Credit rating has plumetted. Lowell constantly accessing my credit report

Ms_Speculatrix

I have just been onto my own credit report and Lowell who have been pursuing me for a debt they cannot or will not prove I owe them for almost a year have, in this time, registered a search on my credit file 4 times. I can understand them searching when they purchase a debt but as I have been in constant contact with them since they first wrote to me this seems excessive and a deliberate attempt to sabotage my credit score which has actually worked! Until they upped their search my credit rating was fair now it is back down to poor and everything else is paid up to date. I feel completely bullied, beaten down and harassed by these people and I have (I am ashamed to say) spent most of the last 24 hours in tears over the whole sorry mess.

To compound matters my landlady is selling up so I need to get a house, with my credit score as it is I am struggling to do so. The council is next to useless, seemingly I have to be sat in the street with my daughter and my belongings before they will deign to help in any way whatsoever.

When I phoned national debtline they recommended I complain which I have done and will again, but that wont help me right now. According to NDL bankruptcy would be my best option but that isn't going to help with the housing situation any.

I am at my wits end and I don't know what to do. I have sincerely tried to pay my debts and have stuck to all my arrangements and now it seems a company can just vindictively demolish my credit rating if I don't play ball. Can I get these searches taken off? And if so how?

Gordon_Hose

So I take it you categorically DO NOT owe this debt then?

Bad credit won't affect you renting a house. trust me on this, I had 6 defaults at one time and still passed a credit check. They use very different criteria for credit checking when renting a house.

Your credit "score" is worthless. Each lender used their own in-house scoring system. They never get to see the score that shows on your credit file.

Ms_Speculatrix

Thank you, that is a weight off regarding the house.

Re Lowell: As far as I am concerned NO I do not owe it and Lowell actually sent me a statement with a zero balance on it yet they are still pursuing me relentlessly. They have admitted to not having information on £20 of the debt but claim they do on the rest although they still refuse to provide me with it. The OFT told me not to pay over any money until they do. If I owe it I will pay it in line with my other debts, I don't have an issue with paying what I owe but they are going to have to come up with a better answer than I have to take their word for it.

Gordon_Hose

What is the debt for?

unholyangel

Ms_Speculatrix wrote: »

Thank you, that is a weight off regarding the house.

Re Lowell: As far as I am concerned NO I do not owe it and Lowell actually sent me a statement with a zero balance on it yet they are still pursuing me relentlessly. They have admitted to not having information on £20 of the debt but claim they do on the rest although they still refuse to provide me with it. The OFT told me not to pay over any money until they do. If I owe it I will pay it in line with my other debts, I don't have an issue with paying what I owe but they are going to have to come up with a better answer than I have to take their word for it.

Write to them, keep a copy and send it recorded delivery. State that you are requesting they either provide proof that the debt exists and belongs to you or that they update their records to comply with the Data Protection Act and show the debt as "satisfied". Tell them that if they refuse to do either of these, you will be filing a complaint with the OFT (if you havent already done so) and also with the ICO for failure to comply with the Data Protection Act (which you can in some cases claim compensation for if their failure to keep up to date and accurate information has caused you a financial loss or distress - although they do not usually award for distress alone)

Ms_Speculatrix

Gordon_Hose wrote: »

What is the debt for?

An old mobile contract with 3 mobile which I ended when I moved to 02. I have done an extensive search on Lowell - they were the subject of a BBC watchdog investigation about their behaviour some time past, all related to 3mobile bills, and similar sorts of activity.

I will be putting in another formal complaint about this company. As I said before, if I owe it fine I'll pay it, but I am just asking for proof which they would have to provide in court anyway so there is no reason why they cannot give it to me. Almost a year on, and nothing. I can't help but think this is another of their bogus claims.

busyladee

I checked my report yesterday and have had similar dealings with Lowell over an O2 debt. They have said that this is now satisified as they couldnt prove I owed it but they still showed up on my report.

I checked on the report with Credit Expert and it says that the Lowell search entry will not show up when lenders do a search - we are in the process of looking for a mortgage which is why i checked - maybe it's worth checking whether they actually do on yours

unholyangel

busyladee wrote: »

I checked my report yesterday and have had similar dealings with Lowell over an O2 debt. They have said that this is now satisified as they couldnt prove I owed it but they still showed up on my report.

I checked on the report with Credit Expert and it says that the Lowell search entry will not show up when lenders do a search - we are in the process of looking for a mortgage which is why i checked - maybe it's worth checking whether they actually do on yours

If you have it in writing from lowell that the debt is satisfied, you could write to credit expert and ask that a "notice of correction" be added to your file to show that the debt is satisfied (and send them a copy of the acknowledgement confirming this from lowell).

Alternatively, you can write to lowell and request that they change the debt to satisfied. Just remember to send it recorded delivery and keep a copy of the letter you send them asking them to do this in case they fail to.

Ms_Speculatrix

unholyangel wrote: »

If you have it in writing from lowell that the debt is satisfied, you could write to credit expert and ask that a "notice of correction" be added to your file to show that the debt is satisfied (and send them a copy of the acknowledgement confirming this from lowell).

Alternatively, you can write to lowell and request that they change the debt to satisfied. Just remember to send it recorded delivery and keep a copy of the letter you send them asking them to do this in case they fail to.

Unfortunately I don't, I have the statement they sent from 3 mobile which said zero, then they sent another random bill and claimed they were entitled to collect it. So they are still hassling me. I have just written to them saying that either they supply the information or leave me alone. To be honest I am now hoping they just take me to court at least that way it gets sorted one way or the other because they will have to provide some sort of documentary evidence.

speedfreek1000

You're doing it wrong.

Write to 3 stating that you dispute this debt and requesting all details of it from them. Also inform them that whilst this debt is in dispute the law says no collection action is allowed.

Send letter to Lowells stating debt is in dispute with 3 and any further collection action or contact is against their code of conduct and will be classed as harassment and reported/dealt with as such.

Not sure if you need to send a SAR to 3?

Join CAG (Consumer Action Group) website for template letters for both and maybe a bit of advice.

Ms_Speculatrix

I wrote to 3 at the beginning, they said it was nothing to do with them has they had sold the debt to Lowell. I asked them to confirm that in writing. They didn't but I did eventually get confirmation from 3 via Lowell that they had sold the debt and that Lowell has purchased it. 3 have essentially washed their hands of the whole matter. I will do as you suggest though and take a look at the CAG website. I just want this resolved, it is driving me up the wall at the moment. I am hoping that if I stick to my guns they will either provide the information so I can arrange a payment or just get lost!