BT Default on Credit Report (Advice Needed, Shame on you British Telecom!)

mattinlincoln

Hi All,

Out of the blue, I checked my credit report last month and found BT (British Telecom) had placed a default on my credit report.

Back in 2015, we moved house and duly settled our bill with BT. Furthermore, we had our post redirected for 6 months and received no communication that an amount was still outstanding.

Fast-forward to 2020 and without warning, BT has slapped a default on my account for the princely sum on £30. 

Digging down further, the default relates to 2015, even though the account has never shown overdue payments (since it was settled).

Contacting BT, we were told to liaise with Equifax, so followed due process and ultimately BT has refused to remove the default!

Before I re-contact them, can members please advise as to where I stand?

[Deleted User]

If you've reached an impasse, the ICO would be your next step.

However, given leadtimes and that fact the default falls off after a year, it may resolve itself before you get it sorted yourself.

Fighter1986

I've had this issue with BT before too and I've successfully had the default removed by writing a letter addressed to:
BT
Data Protection Compliance Team
BT Centre
81 Newgate Street
London
EC1A 7AJ

Add the excerpt from your Equifax report showing the default.

Explain that the default is misrepresentative of the situation as you were never given an opportunity to pay and never made aware of an outstanding balance. Explain that you never had any intention to withhold monies due. 

Request they contact Equifax to expunge the default within 28 days, and add that failure to do so will result in your escalating the matter to the ICO.

Enclose a good faith cheque for £30 explaining this is only to be cashed on the basis they agree to your terms and will be expunging the default from your credit history. 

mattinlincoln

@Fighter1986, thank you. I will follow your lead and report back.

abirdonwire

I'm going to follow this as I've a similar problem with Virgin Mobile and a possible fraudulent contract taken out in my name which has a resulted in a default being applied to my credit file.
The default is in relation to an account opened in my name in 2015, which was defaulted in May last year. It has only turned up in my Equifax score this month! Infuriating.

Fighter1986

abirdonwire said:

I'm going to follow this as I've a similar problem with Virgin Mobile and a possible fraudulent contract taken out in my name which has a resulted in a default being applied to my credit file.
The default is in relation to an account opened in my name in 2015, which was defaulted in May last year. It has only turned up in my Equifax score this month! Infuriating.

This is a very different situation and requires a very different approach.

If you've been a victim of identity theft you need to report it to the police and obtain a crime reference number from them.

You then take this crime reference number to Virgin Mobile explaining you just found out you were a victim of ID Theft, the contract was never taken out by you, and here's the crime reference.

You might need to write to them if they can't sort it over the phone. 

Be very sure it wasn't you who opened the account before speaking to the police.