Urgent help needed please - Orange contract bailiffs

LeoBash

Hi all, I really would appreciate some help here.

One of my Orange lines (have 3 altogether) was coming to an end on the 24th December 2012. So I called on the 1st November so I don't forget to let them know I won't be renewing the contract, as they ask for a months notice. I was told that this had all been done and it would end around the 20th December due to Christmas.

So, sim card was destroyed and direct debit cancelled. Forgotten about.

Fast forward to April 2013 and a letter comes through the door from BAILIFFS demanding £140 for a orange contract debt!

So I call orange and they said that I didn't call and my contact was never cancelled, so I asked why I was not contacted about the payments, they said they had sent me letters (I'd since moved address and updated the addresses with my 2 other lines but not that one simply because it was ending so there was no need) - and they said they couldn't use the other addresses in case it was a different person!???? with the same name!?

Anyway, after many phone calls (most of which they rudely transferred me through directly to the bailiffs) - they did acknowledge that they received a call from me on 1st of November. So I now demanded a copy of the recording for that call, they said they requested it. In the mean time I'm still having to deal with these horrible bailiffs who are sending me letters etc.

I ring orange once again and actually make some progress, they didn't mention the recording but all of a sudden told me they will credit the account and the whole issue is resolved, in other words they are accepting they messed up by not noting my account when I called 1st November. So I make a note myself of the date, this persons name, extension number, manager name etc. She also said she noted the account. All is resolved, finally.

Fast forward 3 weeks, and another letter from the bailiffs. I had informed them that orange has resolved this due to their errors. The letter now says that they have spoke to Orange and they have denied this and said nothing has been resolved!!!!!!????? So I speak to orange again and they are saying there is no note on the account and the balance is still due!???? So I said I want to speak to this person who I have all the details, the one who said it was all sorted. And they keep FOBBING me off saying she isn't in, on break, or just forwarding my call to the bailiffs again! I am getting so stressed I am genuinely worried for my health regarding this matter.

I actually have cold hard solid proof that this was resolved too, when I called Orange I used my old Nokia phone which can record phone calls, maybe this isn't legal or right but in my situation I am that annoyed that I don't care. So I have the actual recording of this orange staff member telling her name, extension number, and confirming it was all credited etc.


Please tell me what I should do now, if I call orange they say she isn't available and there is no notes on the account (they are ruining peoples lives by not putting notes on their account) - I have worked all my life, never had debt, have money in the bank and in the middle of buying a home. This is the last thing I need especially considering I have not done anything wrong.

Please, please advise

Silk

They won't be bailiffs but rather debt collectors who have no powers.
In order for a bailiff to be appointed it has to go through the courts.

You need to start creating a paper trail rather than using phone calls

LeoBash

Silk wrote: »

They won't be bailiffs but rather debt collectors who have no powers.
In order for a bailiff to be appointed it has to go through the courts.

You need to start creating a paper trail rather than using phone calls

Sorry, debt collecting agency is what I meant.

How can I go about making a paper trail? Surely a recorded audio phone call saying it has been sorted is more than enough evidence :mad:

oopsadaisydoddle

Follow their escalation procedure. Ask to speak to a manager. If they can't resolve, ask to speak to their manager. AFAIK this is their way of handling complaints.

Or if you don't want to go through that, it may be worth writing in. And put in there that you have the recording. Not sure how or when you can use it but if they know you have it, they might take notice.

Silk

LeoBash wrote: »

How can I go about making a paper trail? Surely a recorded audio phone call saying it has been sorted is more than enough evidence :mad:

You need to write in to the executive office and send by recorded.

You could include a transcript of the relevant parts of the recording along with time and date of the call.

At the moment all you have is heresay and nothing on paper to defend the actions taken against you.

Don't forget meanwhile you will have taken a hit on your credit rating as the debt has been sent to debt collectors so you need to address that issue at the same time

LeoBash

Silk wrote: »

You need to write in to the executive office and send by recorded.

You could include a transcript of the relevant parts of the recording along with time and date of the call.

At the moment all you have is heresay and nothing on paper to defend the actions taken against you.

Don't forget meanwhile you will have taken a hit on your credit rating as the debt has been sent to debt collectors so you need to address that issue at the same time

Thanks, I'll get started. I'll try one last time to speak to somebody at Orange. As for the credit rating, this worries me alot, I was told that if a company touches your rating they have to inform you in writing to make you aware, not sure how true that is

oopsadaisydoddle

LeoBash wrote: »

Thanks, I'll get started. I'll try one last time to speak to somebody at Orange. As for the credit rating, this worries me alot, I was told that if a company touches your rating they have to inform you in writing to make you aware, not sure how true that is

I think they do that in the initial t&c's so it will show as late payments and (possibly) a default. I believe that as a service provider, they don't have to provide a default notice, but I could be wrong.

If you write in and get them to waive the charges, they will probably remove any adverse data from your credit file.

chris1973

A word to the wise. Don't just rely on Email or Telephone when doing something important like cancelling a contract, because if things go wrong and you choose to take any complaint further you'll need to produce a paper trail in order to prove some diligence on your part. A verbal 'I called them' doesn't carry much weight these days without something to back it up, and even more so with bailiffs.

I know we live in a modern age, where email, twitter and phone calls are king, but really, where insurance, mobile phones, Sky etc etc are concerned, Granny and Grandads methods of sending recorded delivery letters (and keeping a copy) still rule, especially in the event of escalating a dispute, when you can cheerfully produce a copy of the letter and prove the original delivery of it.

When carrying out everything from producing NCB for car insurance to cancelling the renewal of a policy or contract, I always do it first by phone, then I take the persons' name and position and ref it in the letter, which I then send by Rec Delivery to confirm the phone call.

Yes its a pain, but its called 'covering your A-R-S-E'

LeoBash

chris1973 wrote: »

A word to the wise. Don't just rely on Email or Telephone when doing something important like cancelling a contract, because if things go wrong and you choose to take any complaint further you'll need to produce a paper trail in order to prove some diligence on your part. A verbal 'I called them' doesn't carry much weight these days without something to back it up, and even more so with bailiffs.

I know we live in a modern age, where email, twitter and phone calls are king, but really, where insurance, mobile phones, Sky etc etc are concerned, Granny and Grandads methods of sending recorded delivery letters (and keeping a copy) still rule, especially in the event of escalating a dispute, when you can cheerfully produce a copy of the letter and prove the original delivery of it.

When carrying out everything from producing NCB for car insurance to cancelling the renewal of a policy or contract, I always do it first by phone, then I take the persons' name and position and ref it in the letter, which I then send by Rec Delivery to confirm the phone call.

Yes its a pain, but its called 'covering your A-R-S-E'

To be fair, in this day in age they shouldn't be making such silly mistakes like not leaving notes on the account (route of all my problems) - their procedure is to call them a month before, not write. So it has all been followed, they also acknowledge the phone call.

The issue has apparently been resolved, if I could just speak to the person who I recorded to see what the hell happened when she said yes it is all credited etc....... I think it could be resolved, again. My biggest problem is actually speaking to somebody, the second I speak to them they press a button which directs my call straight to the collection agency.

LeoBash

Rang offcom today and had this sorted in 5 minutes. Needless to say will NEVER use orange again, was treated like scum when in fact it's the opposite, had a total of 4 lines over the years and never missed a payment.