Help to remove O2 default

gotholesinmypockets

I was recently declined credit. This was a surprise to me so I checked my credit report. There is a default on there from March 2013 re an outstanding payment of £54.63 - this was apparently my final bill from O2.

My contract ended in December 2012. When this ended, I was under the impression that my balance had been paid. I did not receive any correspondence from O2 re this outstanding payment, and certainly did not receive any notification of a default that was going to be put on my credit file. I think I tried to log onto my old account online, but had no access. So I did not pursue checking it.

I called O2 to discuss the default immediately and was informed there was an outstanding balance, I paid it straight away over the phone, the full £54.63. This was paid on the 30/07/13.

Unfortunately, this oversight, which could have been avoided if I had just received a letter asking for the payment from O2, means I think I cannot obtain a mortgage as planned this year. This in turn is affecting my home life and left me and my family extremely upset and distressed.

Is there any way I can get the default removed? It seems a bit excessive for the amount. I am aware defaults stay on your file for 6 years!! I have never defaulted in my life and never missed a payment to O2.

Please help me

willLeeds

Nope, its a genuine default. You owed money and didn't pay it.

Its your responsibility to pay a debt.

matttye

When you say you 'had no access' to your online account, is this because you forgot your password or because the account was closed for some reason? Did you only get electronic bills?

If you only got electronic bills, but didn't log into your account to check if any money was left owing, then you're really going to struggle with this.

In any event... You should complain in writing, telling them what you've told us, and ask for it to be removed.

gotholesinmypockets

My online account had been closed by O2 when my contract ended, this is why I did not have access to it. I do however now have access to it again since I paid the final bill.

I received paper bills from O2

rizla_king

So they didn't write telling you that you still owed them money? Instead they just slapped a default on your file and screwed your credit record for 6 years?

Typical useless mobile company to be honest. They are all doing the same thing to people.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4728220

matttye

gotholesinmypockets wrote: »

My online account had been closed by O2 when my contract ended, this is why I did not have access to it. I do however now have access to it again since I paid the final bill.

I received paper bills from O2

If your online account was closed, and you never got a final paper bill, then logically there was no reason for you to think you still owed them money.

You should be able to get this removed. The only difficulty I can foresee is if O2 says they did send you a final bill.

devils_spawn

Defaults can be removed - if you can show that O2 did not attempt to contact you about the outstanding debt, then the default should not stand.

The way to approach this is to write a formal letter of complaint to O2 and ask them to describe what action they took to collect the outstanding balance. If they are unable to prove that they took action then the default can be removed.

Ultimately, if they have failed to notify you - then you can report the matter to both the ICO & the Credit Agency that holds the default. Ultimately your aim is to get a statement from them along the lines of:

Since we have been unable to locate a copy of the default notice issued, as an exceptional matter, the necessary action has been taken to delete the adverse data recorded with the credit reference agencies.

jojo9239

If you didnt recieve any notification from O2 you can write to them pleading your case. I had the same with Orange for £27 I got mine removed but because they failed to update my billing address.

Good Luck xx

gotholesinmypockets

Thanks for the replies, I have a contact address for the credit files referral team at O2 (they have a team!!!) and will send them a letter-

fingers crossed

rizla_king

They need a team.

shaunq

I just can't believe my eyes. What you have written is almost identical to what o2 did to me in 2007! I went through the whole process with them of credit referrals team, complaints, writing to CEO and then the ombudsman. All for the ombudsman to uphold o2's insistence that they wrote to me (even though they couldn't provide dates or copies of the bill). o2 also claimed to send me SMS (to a closed account phone number). It also resulted in me having to go a mortgage lender who used a manual underwriter and I now have a higher interest rate than I otherwise would have had. All for £63 in 2007 that I wasn't told about. It lapses from my file in Sep this year and i can't wait. o2 have caused me a huge amount of pain and cost me a bomb. What is most frustrating for me is that these forums, the CAG forums, even recently the Guardian money pages are full of similar stories. All o2 claiming they contacted people and then going straight to default. Clearly o2 are behaving wrongly and not carrying out their responsibility. Clearly they are acting disproportionately and have been doing so for years. I'd love to forget about this but it makes so so angry that there are so many people being fobbed off by them. They really should be held to account. I think I'll write to the ombudsman again as they really have to revisit this in light of the sheer number of similar stories and the evidence that the practice is still ongoing.