Does 1&1 have the right to ask for this?

dandy-candy

I had posted this in the internet section but it might be better here.

My mum died in April and unbeknown to us she had a domain name registered with 1&1. A few weeks ago I went to check on her house and in the post was a letter saying her direct debit hadn't gone through. I phoned them up and explained I didn't know she had an account or I would have contacted them, told them she had died in April (the bill was from May) and asked if they could close the account. They asked if I could email a copy of her death cert to the billing dept. Ok no problem there.

Today I got an email saying that the death cert wasn't enough and I would have to follow a whole list of logging on to her account and pushing this and that or the account would remain open. I wrote back saying I can't do this because I don't know any of her log on details.

They wrote again saying that I would then have to email again with a certified copy of mums death certificate, a copy of her ID and a copy of my ID before they would cancel. I was pretty livid by now. I wrote back and told them that the certificate I had already emailed them was a certified copy and that I had cancelled her council tax, gas, electric, water, car insurance, driving license, passport and mobile and not one of these had asked for further ID and most hadn't even asked to see the death cert.

They have now written again saying fine I don't need to see the death cert again but they want ID. Do they have a right to see these other things? I certainly don't know why they should need to see my ID - I don't even have an account with them. I have no ID of my mums and can't bear going into her house as it has me in floods of tears. Why would they need stuff that even the goverment offices don't ask for? I wish I had never rung them up in the first place and just let them try to get a court order against a deceased person instead. What should I do? I really don't think it's right that they ask for more ID - what will happen if I just ignore them?

Careful_with_that_Axe

I am sorry this is causing you such upset. I would write a final letter saying that if they believe any monies are due, they will have to apply to the estate for it to be paid and that as you have supplied a certified copy of the certificate, you consider the matter closed.
I had a similar experience with a phone company when my Mum died. I followed this tack and haven't heard from them since. This was nearly 5 years ago.

I suspect they want details of your ID, so then can bill you instead? Don't supply it.

unholyangel

Have you tried asking them uncomfortable questions such as why the death certificate isnt enough and why they need ID? Why are they purposely being difficult when you were only trying to notify them that one of their customers has passed away?

Personally i would put it in writing and address it to the head office. Along with a photocopy of the death certificate.

I presume the domain name isnt something you wish to transfer?

unholyangel

Careful_with_that_Axe wrote: »

I suspect they want details of your ID, so then can bill you instead? Don't supply it.

I was actually thinking the same thing! That they want "proof" a transfer was requested.........

Discodave

1and1 are awful when it comes to cancelling accounts (sorry for your loss btw - may Mum RIP!)

we moved from 1and1 to another host after experiencing problems with a new account we opened. We cancelled this, and another old account at the same time as the next billing period was due the week after.

Cancellation was easy (ish), but then we recieved demands for payment for the new (cancelled account), then a credit for £57.12, then a few days later a debit for £57.12, so we cancelled the payment method (PP) and told them where to stick it

the week after we received a FINAL bill for £45.00, despite having previously received to emails to say "please consider this email proof of cancellation"

After googling "1and1 cancellation" it made me think why I ever signed upto them in the 1st place.

Flyboy152

Just out of a matter of interest, what is the domain name? Is it something useful that someone else might want to buy at a premium? For example, is it similar to a well known company's name, which they may want to bid for?

pitkin2020

Sorry for your loss. You sound like you have tried to resolve the matter if they aren't interested in closing the account then so be it. Keep copies of the letters you have sent and leave it at that. I certainly wouldn't give them my details as others have pointed out they are more than likely to just transfer everything over to you including the outstanding bills. It must be hard as it was your mum so its very close, but there isn't much they can do in getting payment if someone is no longer around, obviously as its your mum you want to sort everything out. This one though I would just leave as it is, if they won't accept thats up to them.

dandy-candy

I am just reposting on this thread because I didn't contact 1&1 again and now I have just gone to check on mums house (it's empty so I pop in every few weeks to check it over) and found a debt collection agency letter. I can't believe 1&1 have instructed a debt agency after they have seen mums death certificate! I don't even think there is a debt because she paid monthly and the charge was for the month after she died and as it is £17.96 and they know she is dead it seems pretty sick to send baliffs in. I have emailed the debt agancy saying she was dead and 1&1 had seen the certificate, and I attatched a copy to the baliff agency too - is this going to be the end of it?

lincroft1710

dandy-candy wrote: »

I am just reposting on this thread because I didn't contact 1&1 again and now I have just gone to check on mums house (it's empty so I pop in every few weeks to check it over) and found a debt collection agency letter. I can't believe 1&1 have instructed a debt agency after they have seen mums death certificate! I don't even think there is a debt because she paid monthly and the charge was for the month after she died and as it is £17.96 and they know she is dead it seems pretty sick to send baliffs in. I have emailed the debt agancy saying she was dead and 1&1 had seen the certificate, and I attatched a copy to the baliff agency too - is this going to be the end of it?

They cannot send bailiffs in, they need a court judgement before they can even consider that sort of action.

Why not return the letter to the debt collection agency and mark the envelope "Return to sender, addressee deceased".

arcon5

dandy-candy wrote: »

I am just reposting on this thread because I didn't contact 1&1 again and now I have just gone to check on mums house (it's empty so I pop in every few weeks to check it over) and found a debt collection agency letter. I can't believe 1&1 have instructed a debt agency after they have seen mums death certificate! I don't even think there is a debt because she paid monthly and the charge was for the month after she died and as it is £17.96 and they know she is dead it seems pretty sick to send baliffs in. I have emailed the debt agancy saying she was dead and 1&1 had seen the certificate, and I attatched a copy to the baliff agency too - is this going to be the end of it?

If they persist, don't reply to any letters and move on with your life. They are clearly incompetent fools so let them waste their own time and effort chasing a debt which is simply not possible to recover. It cannot affect you personally so no point stressing over it.

Even if they went to court, I wonder how they would enforce a CCJ against a deceased person

They are idiots.

Optimist

The question really is, was there an actual debt owed by the OPs mum ?

If so then the executor has a duty to settle it from the estate of the deceased, and the company can take steps to recover from the estate. Indeed, from the executor himself if the executor has breached his duty by failing to pay a known bill.