Confused.

Jennifer_Davey

Hi All,

Bit of background.

EE billed me in August a final bill for my phone line, this bill went to my old address. Went completly unawares (i know this bit is my fault) and the debt was sold to Moorcroft in Novemeber. Who then found my new address and billed me for it. I was then in discussion with them about it (because i was completly unaware of this bill and it freaked me out) Started a payment plan with them in February. However in the mean time, EE wacked a default on my credit score for January.

I am

a, Unsure if they can do this because strictly speaking i had a repayment plan with Moorcroft and the debt was then Moorcrofts? (Not 100% on how selling a debt on works?)

or

B, if they can do this, why January? And not in November when the debt was sold?

Please help!

Jenn

[Deleted User]

The default will be accurate, as you defaulted on the agreement.

I believe they're suposed to default within 6 months (which they've done). But you could ask them if they will move it back a couple of months. Not sure how likely they will be to do this.

Jennifer_Davey

I'm confused, because EE sold the debt? Making the debt collection company my new creditors? So surely if i was then responsible for paying them it would be them who would instigate the default?

Mummyto4kids

They might have just instructed them to collect it on their behalf rather than selling it to them?

Ben8282

I note that you did not immediately pay this 'final bill' for your phone line at your old address but set up a payment plan.
A payment plan? For a one month phone bill?

Ben8282

I am curious as to why it was necessary to set up a payment plan for a one-month phone bill.

Jennifer_Davey

It wasn't a one month bill. The account was no longer used and they final billed me the remainder of the account.. so around £280.

Jennifer_Davey

*Due to inactivity on the account. Which i was unaware of, until i was contacted by Moorcroft.

Anoneemoose

Definitely something not adding up in your story here. EE only bill you for 'the remainder of the account' in one go if you a) request it, or b) do not pay your regular bills for a few months prior to this, and they cut you off, meaning you become liable for all of your contract charges at once.

In either case, as you have not paid your bills as agreed, EE can put a default on your credit file. In addition, a pp was correct in that they often pay a company to chase a debt before selling it to them completely, so EE remain the creditors for the time being. It seems that this is what they have done and any payments made to Moorcroft will be updated within EE's systems as well.

Jennifer_Davey

Okay,

On my credit report it shows as all months paid on time up until the August when i was billed for the £280 to a previous address. The debt was passed to Moorcroft in the November (which shows as four payments late on my score) who contacted me at my current address, being that my income was much lower at that point i agreed the repayment plan with them
Then EE defaulted me in January, with absolutely no contact or warning about it?

Also, shortly after the amount was settled i contacted EE to question this whole situation and they informed me that my account was actually sitting in credit for £180... which they refunded me via cheque...

Anoneemoose

EE, as with most service providers are not obliged to warn you about defaulting you, as they are not regulated by the Consumer Credit Act. They probably should be obliged, but that's a different story.

So, now you need to find out why the bill was so high in the first place. If what you are saying is correct, it sounds like the final bill was maybe wrong, which they have since corrected, meaning what you have paid has left the credit balance. Was it actually EE, or Orange or T-Mobile? I ask because I am sure there were a few stories about T-Mobile(?) with incorrect data charges on the final bills, due to some sort of error.

Basically, if they have refunded it, you shouldn't have had to pay it in the first place, which means you shouldn't really be able to default on something you don't owe. I would phone EE back and raise an official complaint. Or find a correspondence/email address and do the same in writing.