, the only thing i can show is that i was genuinely mislead into believing the contact was finished as itemized billing will show the phone has not been used dating back for months, but i do not have these bills to show it.

So i want to settle the amount owed, but only what i should owe for the phone i was aware of. how do i go about disputing this? i would much rather dispute through orange rather tan NCO, if i am able to this? if so how do i make sure NCO do not try to pursue the monies owed any further or try to take legal action as they are threatening, whilst the account is in dispute, and is it possible to settle the majority of it all in writing via email or letters, as this way i have proof and so i can continue to resolve it when i am abroad in the USA.

Any advice, quotes and templates from you directly or via links to other threads, to save me some time would be much appreciated, thanks for reading y'all!

Happytogetdebtfree

Would it not be wise if you do have access to your oprange billing online? to sift through and see what is owed or request the bills, i dont now much about sorting this out because when i have owed on bills i have gone through teh company themselves, hope someone can be along to sort it soon

hopkins89

Happytogetdebtfree wrote: »

Would it not be wise if you do have access to your oprange billing online? to sift through and see what is owed or request the bills, i dont now much about sorting this out because when i have owed on bills i have gone through teh company themselves, hope someone can be along to sort it soon

well i tried to access it all online, and it says that this service is currently unavailable for this account, which im guessing is due to it going to debt collectors.

Happytogetdebtfree

Im sorry i dont know who you send the letters to or what happens maybe someone will be along soon to help

ilovebanksMCMLXXXI

Have you been paying both of these phone contracts by Direct Debit?

If you have - the one you cancelled in August last year - call your bank and tell them you cancelled the contract but they've continued to take the money and you wish to carry out a Direct Debit Indemnity for all the monthly payments from August 2009 to now.

That will be a tidy little sum that will be back in your bank within 72 hours.

When it lands, pay it to Orange.

Write to Orange, explain you're going away and you've paid them what you fell you owe. If they feel you owe more they should contact you upon your return.

Send the letter recorded and keep a copy.

Orange will have been paid a decent lump of money and you get your money back for all them payments you say should not have been taken.

Job done

hopkins89

ilovebanksMCMLXXXI wrote: »

Have you been paying both of these phone contracts by Direct Debit?

If you have - the one you cancelled in August last year - call your bank and tell them you cancelled the contract but they've continued to take the money and you wish to carry out a Direct Debit Indemnity for all the monthly payments from August 2009 to now.

That will be a tidy little sum that will be back in your bank within 72 hours.

When it lands, pay it to Orange.

Write to Orange, explain you're going away and you've paid them what you fell you owe. If they feel you owe more they should contact you upon your return.

Send the letter recorded and keep a copy.

Orange will have been paid a decent lump of money and you get your money back for all them payments you say should not have been taken.

Job done

thanks for the reply, the only problem is the payment for both contracts is taken out as one payment as it is merged into one account, so how will the 'direct Debit Indemnity' when only part of the payment was taken with out my consent?

hopkins89

also what letter should i send to NCO, just explaining that the account is in dispute with orange and will be settled through them, and that they should lift any default they have put on my credit report and if they continue to harass me or take further action i will take legal action?

ilovebanksMCMLXXXI

Hi.

If you feel you cancelled the 2nd phone in Aug 2009 then that makes all the payments since then incorrect (regardless of one being taken for 2 accounts) and that is genuine and valid grounds for an indemnity.

Work out what the 2nd phone contract was each month and when the Indemnity money lands you can work it back.

My advice for the NCO letter is not to mention/threaten them with legal action unless you are 100% confident of your position. Believe me, these things can get messy in a hurry if you start fighting fire with fire too early.

I would explain you have a genuine query/dispute with the account and request that until that query is answered/resolved that their course of action be put on hold.

Providing you have a genuine query then they are obliged to do that.

It's always going to be a bit tricky for you because NCO and Orange want money from you and you can't work out what you do and don't owe as you have no bills to check.

The Direct Debit Indemnity scheme is in place for situations like this, it just so happens that it could really help you out. If that other phone was cancelled in Aug 09 and you've still had a DD taken (even as part of a single payment) then you are fully entitled to use your Direct Debit Guarantee.

This is the little cut-off but you get whenever you sign a Direct Debit............ 9 times out of 10 people throw it away or don't really know what it's for.

Banks don't like to advertise the guarantee too much as they are pretty powerless when you want to claim.

All the best