Lowell Advice/Help

Shackled

Hi MSE community.

I received a Default from Lowell in Dec 2016 for a mobile phone contract with Vodafone. I have disputed this with Vodafone & Lowell, mainly due to concerns over fraud on the vodafone account, they're unable to provide bills for 5 months during which those 5 months the amount owed jumped dramatically and to cut a long story short as far as I was aware at that time the account had been cancelled as confirmed over the phone with a Vodafone representative.

I've been battling it ever since, however having done the 3 letter method on Lowell, they've never once tried to take me to court but every so often send me letters offering silly discounted amounts that I have always returned to sender.

However, they have sent one through recently that offers to discount the amount by 90%. It is my understanding that come January the debt will be statuary barred, but also to my understanding that doesn't mean it comes "off" my file, it'll still sit there, it's just no longer enforceable in a court, meaning my score, etc will still take overall hits? Also would it still be marked as defaulted every month too?

Which brings me to my next question, is it worth paying the 90% reduction (it's literally less than £100) if I can get terms that state the rest of the debt is not enforceable and that my file will be updated as partially settled? Because than also to my understanding (wrongly perhaps) come January 2023 when the default would be statuary barred, instead the partially satisified mark would come off the file?

fatbelly

The 90% letter is the final one in their list of standard letters - it appears you have made it through to the end.

With a default date of Dec 2016 this may be statute barred next month (I say maybe because I do not know if any of those letters you sent would constitute a written acknowledgement)

Lowell must issue a pre-action letter with 30-day reply before commencing court action so that's unlikely now.

What is definite is that the whole entry will drop off your credit file next month - default and all.

Christmas is coming - I'm sure you have better things to do with your money.

For others reading - we do not endorse the 'three-letter process'

Shackled

fatbelly said:

The 90% letter is the final one in their list of standard letters - it appears you have made it through to the end.

With a default date of Dec 2016 this may be statute barred next month (I say maybe because I do not know if any of those letters you sent would constitute a written acknowledgement)

Lowell must issue a pre-action letter with 30-day reply before commencing court action so that's unlikely now.

What is definite is that the whole entry will drop off your credit file next month - default and all.

Christmas is coming - I'm sure you have better things to do with your money.

For others reading - we do not endorse the 'three-letter process'

Hey, thanks for the response!

The letters I sent all stated I would be happy to pay if they can provide evidence that the amount is owed, to which none was ever provided and subsequently discount letters have always been sent, I haven't heard from Lowell Solicitors for years, just Lowell.

Knowing that it will drop off for the new year is amazing and you've saved me £100ish so thanks! IS there anything I need to do to action the drop off or should it happen automatically? If it doesn't I guess I can always raise a dispute with transunion/etc?

Shackled

Just checked through my paperwork and it seems the date of default was the 02 December 2016, so we should hopefully see that dropping off on my next file update, thanks!