Serious debt with Virgin Mobile on credit report

moneysavingscouser

Greetings.

Not sure if I ought to complain, so let me explain.

I joined clearscore to see my credit report for free. On there I see that I have two 'negatives', one being a 'serious debt' to Virgin mobile. The debt incurred from a mobile phone contract in 2012.

Phoned Virgin up and they said, yes, I did have a debt of £52.00. Hardly 'serious' and furthermore I had no correspondence regarding the debt although they say 'yes', letters were sent. Also they phoned, but from memory I changed mobile phone to pay as you go.

I agreed that it was possible I may have the debt, I have been with Virgin since the start and have always paid bills on time. Given that the debt was affecting my credit report (I was refused a credit meter off Scottish Power unless I paid £150 for each meter) I offered to pay off the debt once I had inspected the documentation relating to the debt.

Even if I have the debt, I am sure that I have had no letters. Virgin wrote off the debt, despite me being a current ongoing customer for internet and home phone.

I realise the interpretation of 'serious debt' may be the credit rating companies, and not Virgin. However I think more effort ought to have been made to recover the debt. Virgin did state they passed it to a company to recover debt. No contact was ever made.

Do I have a complaint?

I'm willing to pay off the debt just to get credit report stating its paid. For such a small sum, its unfair I'm now unable to get a credit utility meter off Scottish Power. They done a credit check and I failed. However, I used to work for Sottish Power and passed the credit check to work for them.

Hope someone can opine or better still let me know if I have a valid complaint.

Thanks in advance.

[Deleted User]

Not really.

But do ignore any CRA interpretation of what is serious or not. At least until, they go into the business of providing credit.

moneysavingscouser

Thanks for the reply.

After contacting Virgin, they stated a debt agency had the details.

The same agency has been contacting my address but to another person. Have had a few messages to another name entirely. This, I assumed, was a previous tenant.

I will make a complaint, due to Virgin not getting in touch with me.

As for credit scores, I know they are meaningless but credit reports stating 'serious debt' do mean a lot.

In my case it means having to pay £300 just to get meters installed.

The reason people usually have pre-payment meters is that most are poor. That means discrimination is afoot and worse, exploitation of people, who through no fault of their own, just happen to have no money.

Making such people have to pay a high price for electricity and gas is pretty messed up.

I feel better for saying that.

[Deleted User]

moneysavingscouser wrote: »

As for credit scores, I know they are meaningless but credit reports stating 'serious debt' do mean a lot.

No, because again, it's a value judgement by the agency that lenders don't see. They will only view the raw data, not the CRAs opinion .

Dobbibill

I don't believe you have a valid complaint either sorry.

Yes, Clearscore may be referring to it as serious but that is probably their opinion given, that an owed amount has remained ignored for 4 yrs.

With regards to paying the £150 for each meter to be installed, this should be a deposit and you will get the money back. It's what they would like you to do to evidence you won't ignore any arrears with them. A second chance so to speak.

moneysavingscouser

Thanks for answers.

To Dobbitbill, I know the £150 is a deposit, should have made that clear.

I've already complained to Virgin just in case they gave the debt recovery agency wrong details - and to let them know that was what happened so other customers don't fall foul.

I'll let you all know the outcome but costs nothing to complain and if my details have been mixed up, someone is to blame.

Thanks once again, sorry about the little 'rant', but I'm sure many see things the same re prepayment meters.

I will likely pay the deposit for the meter, after all I'd be saving hundreds just on electric.

I can do the gas one another time.

There may be a fee to install new meter.

Hopefully I'll get one of those digital electric meter monitors, a stand-alone device that shows exact cost as its being incurred.

Cheers.

pvt

moneysavingscouser wrote: »

The reason people usually have pre-payment meters is that most are poor.

No. The reason is because the utility provider has concerns about an account being settled if they extend credit.