Orange/EE are ruining my life with a default on my credit file!!

Neilingle

Back in 18th September 2013 I moved my banking from HSBC to the Nationwide building society. The nationwide we're handling the direct debit switching process.

It turned out that my direct debit for Orange/EE never switched from HSBC to Nationwide as requested and in turn I missed 4 payments to my orange account.

I only discovered I had missed payments once my phone was cut off/prevented from making calls etc. I never received a letter on this matter.

Recently I have applied for a mortgage only to be refused it due to a level 4 default being put on my credit score brought about by the direct debit not been switched correctly. Obviously this has been a major frustration and I have now lost my new house purchase because I am unable to obtain a mortgage.

I have disputed this issue with Nationwide and it has been concluded with evidence from them that they made the necessary request to you Orange/EEto move the direct debit.

They informed me that they are only able to make the request to change direct debits once, of which they did and it's the merchants responsibility to make sure the details are updated correctly as requested. This obviously didn't happen.

Therefore it appears that orange/EE are at fault here. Therefore I demanded that the default be removed from my credit file by your credit file team.

I have since had a final response that the default will remain on file as it's accurate to what took place!!!

I have since applied to Cisas to appeal the decision.

Any other ideals? I have also contact the CEO at orange.

This is preventing me from getting a mortgage or any other credit and I recently lost my reservation fee on a new house due to not being able to get a mortgage.

Thanks
Neil

billybear1

You need to put down all the detail you have in an email to their complaints department. They will investigate and respond. Did you not get any letters asking for payment in this time?

Neilingle

Yes I have already made several complaints to the credit file team and had a final response that they won't be making any amends . However I emailed the executive team and they have come back to saying they will look into it but aren't promising anything

usefulmale

If you can't keep tabs on a mobile contract for a few months, how do you expect the mortgage companies to believe you can keeps tabs on 100 grand plus for 25 years or more?

Anoneemoose

What was Orange/EE's response to your comment about the bank doing the necessary to update the new details. For as long as I worked at Orange, their system was only able to amend details through the account holder.

The bank could cancel a DD but they could not set a new one and I would bet MY mortgage on Orange's systems saying the original mandate was cancelled by your bank. In addition, any new mandates that are set up are confirmed by post. Why did you bank notify you that the bills weren't being taken seeing it was they who said they would sort it all?

Also, I bet there was some correspondence from Orange by 4 months. They used to send reminder texts first and then letters and I bet there'll be evidence of this too. We could see exactly what letters had been sent and when and I can't remember ever seeing it where an account was unpaid for 4 months before any action was taken.

I think they're right when they say the history is correct and are not justifed in removing the info.

GingerBob_3

OP, a lesson for you is that when it comes to things financial, if there's the slightest hint of you making the most minor of mistakes, don't come here for advice. The responses above are typical. Unfortunately this board is infested with perfect people who get it right ALL the time; the type of people who religiously file away T&Cs from CC companies after having learnt them off by heart: train-spotter types.

Your case is typical of the unfit-for-purpose credit reference system. Whether or not you made a mistake is, to me, not the point. The point is that this trivial matter has caused you enormous hardship, and that should not happen. It seems it's too much to ask that we can trust the banks and phone companies to get it right (well, we know that anyway).

Anoneemoose

GingerBob wrote: »

OP, a lesson for you is that when it comes to things financial, if there's the slightest hint of you making the most minor of mistakes, don't come here for advice. The responses above are typical. Unfortunately this board is infested with perfect people who get it right ALL the time; the type of people who religiously file away T&Cs from CC companies after having learnt them off by heart: train-spotter types.

Your case is typical of the unfit-for-purpose credit reference system. Whether or not you made a mistake is, to me, not the point. The point is that this trivial matter has caused you enormous hardship, and that should not happen. It seems it's too much to ask that we can trust the banks and phone companies to get it right (well, we know that anyway).

I am one of those train spotter types you mention. But only because I learned from my mistakes. I have copies of everything filed away for reference. I also know what it coming in/going out of my bank at any given time and it would only take a quick glance to know something was out of place. OP really should have monitored it at least to ensure it was done correctly.

Whether you agree with what I have said or not, what I have posted is true in relation to orange/EE's systems. They will have cancelled the original DD but are only able to set the new one up with the customer's authorisation.

I also agree that customers have to take some responsibility to double check their bank has got it right. Four months is a long time to not have noticed.

usefulmale

The credit check is now akin to a DBS check for a job. Take comfort in the fact that your 'record' will be wiped clean after 6 years. My poxy decade-old caution will be with me until I am 100 years old. Now THAT ruins lives, so enough of the hyperbole.

Most databases are there for either punishing those on it and/or extracting money out of them. Stop lending the CRAs false legitimacy and find a mortgage company that looks sensibly at your CURRENT situation. If there truely are no such companies, you will just have to wait 6 years until your 'record' is clean again.

Like Anoneemoose says, learn from your past mistake.

fuzzything

Did the OP use the current account Switch Guarantee? It came into force on 16/09/2013 and if Orange tried to take funds from the old account in the first 13 months since the switch:

- These deductions would be redirected to come from the new account
- The company would be told to update their details

http://www.paymentscouncil.org.uk/switch_service/account_switching_explained/comparing_the_current_service_with_the_new_service/