Credit File utterly botched by Lowell...help?

Etaine

Hoping that someone might be able to offer me some advice beyond what I've already done.


Basically, I've had a few accounts with Lowell over a span of several years, the debts dating back to when I was very young and very, very stupid. There were 4 in total, then due to bad circumstances in 2014, another Vodafone account got added on. So that makes 5.


I was happily paying away every month with what I could afford (not much, I'm a single mum, three children, one of whom is severely disabled). I had no reason to suspect that anything was amiss until today, when I received a letter from them asking me to contact them about my Vodafone account, which was sitting at - wait for it - £1471. I rang them immediately and ended up having a very long discussion with a pretty nice young girl, who agreed to dispute the account for me based on their £788 'early termination fee' and the rest constituting bizarre and astronomical airtime costs that make no sense (I was just under two months away from completing the phone contract and was up to date on bills until one month before disconnection).


That wasn't an issue. No worries, I thought. It'll be resolved. While I had her on the phone, I asked for a quick run through of my other accounts to check on their progress. They were all fine. Four accounts, all nice and fine, two still being paid, two had been settled some time ago. All. Was. Fine. That was, until I decided to pop on and check my credit report.


Very poor.


Given that all was ok and my other accounts are ALL up to date and have been for some time, I was NOT expecting this. After looking through in more detail, I found that my entire credit file is a nasty rash of red entries from Lowell. Defaults EVERYWHERE. Also absolutely no sign of my two settled accounts - just two great big fat unexplained 0 accounts listed as defaults, along with the two I'd been told I'd settled sitting there, also as defaults, with the balances still showing. Then there were the two I know about because I'm still paying them, followed by two others that I have no knowledge of at all...because they aren't bloody well mine.


First off, I emailed Experian and explained what I'd found, telling them I was getting in touch with Lowell again asap. Then, I emailed Lowell (in pretty bloody strong terms) and will be ringing them tomorrow. Yet again.


What else can I do? Anything? Is there anyone I can contact if Lowell don't remove the erroneous entries? They aren't the best people to deal with as it is, this much I know.


Any help much, much appreciated. Thanks!

xHannahx

They are reporting correctly I'm afraid to say.
Lowells being a debt collection agency take on defaulted debts from other companies. As soon as debt passes to them it's a defaulted debt already, no matter what payments you make to a defaulted debt it remains as default marker for either 5 or 6 years, even if you settle. If you settle a defaulted debt it would normally remain as default but with a satisfied marker,

shortcrust

Sorry it's bad news, but xHannahx's correct. You can't fix defaults once they happen. They show as defaults until they drop off altogether. However, each account is only a single default despite how lots of red dots look on the screen.

fermi

Etaine wrote: »

Defaults EVERYWHERE.

Defaulted accounts stay a D or 8 in their status history each month, even when you are paying. That is normal, but can look a mess until you understand that is just the way they are shown.

Etaine wrote: »

Also absolutely no sign of my two settled accounts - just two great big fat unexplained 0 accounts listed as defaults,

0? £0 current balance?

That would be correct, but should say satisfied with a satisfaction date somewhere as well.

If you don't know what they are for then dispute it with Lowells.

Etaine wrote: »

along with the two I'd been told I'd settled sitting there, also as defaults, with the balances still showing.

They should be marked as satisfied showing no remaining balance.

The "default balance" is the balance the account was at when it defaulted, not the current one, and never changes, even when paid off.

Just in case you are reading that one, rather than the current balance

A satisfied account remains a default and the Ds or 8s stay, but should just be marked as satisfied with no current balance owing.

If these are not, then again, complain.

Etaine wrote: »

followed by two others that I have no knowledge of at all...because they aren't bloody well mine.

If they are not your, then again make a stong complaint.

On al complaints make it clear to Lowells that unless they correct anything wrong, or remove entries for debts that are not your, you will be taking them to the Financial Ombudsman and reporting them to the ICO.

Etaine

Thanks guys. Just to clarify - as I think my post was slightly misconstrued - I was referring to the fact that a) I should have satisfied markers where there are none, b) there are entries that do not match up to my records, debts that I have no record of - and Lowell didn't mention them yesterday either over the phone and c) while I'm aware that defaults remain defaults until they fall off, only four of them should actually be there. Instead there are several more than just the four, including the ones I don't recognise and what appears to be two default entries for one single debt (twice over, I might add, so four extra defaults on my file for two debts).


I have complained very strongly, so I'll see what they come back with. I'm not bothered about the defaults that are there for a good reason - but two of them should have had satisfied markers for the last year or more, while the other two have been consistently paid and yet are showing as not having been paid at all. The rest of them have come out of nowhere and just shouldn't be there.

Vodafone

Hi Etaine,

If you'd like me to look into this, email me via the Contact us form here.

To access the form you'll need to enter the code WRT135.

As well as stating your query in the question box, please also quote "MSE Forum".

Once sent, you'll receive an automated reply with a reference number. Post it on here and I’ll check I've received it.

Kind regards,

Lee

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