NTL/Virgin and Moorcroft Debt Recovery

hollymcr

I seem to have ended up in a dispute with NTL/Virgin and I'm not sure how to handle it.

A quick summary: I used to have NTL broadband but cancelled it around August to move to an ADSL account elsewhere. Subsequently I have received bills from NTL saying I owe them nothing. So far so good.

Then (in Feb, I think, might have been Jan) I got a letter from Moorcroft saying I owe NTL £51.05 and that they've been tasked with pursuing it. At first I just assumed this was a silly error and it would go away after a call to Moorcroft getting them to check their facts, but now a few letters later they're threatening court action. They have at no point presented me with a bill or any indication of what the debt relates to other than that it is for Internet access (it took a lot of effort to find that out). £51.05 is not a multiple of anything I ever paid for Internet access.

Clearly NTL have made an error somewhere, but I can't rule out the possibility that I do owe them some money (I can't see why I would but maybe they undercharged me previously and its just come to light). This makes me nervous about what would happen in court if they do then show that I do owe the money (despite never having given such evidence to me before it got that far).

Unfortunately the golden rule of making copious notes etc throughout the process is one I've failed to do; even since it started getting "nasty" and I've tried really hard I've mislaid things I was carefully looking after (hence this being pretty vague on the details). I guess I'd fit the "scatterbrained" category, which is not going to help me at all.

But what I have done so far is:
(a) explain everything by phone; Moorcroft said to write.
(b) explain everything by fax, including a copy of the £0 bill, and requesting that NTL provide a bill explaining what I owed, and that if that was not forthcoming I would await my opportunity to see it in court. Moorcroft eventually responded with a letter to the effect that "NTL have confirmed you owe the money, we trust that resolves your query and you'll now pay us". Of-course it didn't resolve my query - they made no attempt to answer it whatsoever!

At this point I felt tough so I just ignored their last letter (I had said I would if they didn't provide evidence). When they sent the first threatening court action (now from "midas legal services", part of the Moorcroft group) I wrote to NTL (as advised by a friend, addressed to the MD, private & confidential, requesting that they investigate and either tell me what I owe (and why) or confirm in writing that I owe nothing), although I've had no reply to that.

Today I get a letter saying it has been passed to their Home Collections Division and that a local rep may call in the next few days, and giving until 7th April to make arrangements to pay.

Basically I'm not sure what to do now.

Other stuff: I have tried a few times to contact NTL but have never got through; the whole thing with losing Sky has made them very hard to get through to I guess. So I've had no information from them apart from a bill saying I owe nothing (received December).

Also: In the fax (sent mid Feb) I requested that Moorcroft pass on a request to NTL that they provide me with any info they have on me under the DPA, and that they provide any information they themselves have, and to notify me if there was a charge for this. I have had no response to that request; my understanding is that they have 40 days to respond by law, but I have no idea if my request was made in a way which would qualify.

Finally: I'm fortunate in that paying the £51.05 would not be a problem to me if proven that it is owed; this is about not having been given any indication that I owe the money (or what for), not about an ability to pay it. Whether I could afford to defend myself in court (or pay their court costs if it went against me because it turns out I do owe them money) is another matter.

Oh, and if anyone does call I know not under any circumstances to let them in! I don't know what I should actually say to them, or what times they're likely to call; this bit has had the (no doubt intended) effect of intimidating me a lot. Hence this post.

clutterbunny

I am so sorry that you are having problems with NTL.
We have had problems with them and it took over a year to sort it out. Dont panic you will get this sorted.

We ended up going through OTELO who were brilliant however I have just been to thier website to get thier details for you and found this

"Do you have a complaint about ntl?
From 18 March 2007, ntl are no longer a member of Otelo.
This means we can not help you with a complaint about them.

If you have a complaint about ntl, please call CISAS
(Communication and Internet Services Adjudication Scheme) on :
0207 520 3814.

If you have a complaint about ntl, that Otelo is currently handling, and would like to speak to someone at Otelo, please call our Enquiry Team on :
0845 050 1614, alternatively you can email us on enquiries@otelo.org.uk
Please quote your case reference number in any correspondence to Otelo"

If you have the letter stating that you owe ntl nothing then let them take take you to court.
In my experience NTL are great at not sending out information or ringing back.
We had the number of someone who was the head of thier customer services. I will try to pm you with it later. He may be able to help.

Dont let them bully you.

CB

saver_sam

Oh, and if anyone does call I know not under any circumstances to let them in!

In theory this should be a local agent who does not have the same powers as a bailiff and cannot force his/her way in.

If they do come explain exactly the same to them that you are disputing the debt and have asked their company and ntl for proof of debt and its not been forthcoming and to sling their hook until they do!

Just told the OH what I wrote and he said I'd tell them to second word is "off"!

clairenyc

I have had problems with powergen and moorcroft, especially :mad: moorcroft,:mad: they wrote, called on the phine and threatened to come round to collect an "unpaid" amount which HAD been paid. I had to call them above 30 times and demand to speak to someone in charge, write to them and to Powergen explaining the times, dates and every contact I had made to each company and eventually after 3 weeks of calling, writing and pulling out my hair powergen called to say it had been sorted out. seems the problem is at the:mad: moorcroft :mad: end...they can't / won't call up the companies involved, they wait to be contacted by them..perseverance is the key, don't be intimidated, make their lives hell til they stop, by doing this you'll suddenly find you are their No.1 priority customer! :j

ohdearme_2

moorcroft are currently chasing my address, for a person that has never existed here, and for a debt that has, I beleive, never existed here. Will they accept my word on this, no. Will they stop, no.
They seem to accept the debtors word when they gave a false address to them, but will not accept the innocent parties word.