Challenging a Next Default

Temperate

Hello all,

Hope someone can steer us the right way here.

My wife and I have acceptable credit ratings despite having struggled a bit with debt in the past. Unfortunately, my wife's currently got a default registered with her by Next.

She browsed Next's website to buy a couple of small items, and tapped in her debit card details to pay. When they asked her to "register for an account" she assumed it was just the same way you sign up for a shopping account with Amazon etc, and it all seemed fine.

Turns out they were actually opening a credit account for her. She subsequently didn't notice that the £16 in question wasn't taken from her debit card, and only realised what was going on when a default was registered a few months later.

She paid the £16 and had her account closed. She certainly didn't sign anything along the lines of a CCA, and she was never sent anything other than maybe a standard statement, which she threw out assuming it was Next junk mail! She certainly didn't receive a notice of default.

As I said, our credit ratings are now pretty good, but things are being ruined by this default over £16. Next have now changed their slightly underhand method of automatically opening credit accounts for anyone who uses their site, thankfully, so that seems to indicate they know it was a bit dodgy.

Does anyone have any advice on how we start? She's rung them up and been told to sod off, but we're willing to try either begging for sympathy as this is affecting our attempts to get a mortgage, or try the more rigid route as they never sent her any documentation nor did she sign anything.

Sorry to ramble; can anyone help?

Darlyd

Are you on FB ? They have a fan page, that is monitored, ask one of the reps to PM you, and explain a little about it, and then they will get someone in the relevant department to help you.. Many on there that have suffered similar to you. You must of spoken to an ignorant so and so. Because they are usually very helpful.

Temperate

We both are, yes, I'll see if I can get one of them to contact me.

What approach should I take?

Darlyd

Just post on the page can someone help me plse with a very delicate matter. They will then pm you, keep an eye out for their message, sometimes ends up in *other*. Then just explain what the reason is, and they will get someone to call you back, 9/10 within hours..

I do remember seeing a thread on their page about this, and many replies with people in similar situation, then the poster replied to say it's all sorted now.

I don't know but the rep seems to know the correct person. I found them so helpful.

Temperate

Have tried it; they've asked me just to ring customer services but I'll see if I can get them to arrange for someone to call me. If people have been in similar situations it should be pretty doable, I guess!

Darlyd

Think I spotted you, I don't get why they said that. Guess it depends on who is on. LOL@3rd party site, details might not be secure. EVERY TIME anyone has a PM from them, they ask for their customer number.. As long as you don't give passwords/card details you be fine..

Good luck, do let us know

Gordon_Hose

All I did was enter a competition to win and Audi A3 and I ended up with a Next account loaded with credit.

Dodgy indeed.