O2: 75 days+ to update CRAs?!

WorkingTowardsDebtFree

I had an O2 debt that I found last year. O2 hasn't updated any CRA since last September, but I've been paying my debt with them since November and made a lump sum payment to settle the debt 2 weeks ago (this wasn't a partial settlement, it was the full amount).

I have now been chasing O2 and they came back yesterday and said it will take another 60 days to reflect on my CRA files - and this is the fault of the CRAs not them as the CRAs are third party companies. They're refusing to carry out any kind of rapid update and said they have provided the CRAs with the updates already.

Equifax and Experian are saying that they haven't received the updates, and it's down to O2 to provide them with the updates. They have contacted O2 and O2 has confirmed to them that the account was settled closed on the 25th March but that I need to wait for O2 to update the files which could take 60 days.

So both sides are blaming the other, I'm pretty sure that it's O2 that are to blame - but surely when the files are out of date by over 6 months anyway and therefore not a true representation, something should be done? Then surely the update should be no more than 28 days as that's the dispute window - it certainly shouldn't be another 60 days after the 15 days I've already waited?

The CRAs seem to indicate that they've done everything they can - but the fact remains they're knowingly reporting wrong information about me.

O2 will only converse via e-mail, and every new e-mail you send them has a new 10 day waiting limit.

This is all a bit ridiculous... Or am I being unfair / impatient?

Any advice will be gratefully received...

Tixy

It is a bit ridiculous. But it does sound like the CRAs have done all they can so far.

I wouldn't just accept that O2 will only communicate by email. I would be writing (post) a complaint to them.

That said you may well find it doesn't take anything like a further 60days.

When you say there has been no update since September - is that showing as the date of the last update on your credit report?

WorkingTowardsDebtFree

Yes - September was the last update. So whilst the information itself is true and accurate "up until that point", it's knowingly not accurate after that point. My argument is that once all parties are aware of information being wrong (for whatever reason - out of date/inaccurate/whatever) by a raised dispute, surely they only have 28 days to correct this?

If the account was only out of date by less than a month, it would be unfair to raise a dispute because the latest update cycle wouldn't have come round. But where data would be out of date even beyond a month ago, then to me raising a dispute is justified - and being told to wait another 60 days two weeks after the dispute is raised is unacceptable.

In any case, I got back onto both O2 and Equifax yesterday:

- Equifax had closed the dispute yesterday. I re-opened the dispute online and phoned them to inform them that the dispute wasn't closed, and as O2 had told them the account had been paid off last month and had previous payments from November last year but they were waiting for O2 to update the file, that they had until the dispute period was over to ensure between Equifax and O2 that a true reflection of the account showed. I had no problems in waiting for this, but after this point I would be reporting both companies to the ICO as they were both aware that the account was out of date. I pointed out that an additional 60 days from now wasn't acceptable. They got onto O2 whilst I was on the phone and said that "hopefully" everything would be sorted by the end of the dispute period later in the month.

- I got onto O2 on the phone, was told that I needed to speak to the Credit File Team who only dealt with the situation by e-mail. I explained that 10 days for a response telling me to wait another 60 days isn't acceptable - and when I reply to their e-mail informing me of that that I got another auto responder mail telling me to wait another 10 days for a response wasn't really great service given that I'd gone out my way after finding the debt, paid it off monthly and then finished it with a lump sum (without asking for a reduction). I explained that 60 days wasn't acceptable, a dispute had been raised and that I would have to go to the ICO to report O2 if the information was still wrong after the dispute period later this month. This pricked their ears, and I then spoke to a manager in collections who was absolutely fantastic. She had inroads to the Credit File Team and said she'd speak to them for me. I got a phone call late yesterday back from her, and was told that my credit files would be updated within 48 hours but given it was Friday then to allow until Wednesday morning.

I've checked this morning and both Experian and Equifax have been marked as satisfied and dated the 26 March 2014 since yesterday.

Result! Sometimes perseverance and knowing the rules they have to play by helps.