Plea for help - incorrect entry

t0mbop

Hi all, I’m sure there’s hundreds of stories of people complaining about their credit file, but the last week has been the most horrendous I’ve ever experienced.

I had a lease car with Lex Autolease, the car was returned after a 3 year lease in which all payments were made by direct debit without issue. On June 26th the car was collected by BCA and taken away. I have a report and the guys said I’d hear from Lex with a final invoice. I’ve had several lease cars and this is all fine.

A couple of weeks passed and it crossed my mind I hadn’t heard anything until I checked my bank and £858.22 had been removed by DD by Lex. No invoice, no letter, no email, no phone call, nothing. That amount is a random amount and over double what I was paying as a regular rental. I immediately phoned Lex who at this point were helpful and blamed computer system issues. They had no record of any communications being sent by them and advised me the money should not have been taken and were somewhat apologetic, the chap advised me to call the bank and get it cancelled and reversed that day and to wait for actual correspondence. At this point it was still unclear what that balance was for. I spoke to my bank who reversed the transaction and I waited for the correspondence.

On the 31st July I received a rather abrupt 10 day letter saying my account was overdue to the balance listed above and I had 10 days from the date of the letter to pay. The date on the letter was July 16th. So my 10 days had gone. Within this letter there was STILL no information about what the balance due was relevant to, damages? Final rental? Mistake? What? I telephoned again and miraculously got the same person I did just 2 weeks previous. He apologised profusely and said they are all automated letters and to not worry. I said I still don’t know what I’m paying for and he emailed me the actual itemised invoices I’d yet to see. 1 was a final rental and 1 was damages. I paid the final rental as this was fine, that day on the phone. I obtained a receipt. The damages one is disputed as there was a discrepancy between my records, the collection report and what they’d found back at BCA under inspection. Lex happily said no problem, we’ll look into it and consider that invoice on hold.

Here’s the kicker, on this letter also was a line suggested I’d be reported to the CRAs for late payment if I missed my 10 day window. The chap on the phone said that wouldn’t be the case and allegedly spoke to a senior credit controller whilst I held. On his return he said it wouldn’t be reported as Lex’s internal systems suggested no issues or arrears or overdue amounts on my account and that once again the letters were computer generated and to ostensibly ignore them.

Friday, 2nd July, I wake up to (finally) the paper invoices for the outstanding amounts, 1 of which by now had already been settled anyway, and another for the damages some of which were in dispute. Also, I woke up to a lovely late payment marker on my credit report sending my score down by 300 points. I know the scores are a gimmick but the report isn’t. I frantically phoned Lex and they were less than helpful this time, the chap I’d spoken to before was unavailable and they said my account had been passed into complaints and they’d need time to look at it and that I had to wait.

Today I received a letter once again from Lex, a final reminder for the full balance, threatening they were about to instruct solicitors as they hadn’t heard from me and no payments had been forthcoming. I’m so stressed and nervous, I’ve done nothing wrong and my financial history and future is being torn apart day by day.

I’ve spoken to the ombudsman this morning who suggested I wait for Lex to come back to me, I just don’t know what to expect in the mean time. Verbally, on the phone they’re fine, no problems, no overdue amounts, don’t panic, but officially I’m being torn apart, my credit file is destroyed and I’m expecting a solicitors letter now!

What can I do. Lex are closed until Monday when I will ring back but any advice is appreciated. I’m about to pull the plug on a remortgage I had going through, I’ve instructed builders and a structural surveyor regarding my extension and now I feel I won’t get the lending I had in principle because of this incorrect, adverse marker on my report!

Help!

[Deleted User]

Calm down.

If a mistake has been made, the marker will be removed. And worst case scenario, one late payment has never torn apart or destroyed anyone's history or future.

It's all manageable.

sourcrates

Deep breath.........what has been marked on your file, can just as easily be removed.

You really need to stop talking to Lex on the phone, send a written complaint detailing events to date, that way it gets to the organ grinder, and not his monkey, tell them they have messed up your invoicing, and what you require from them to settle this complaint, then give them a timescale for compliance.

A solicitors letter is nothing to be concerned about, just one of a string of template letters companies use.


https://www.lexautolease.co.uk/personal/how-to-complain