Desperate for help - unfair default notice

Dear all,

I would appreciate your help on a matter. 5 years ago I had a default notice issued on my name by Lowell financial for a an outstanding debt they purchased from Orange of £29. I took out a mobile phone contract with Orange and changed ownership of the account to a friends name a few months later after taking it out. I then left the country and moved to Dubai. Somewhere down the line an outstanding amount of £29 came up, and Orange was sending letters to me (not my friend) in an address I no longer lived in. Things escalated and letters were sent, nobody received any communication until one day I got a letter at my parents home saying a default had been issued. As soon as I saw this I paid the ammount and me and my friend have, for many years been trying to resolve this with Lowell (Orange wont even speak to me about the account). Dealing with Lowel is very intimidating - I've had no luck at all to date. I've moved back to england and I want to buy a car - I can't take any finance out right now.

My salary is north of £150k a year - my credit score is 725. It's the only red flag against my name and it's brutally unfair.

I've tried speaking to the ombudsman who says they dont deal with these things - i feel hopeless. Can someone please help me - I am willing to hire a lawyer if you guys think I have a case. I'm 28 and this is crippling my life, I want to buy a house and a car and I cannot.

Thank you

Comments

  • BorisThomson
    BorisThomson Posts: 1,721
    Combo Breaker First Post
    Forumite
    Do you not have savings to buy a car?

    Your credit score is meaningless. Have you actually applied for credit? Being out the country for several years is likely to cause more of a problem than a five year old settled debt.
  • System
    System Posts: 178,077
    Photogenic Name Dropper First Post
    Community Admin
    The outstanding amount was probably your final bill. What usually happens is people prematurely cancel their direct debit and there's usually the balance of the last month's contract to pay. This would be your liability, not your friend's.

    In law they only have to write to the last address that they have for you which would most likely be the one you gave when you signed up for the contract so in that respect they have done nothing wrong.

    As for the credit score, as you're finding out they're worthless and mean nothing.

    The default will drop off your file 6 years after it was issued so you've probably not got long to wait until it disappears under the Statute of Limitations of its own accord.

    If your salary is north of £150k though and you're having to use finance to buy a car you've got some serious money issues going on. You should be able to buy one outright in cash.
  • sourcrates
    sourcrates Posts: 28,711
    First Anniversary Name Dropper First Post Photogenic
    Ambassador
    Any complaints regarding credit files/defaults etc, must first be sent to the company concerned to resolve, they have 8 weeks in which to do so, have you sent a written complaint, if so have you had a final response ?

    If you've done all the above, you can then complain to the ICO (Information commissionaires office) here :

    https://ico.org.uk/

    But to be honest i wouldn't bother as the default will drop off your file next year anyway.
    I’m a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on the Debt free wannabe, Credit file and ratings, and Bankruptcy and living with it boards. If you need any help on these boards, do let me know. Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any posts you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button, or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com. All views are my own and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.For free non-judgemental debt advice, contact either Stepchange, National Debtline, or CitizensAdviceBureaux.Link to SOA Calculator- https://www.stoozing.com/soa.php The "provit letter" is here-https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2607247/letter-when-you-know-nothing-about-about-the-debt-aka-prove-it-letter
  • Thrugelmir
    Thrugelmir Posts: 89,546
    Name Dropper Photogenic First Anniversary First Post
    Forumite
    AFCDXB wrote: »
    I took out a mobile phone contract with Orange and changed ownership of the account to a friends name a few months later after taking it out.

    How was this change effected?
  • patman99
    patman99 Posts: 8,532
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker Photogenic First Post
    Forumite
    Op it might well be that you have spent a huge amount of time outside the UK that is the cause of your credit problem.

    Try applying for a credit card and using it to pay for small purchases then paying off the balance in full each month. This should start to build you a credit rating in the UK.

    Oh, and I earn just north of £15k a year and can afford to buy a car without finance.
    Never Knowingly Understood.

    Member #1 of £1,000 challenge - £13.74/ £1000 (that's 1.374%)

    3-6 month EF £0/£3600 (that's 0 days worth)

This discussion has been closed.
Meet your Ambassadors

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 342.5K Banking & Borrowing
  • 249.9K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 449.4K Spending & Discounts
  • 234.6K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 607.1K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 172.8K Life & Family
  • 247.4K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 15.8K Discuss & Feedback
  • 15.1K Coronavirus Support Boards