BT old account still kept open and damaging

Coileach

Hi all

I recently found out an old BT Consumer account I considered paid up and closed at a previous address dating back to 2010 is parked on my credit file as me owing them £29, with a new entry on my file every month showing the balance as unpaid but the account open. It has never been registered as a default. I have never been asked by BT to pay anything beyond my final bill by phone, letter or email. I have had no contract or dealings with BT since. I moved to my current address in 2013, so they had plenty of time to get in touch at the old property.

So, it looks like I am still a customer on my credit file, and if this was never registered as a default but left open, then I assume it won't ever be removed - which can't be legal, can it? For the sum of just £29, had I been asked for it, and assuming it's a correct historical charge, I would have paid it at the time.

My credit file has no CCJs or defaults, with only ongoing regular payments and old credit cards marked as satisfied. This is the one 'black mark'.

I emailed BT over a week ago and haven't even had an acknowledgement, and raised the matter with Equifax, which has itself forwarded to BT and is still awaiting a response as well. I'm wanting to know, and would appreciate insights and advice, what should happen. If BT fails to engage with me or Equifax on this matter, what can I do? Equifax says they should have a response in 21 days - and if it is removed from my file, great, but what if it isn't, is perhaps kept open, or is finally set as a default from now? Can that happen? If so, that would mean six years and, whether the amount is owed or not, has already been parked for almost seven years. If BT insisted on this £29, I could pay it easily enough - but do I have to, can they, and can I set conditions on it given everything outlined above, i.e. I'll pay it if you remove all trace of it from my credit file? Should I chase BT again and, if so, what should I say?

Thank you for your help.

molerat

What is it actually showing ? Is it showing as a missed payment or is it showing a balance of £29 and a status history of OK / green. Obviously it needs sorting but it may not be a negative to your file.

PixelPound

Do you have proof the final bill was paid, e.g. written confirmation from BT that account was to be closed? A default is usually registered 3-6 months after the last payment. Would I be right in assuming you paid the final bill off in 2010 and had no contact with BT until recently?

Is it definitely a debt? I had an old CC that was showing on my credit file a couple of years ago when I checked with a balance of -£1. It was only when I contacted the company that they said I was 7p in CREDIT and not a debt, it was due to a DD taken a few years earlier that was keeping it open.

Coileach

Hi. Thanks for replying. I've still had no contact with BT, not since paying the final bill. I doubt I've got records going back that far, seven years is a long time, but I'm hunting through boxes. It's showing as an open account with a balance of £29. I click on any of the entries on the Equifax page for it - little red boxes - and each one says it's three months late. I can only see as far back as 2013 for the account but as I say it was closed in 2010. I'm assuming there were red boxes going back before 2013 that I just can't see on the Equifax file.