Lowell Portfolio Ltd

andyburford

Hi all.
Late last year/ beginning of this year, I got a new phone after breaking my old one. A few months later I cancelled a direct debit to 02 thinking it was an inactive account. I didn't hear anything from 02, untill about September this year with a latter from 02 saying they have sold the debt (£50) to Lowell and also included was a Lowell letter. I immediately paid the debt to Lowell knowing that I must have deleted the wrong direct debit. I have checked my credit rating today to find it has decreased by 352 points on Experian for this! The default was recorded in Lowells name.

My argument is that I did not recieve any letter, emails or phone calls to my landline from 02 about the debt (approx 6 months from cancelling the direct debit to getting a letter) It was £50 so I would have paid it earlier had they told me as that is no big amount.
I realise that I can't get 02 to delete it as it's not in their name, but do I have a leg to stand on to get it removed from my credit file if 02 say they have no evidence of any letters or emails or phone calls being sent prior to the Lowell letter?
Thank you in Advance

cjmillsnun

First off IGNORE THE SCORE. Lenders do not see it. They generate their own score based on their criteria.

Secondly. It’s your responsibility to pay your bills. You cancelled the DD and will have to take this on the chin

Shakin_Steve

Without being too hard on you: People expect companies to let them know when they don’t pay their debts, whether it be by direct debit or otherwise. In fact, it’s your responsibility to make sure your debts are paid. You cancelled the direct debit, not them. If you only had one account with O2, how did you manage to cancel the wrong direct debit?

andyburford

Well I changed phones but still had to pay off the old phone as it had about a month left (but obviously cancelled before the d/d due date) hence 2 direct debits to 02.

Nat west shows direct debits online including current and inactive. I was clearing my old d/d's off natwest thinking that the 02 d/d was now inactive at the time.

In the past, if i've ever been short of money & the d/d failed, 02 would threaten to disconnect, send letters, calls etc, but not heard a thing from them.
Having just had my credit score going from 0 to 20 points short of good after getting into debt in my teens, to loose over 300 points in a day because of £50 really annoyed me. But if lenders don't see the score, then fair enough i'll move on. Thanks

[Deleted User]

Lenders don't see the score no.

But they will see all the late/missed payments if you say you've missed previous direct debits in the past due to lack of funds.

To have your "score" drop at this point is fair in my opinion

PixelPound

Did O2 say they did not send letters? Do you have and terms & conditions that says they will contact you if you forget to pay? Lowell probably register the defaults of all the accounts they buy and the original creditor removes theirs. It is possible O2 forgot to register the late markers and then the default, but the fact is you did default - whether you are able to pay is unfortunately not a factor. Most agreements say its your responsibility to let them know if you can't pay. If you read the DD guarantee it says if you cancel you should also notify the company concerned. Did you notify O2 you were cancelling the DD?

You could contact them and ask to remove it because you weren't contacted, but doubt they will. You could raise a complaint through O2 and take it further if it is deemed they did not attempt to contact you (from their records not yours), though not sure you will get a success that way (but it is an option)

Anthorn

andyburford wrote: »

Hi all.
Late last year/ beginning of this year, I got a new phone after breaking my old one. A few months later I cancelled a direct debit to 02 thinking it was an inactive account. I didn't hear anything from 02, untill about September this year with a latter from 02 saying they have sold the debt (£50) to Lowell and also included was a Lowell letter. I immediately paid the debt to Lowell knowing that I must have deleted the wrong direct debit. I have checked my credit rating today to find it has decreased by 352 points on Experian for this! The default was recorded in Lowells name.

My argument is that I did not recieve any letter, emails or phone calls to my landline from 02 about the debt (approx 6 months from cancelling the direct debit to getting a letter) It was £50 so I would have paid it earlier had they told me as that is no big amount.
I realise that I can't get 02 to delete it as it's not in their name, but do I have a leg to stand on to get it removed from my credit file if 02 say they have no evidence of any letters or emails or phone calls being sent prior to the Lowell letter?
Thank you in Advance

Not very much to do with O2 now except that they will have passed on the original agreement and last statement to Lowell who now own the debt. So if you want to raise an objection you do it with Lowell. Conversely you were in debt to Lowell and not O2. So in my view you have not a leg to stand on in getting the default removed except that if it has been paid off it should be updated to show as satisfied.

What happens if a debt is sold?
If a debt is sold to a debt collector, they can then record it as a separate entry on your report. The original account will be marked as satisfied and a “debt assigned” flag will be added so lenders will know it has been passed on. The default date won’t change if the debt is sold.

http://www.experian.co.uk/blogs/consumer-advice/defaults-credit-report-top-5-questions/

Laffytaffy

Hi. My husband noticed his credit file at experian had gone down so he contact them and the company Lowell!!!8217;s portfolio LTD has appeared on his credit file. Now we haven!!!8217;t received any letters, phonecalls etc from this company. Don!!!8217;t even know what the debt is. Does he contact them to find out? Or leave it.. help please. We are trying to pay off our debts to get a mortgage. This is the last thing on his credit file so we don!!!8217;t know how to tackle it. Thanks

Laffytaffy

Apologise for all those number etc. Not sure how they got there

[Deleted User]

Find out why they are on his file.

Does he have outstanding debts that they may have bought?

Mahsroh

Laffytaffy wrote: »

Hi. My husband noticed his credit file at experian had gone down so he contact them and the company Lowell!!!8217;s portfolio LTD has appeared on his credit file. Now we haven!!!8217;t received any letters, phonecalls etc from this company. Don!!!8217;t even know what the debt is. Does he contact them to find out? Or leave it.. help please. We are trying to pay off our debts to get a mortgage. This is the last thing on his credit file so we don!!!8217;t know how to tackle it. Thanks

Lowell are a debt collection company and the debt (whatever it is) has likely be sold to them relating to something such as an outstanding mobile phone bill (as per the OP) or unpaid store credit or something along those lines. Is it likely it could be something like this?

If you've not received any letters, have you moved house recently (even in say the last 3 years)? If it's an old debt, Lowell may be writing to a previous address.